The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-06
PENSIONS.

In 1918 congress passed a law granting
to every soldier and sailor engaged in the
Revolutionary war and every officer of the
army and navy pension for life, provided
he was in needy circumstances and made
oath to the fact. The pension roll at once
grew SO rapidly that when congress was
considering the appropriation bill in
March, 1870, it was found that the sum
necessary TO pay pensions had grown to
2,776 900. A bill was introduced repeal
ing the law of March IS, 1913, and restrict
ing the payment of pensions for life to
those who had served for three years
and giving those who had served a
shorter term pensions for two years
only; but everything except the en-
acting clause of the bill was stricken
out The chief source of pension frauds
in those days was the ease with which an
applicant for a pension could transfer all
his property to relative and then take
oath that he was in needy circumstances.
and the bill which failed was intended to
correct this. In December, 1919, the house
of representatives called upon the secre-
tary of war for the number of pensions
granted and all other facts in his possess
sion. Mr.. Calhoun responded February 7.
1920, in a communication showing that
there were then 1885 names on the PEN
sion rolls, of which ASH were of men who
had served one year or less, 2.179 who had
served more than one year and less than
two, 5,4i9 who served over two years
and less than three, and 1893 who
served three years. or during the war.
The result was that congress passed an
act requiring all pensioners to make oath
that they had not disposed of any prop
erty in any way so as TO bring them within
the benefit Of the pension law OF ISIS. AS
this compelled pensioners TO make an affi-
davit that they were virtually paupers. a
large number were dropped from the
rolls either from their inability or IN.
Willingness to take such an oath. In
1870 the payment of pensions to 1885
| men AZ cost of s2.776,o0O annually
caused more agitation than the payment
OF pensions today 70 900 900 men at an an
nual cost OF about sl4o,000.o10 Our gov-
eminent, that in 1870 considered an an
nual pension appropriation of nearly S.
o00,0 a very large item, has paid in pen.
sions from i1S9 to 1sS9 the enormous sum
! Of $i.5Q7, pa. 59i, and during the same
period has paid to its bondholders and
creditors the still greater sum Of s.. -O5..
or. SSi.
Mai.-Gen. John Giboon, L. S. A.. who.
| as commander OF the department of the
Columbia. came 10 be we'll known and de-
servedly esteemed by the people OF Wash
ingtou and Oregon, has published letter
on the pension question in the New York
Sur. Gen. Gibbon says:
The first step, therefore, toward a re3uctio,
OF the pension roll should be, ~ -gid inyesti.
! CATION, 20 lop OF: al! iraudulcnI pensions One
hears Al through the country OF cases " here
pensions ara paid - parsons who had no con.
neoti0n whatever with the wsg-ueople who los;
srIns and legs by saw mil 5 and other accidents
These essss are well Known in tie comrapn.tie.
where Saer exist, aas IL is nobody's business
u report Them, scRn1alous ant notorious "a
they ara aai auv one who would move in the
matter would be regarded SO a mischief rnassr,
aud would probably suffer = his belongings 70,
his temersty.
Gen. Gibhon believes that the Grand
Army Of tie Republic is both able and