The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-05


The method of employing mechanical
labor at the navy yards through boards OF
labor, and of making efficiency the sole
test BY which laborers are employed and
continued, is producing the best results,
and the secretary is earnestly devotiDg
himself to its development. Attention is
invited to the statements of his report 10
regard to the working OF the system.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The secretary of the interior has the
supervision of SO many important subjects
that his report is of special value and in
terest.
THE PENSION ROLLS.
On the 3Oth day of June 1898, there were
Oh the pension rolls 966, 0l2 names, an in
crease of SO 9i4 over the number on the
rolls on June 30th, 1892. OF these there
were seventeen widows and daughters OF
revolutionary soldiers, ), ,425 Survivors anu
widows of the war Of 1872, q, SIS survivors
and widows of the Mexican war, Z, 0S2 sur
vivors and widows of Indian wars, 2S4
army nurses and AS S54 survivors, wild
ows and children of diseased soldiers and
sailors Of the war of the rebellion. The
latter number represents those pensloned
on occount OF disabilities Or death result
ing from army aud navy services. The
number of persons remaining on the rolls
June 80, 1898, who were pensloned under
the act of June q, 1890, which allows PEN
sions on account of death and disability
not chargeable to army service, was 49,
155. The number added to the rolls dur
ing the year was 123, 643 and the number
dropped was $500 The first payments
on pensions allowed during the year
amounted TO s33, 759, $50 9S. This includes
arrears, or the accumulation between the
time from which the allowance of pension
dates and the time OF actually granting
the certificates.
PENSION SUSPENSIONS.
Although the law of 1890 permits pen
sions for disa ability not relative to military
service, yet as requisite to its benefits
stability must exist iDcapacitating ap-
picants from the performance of manual
labor to such a degree as to render them
unable to earn support. The execution
of the law in its early stages does not
seem to have been in accord with its true
intention, but toward the close of the last
administr ration an authoritative construc-
lion WAS given to the statute, and since
that time this construction has been fol-
lowed. This 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
npon the pension roll by means OF whole
sale and gigantic frauds, the commission
er suspended payments upon number of
pensions which seemed to be fraudulent
or unauthorized, pending complete ex-
animation, giving notice to the pension
ers, in order that they might
have an opportunity TO estab-
lish, if possible, the justice of
their claims, Notwithstanding apparent
invalidity This, l understand, is the
practice which has for a long time pre-
si..I 1t-,n 1sxf
entering upon these recent Investigations,
the commissioner modified this rule so as
not TO allow until after a complete exam
ina;ion interference with the payment of
n pension apparently not altogether in
valid, but which merely has been fixed at a
rate higher than that allowed by law.
am unable TO understand why frauds
In the pension rolls should not be exposed
and corrected with thoroughness and
vigor. Every name fraudulently put
upon these rolls is "A wicked imposition
upon the kindly sentiment in which pen
sions have their origin. Every fraudulent
pensioner has become bad citizen; every
false witness IN support of a pension has
made perjury more common, and false
and undeserving pensioners rob the people
not only of their money, but of the patri-
otlc sentiment which the survivors of a
war fought for the preservation of the
Union ought TO inspire. Thousands of
nelghborhoodS have their we'll known
fraudulent pensioners, and recent develop
ments 10y the bureau establish appalling
conspracies To establish pension frauds
BY no means the least wrong done is to
brave and deserving pensioners, who GER
tsinly ought not to be condemned to such
associations. Those who attempt in the
line OF duty to rectify these wrongs should
not be accused of eumity or indifference to
The claims of honest veterans
The sum expended on account of pen
slons for the year ending June 80, 1898,
was Sl56 40, ,467. IA. The commissioner
estimates that Sl65, 900, 600 will be required
10 pay pensions during the year ending
June 50, 1894.
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
The condition of the Indians and their
ultimate fate are subjects which are
related TO a sacred duty of the govern
ment and which strongly appeal TO tie
sense OF justice and the sympathy of our
people. Our Indians number about 24S-
300 Most of them are located on 16l
reservations contsining SO lie. 53l acres OF
land. About no. 900 of these Indians have.
10 large degree, adopted civilized Gus
tomf Lands IN severalty have been al
sotted TO many of them. Such allotments
have been made TO 10000 individuals dur
ing the last fiscal year, embracing about
100000 acres.
IEe number Of Indian government
schools open during the year was l95. an in
crease OF twelve over the preceding wear
Of this total 10 We're on reservations. of
which seventy-three were boarding schools
and nlnety-seyen We're day schools.
Twenty boarding schools and five day
schools supported by the government
were not located on reservations. The
total number of Indian children enrolled
during the year as attendants of ali
schools was p, l3S, an increase of l. .23l over
the enrolment for the previous year.
am sure that secular education and
moral and religious teaching must be inn
portant factors III any effort TO save the In
1ian and lead him TO civilization. / be-
heve, too, that the REIMBURSEMENT of tribal
relations and the holding of lands in sever
atty may, IN favorable conditions aid the
eonsummation. 1t seems to me, however.
that allotment OF lands in sever4lty ought
10 ne made with great care and circun-
spection. Ii hastily done before the H.
alsn knows Its meaning. while yet he has
little or no idea OF tilling1a farm and no
conception OF thrift, there is great danger
ihat q reservation lie in tribal relations
may oe exchanged Tor tue pauperism of
cisIiization instead of its independence
aho elevation. The solution of the indian
proo.em depends very largely upon good
administrator. The personal fitness OF
agents and their adapta lity TO the pecul-
lar duty of caring for their wards is of the
utmost Importance. The law providing
thai, except in especial cases, army officers
shall DC detailed as Indian agents. it is
hoped. will prove a successful experiment. |
Aaers = danger OF great abuses creeping |