The Progress., 1893-12-09
The Interior Department.

The Secretary of the Interior has the sinner
vision OF SO many important subjects that hi:
report is OF especial value and in crest on the
3Olh day OF June, 1898, thers were on the pension
rolls y66,Ol2 names an Increase of 80 9i over the
number on the rolls on June 80 1892
or these there were seventeen widows and
daughters OF revolutionary soldiers the sur
vivOrS of the war of 1872 BIS widows of
soldiers OF that war, 2l5lS survivors and
widows OF the Mexican war $50 survivors and
widows of the Indian wars, 2S4 army nurses
and 410Sf5 survivors and widows and children
OF deceased soldiers and sailors Of the war of
the reDelllou The latter number represents
thos- pensioned on account OF disabilities
death resulting from army and navy services
The number OF persons remaining on the rolls
June -. 1893, who were pensiOned under the
act OF June q, $780, which allows prnsions on
account of death and disablement not
chareeaole TO army service was 459 l5j.
Inc number added to the rolls during the
81 600 VI -'Ppeu was
The first payments on pensions allowed dur
ing the year amounted to S33, $40 %. This
includes arrears or the accumulation between
the time from which the allowance of nension
dates and the time of actually granting the
ceruncatcs. Although the law of 1880 permits
pensions for disability not related TO military
service yet as requisite to its benefits a disa-
bliity must exist lncapacitating applications
from the performance of manual labor to such
degree as TO render them unable to earn sup-
port The execution of this law IN its early sta ge
does not seem TO have been in accord with its
tue intention. But toward the clos. OF the
last administration an authoritative coustruc-
ton was given to the statute and since that
tllne this construction has been followed This
mas had the effect OF limi ing the operation of
the law 10 its intend d purpose he dlscuv-
er' having been made that many name. had
been put upon the pension roll by mean- of
wholesale and gigantic frauds the commits
sloner suspended payments up IN a number
pensions which seemed to be fraudulent or nm.
authorized pending complete examination
giving notice TO the pensiOder in ord-r that
they might have an Opportunity to establish If
possible he justice of their claims, notwith-
standing apparent invalidity
IhlS, understand. is the Or lctice which has
Tor a long time prevailed IN the n. n sion bureau
put aiter entering up n these Iecent invesiiga-
tlons tue commit, sioner modified this rule so as
u not allow until after a complele examina.
tiIn fnterft renee wi h the pa, m nt Of "A men
sion apparently not altogether void but winch
merely mad been fixed at a rate hi-her than
that authorized by law. am unable to under.
stand why frauds in the pensio rol 8 should
not be exposed and corrected with thorough
ness and vigor. Every name fraudulen Iy put
upon the kindly sentiment in which
pensions have their origin Every
fraudulent pensipner has become a bad citizen.
every false oath in support of n pension has
been perjury more common and false and nm.
deserving pensioners rob the people not onl, OF
their money. but of the patriotic sent ment
which the survivors of The war who fought for
the preservation of the Unien ought % in >pire
Thousands of neighborhoois have their we'll
known fraudulent pensioners and recent devrl
opfne lis by the bureau estab ish appalling con
spracies 10 accomplish pension frauds By no
means the least wrong done is to brave aud dc.
serving pensioners who rt erly ought not 10 be
con iemned to such assOciations
Those who attempt In the line of duty 70 rectIfv
tnese wrongs should not be accused OF enmlty or
indifference to the claims of honest veterans The
sum expended on gccount of pensions for the wear
ending June 81. 1888, was SIS, ,4J46il4 The Com
nissloner estimates that 0UOUJO will be req ured
70 pay pensions during The year ending June 90
THE INDIANS.
The condition Of the Indians and their ultimate
state are objects which related to sacred duty