The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-05
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

The secretary Of the interior has the
supervision of so many important sub
jects that his report is of especial
value and of interest. On the Goth day
of June, 1898. there were on the pen
sion rolls 966.O12 names, an increase
of 1894 over the number on the rolls
on June 80, 1892 OF these there were
seventeen widows and daughters OF
revolutionary soldiers, eighty-six sur
vivors of the war 1872 5.425 widows OF
soldiers of that war, 21,51S survivors
and widows of the Mexican war, 1882
survivors and widows of Indian wars,
2S4 army nurses and 4I5,645 survivors
and widows and children of deceased
soldiers and sailors of the war of the
rebellion. The latter number repre-
sents those pensioned on account o.
disabilities and death resulting from
army and navy service. The number Of
persons remaining on the rolls June
so, 1899, who were pensioned under the
act of June q, 1890, which allows PEN
sions on account Of death and disabili-
ties not chargeable to the army SER
vice. was 4.591, 555. The number added
to the rolls during the year was 123.-
634, and the number dropped wac IS, Gao
The first payments on pensions allowed
during the year amounted TO S33, $685.
549.9 S9. This includes arrears OF accu-
mutations between the time from which
the allowance Of the pension dates and
the time of actually granting the GER
tiicate. Although the law Of 1890 per-
mitS pensions for disability now re-
lated to the military service, yet as
requisite to it's benefit a disability
must exist incapacitating the applicants
from the performance of manual labor to
such a degree as to render them
unable to earn a support. The execu-
ton of this law in its early stages
does not seem to have been in accord
with its true intention, but toward
the close of the last administration an
authoritative construction was given
to the statute. and since that time
| this construction has been followed.
This has had the effect Of limiting the
operation of the law to its intended
purpose. The discovery having been
made that many names had been put
upon the pension roll by means of
wholesale and gigantic frauds the
commissioner suspended payments up
on q number of pensions which seem
! to be fraudulent or unauthorized, pend
ling a complete examination giving
notice to the pensioners in order that
1 they might have an opportunity to
establish, if possible, the justice Of
their claims, Notwithstanding apparent
linvalidity. This I understand is the
1 III WHICH IdS lOE AOuS5 Time
/ prevailed in the pension bureau. But
after entering upon these recent in
vestigatiOns, the commissioner mOdi-
| fed this rule go as not to allow, until
after complete examination. inter-
ference with the payment of a pen
| sion apparently not altogether void
but which merely had been fixed at
rate higher than that authorized by
| the law. / am unable to understand
why frauds in the pension rolls should
mot be exposed and corrected
with thoroughness and vigor. Every
name fraudulently put upon these
trolls is wicked imposition
upon the kindly sentiment in
which pensions have their origin
/ Every fraudulent pensioner has be-
leone q bad citizen; every false oath
in support of a pension has made per-
jury more common, and false and IN
| deserving pensioners rob the people,
not only of their money, but Of the
patriotic sentiment which the sur
vivors OF the war fought for-the pre-
lServation Of the uniOn-Ought to in
/ spire Thousands Of neighborhoods
lhave their well known fraudulent pen
Isioners and recent developments by
1.-THE bureau establish appalling con-
lspiracies to accomplish pension frauds.
by no means the least wrong done is
to the brave and deserving pensioners
Idemned to such association. Those
who attempt, in the line of duty. to
lrectify these wrongs, should not be ac-
Icused of ennity or Indifference to the
claims of honest veterans. The sum
Iexpended on account of pensions for
the year ending June 30, 1893, was
$3.50. T40, 4e714 The commissioner esti-
mates that 1855 600, 900 win be required
to pay pensions during the year ending
June 80. 1894.
The condition of the Indians and
their ultimate fate are subjects which
are related to a sacred duty Of the
! government and which strongly appeal
Ito the sense of justice and the SYM
Ipathy Of our people. Our Indians
number about 24s,000. most OF them
lbeing relocated on 161 reservations.
containing Sc, 115.531 acres of land
About 10000 of these Indians have to
Ia large degree adopted civilized Gus
toms. Lands in several territories has
lbeen allotted to many of them Such
lallotments have been made to 10000
individuals during the last Sscal year
embracing about 100000 acres. The
number of indian schools opened DUR
+ ling the year was 195, an increase Of
twelve over the preceding year. OF