South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-12-07

tho postal revenues. Therefore a hrssc
receipts and expenditures - the expected
| aud unavoidable result Of tho distressing
strfngency which has prevailed throughout
tho country during much ofthetinae covered
BY tho Postmaster Generals report.
desire to commend as especially worthy
OF prompt attention the suggestion OF tho
Postmaster General relating to a moro sensi-
bic and businees-like organization and q
better distribution OF responsibility in his
department.
The report OF tho Secretary OF tho Navy
contains a history OF tho operations OF his
department during the past year. and OK
hibits q most gratifying condition OF tho per
! sonnet Of our navy. He presents q satisfac-
tory account Of the progress which has been
made In tho construction Of vessels. and
makes . number OF recommendations to
which attention Is especially invited.
Progress In the construction OF new vessels
has not been As rapid As was anticipated.
Thoro have been delays in the completion of
unarmorod vessels, but for the most part they
have been such As arc constantly occurring
even In countries having the largest expert
encetn naval bodybuilding. Tho most serious
armorod ships. The trouble has been the fall
ure OF contractors to deliver armor as agreed.
The difficulties seem now, however, to have
been all overcome, and srmor Is being deliv-
cred With satisfactory promptness. As a re-
suit Of tho experience acquired by ship
builders and designers and material men. II Is
believed that tho dates when vessels will be
completed can now be estimated with reason
able accuracy. Great guns, rapid-nro guns,
torpcdoes and powder are being promptly
| supplied.
the allowance Of pension dates and the time
OF actually granting the certificate.
Although the law of 1880 permits pensions
for disabilities not related to military service,
yet as a requisite to its benefits q disability
must exist tncapacitating applicants "from
the performance Of manual labor to such q
degree rs to render them unable to earn q
support" The execution OF this law In It's
early stages docs not seem to have been in
accord with its true intention but towards
tho close OF the last administration an autho-
ritative construction was given to tho statute,
and since that time this construction has been
followed. This has had the effect Of limiting
the operation Of the law to It's intended pur-
pose. Tho discovery having bean made that
many names had boom put upon tho pension
frauds, the Commissioner suspended pay
ments upon a number Of pensions which
While am distinctly In favor of consis-
tently pursuing tho policy we have inAugu-
rated Of building up q thorough and efficient
navy. cannot refrain from tho suRResttoh
that the Congress should carefully take Into
| account the number Of unfinished vessels on
our hands and the depleted condition Of our
Treasury in considering the proprietyof an
appropriation at this time to begin new work.
PENSIONS.
The Secretary OF the Interior has the SUP
his report is OF especial value and interest
On the 30th day OF June. 1893, there were
| on the pension rolls 966,O12 names. an in
crease OF SO, aA over the number on the rolls
June 80, 1892. OF these there were seventeen
WIDOWS and daughters Of Revolutionary
soldiers, efghty-siS survivors OF the War OF
1912. 5425 widows Of soldiers of that war,
| 81 ,518 survivors and widows OF the
Mexican war. 1882 survivors and
widows OF Indian wars, 284 army
nurses, and 475, 645 survivors, and widows
and children OF deceased soldiers ami
sailors Of the Rebellion. The latter number
represents those pensioned on account of
disabilities or death resulting from army
and navy service. The number OF persons
remaining on the rolls juno 80, 1899, who
! we're pensioned under the act OF juno n,
] 1890, which allows pensions. on account OF
death and disability not chargeable to army
service, was ASS, 165.
The number added to the rolls during the
year was 1913 ,6S4, and the number dropped
| was SO $50. The first payments on pensions
allowed during the year amounted to eS3,-
| 756, 549. SO. This includes arrears, or the
seemed to Be fraudulent or unauthorizea
, pending q complete examination. giving mo-
ttce 10 the pensioners, in order that they
possible, the justice Of tEeis claims notwith.
standing apparent invalidity.
This. understand, is Eae ,prretice which
has for d1onsr tfme prevail r In: tho Peas.o.:
Bureau but after entering upon these recon,
investigations the Commissioner modified
this rule SO as not to allow, until after com.
plete examination, interference with the pay
ment OF q pension apparently not altogether
void, but which merely had been fixed at G
rate higher than that authorized by Law.
Inn unable to understand why frauds ir
tho pension rolls should not be exposed and
corrected with thorou9hness and "igor.
Every name fraudently put upon These rolls
Is a wicked imposition upon the kindly sen
timent in which pensions have their origin
every fraudulent pensioner has become a bat
citizen every false oath in support OF n pen
sion has made perjury more common ant
false and understanding pensioners rob th'
people NOT only OF their money, bu
Of tho patriotic, sentiment which the sur
OF the Union, ought to inspire. Thousand
OF neighborhoods have their welI-knowr
fraudulent pensioners, and recent develop
ments by the bureau establish appalling con
spiracies to accomplish pension frauds. b,
no means tho least wrong done is to brave
and deserving pensioners, who certainl.
ought not to be condemned to such nssocia
ton.
Those who attempt in the line OF duty t,
rcctify these wrongs should not be accuses
OF onmity or indifference 10 tho claims o
honest veterans.
The sum expended on account Of pension
for the year ending June 80, 1899, WAS si56,
T4O.467.14.
The Commissioner estimates that S165,
GOO, 900 will BIO required to- pay pension
during the year ending June 80, 1894.
THE INDIANS.
Tho condition OF the Indians and their ul
innate fate are subjects which are related t
a sacred duty Of the Government. land whic
strongly appeal to the sense Of Justice an
tho sympathy OF our people.
Our Indians number about 24S, 900. Most {
them are located on ISL reservations, cor
tanning So, 116, 5S1 acres Of land. About no
900 OF these Indians have, to q large degree
adopted civilized customs. Lands in SO,
crafty have been allotted to many of then
Such allottments have been made to 10. 100
individuals during tho last fiscal year, en-
bracing about 200 900 acres.
The solution OF the Indian problem de
Ponds very largely upon good administrs
ton. The personal fitness OF agents an
their adaptability to the peculiar duty OF car
ing for their wants, Is Of the utmost impor,
ance.
Tho law providing that, except in especIs
cases, army officers shall be detailed as In
dian agents, 1t As hoped will prove a success
full experiment.
There Is danger OF great abuses oreepin
into the prosecution OF claims for Indian de
preciattona, and I recommend that ever