Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-16
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Cvsr Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand on
the Pension Rolls.

Tue secretary OF the interior has the
supervision of so many important sub
jccts that his report IL OF especial value
and interest. On the 3 tn day Of June,
1898, there were on the pension rolls 9o6,-
OLE names, an incrsase of 1924 over
the mum Der on the rolls June, 80, 1882.
OF these there were IL widows and daugh-
ters of revolutionary soldiers, 80 sur
vivors of the war OF 1912, 5,425 widows OF
soldiers OF that war. 2l.5l8 survivors and
widows of the Mexican war. SO, S22 sur
vivors and widows of Indian wars, 2S4
army nurses and 4i5,64i survivors and
widows and children of deceased soldiers
and sailors of the war of the rebellion.
The latter number represents those pen
stoned on account of disabilities and
death resulting from army and navy
service. The number of persons remain
ing on the rolls June 80, 1893, who were
pensioned under the act Of June 27, 1897,
which allows pensions on account Of
death and disabilities not chargeable to
army service, was SOL .555.
The number added to the rolls during the
year was l23, 534 and the number dropped
was 80, $40. The first payments on pen
sions allowed during the year amo united
to $50, ,b76. .6499s This includes arrears or
accumulation between the time from
which tho allowance OF pension dates and
the time Of actually granting this certiti-
cate. Although tho law of 1890 permits
pensions for disabilities related TO mill
tary service, yet as requisite to Its ben
eft q disability must exist incapacitat ting
the applicant from the perform
ance of manual labor to such q degree rs
to render him unable to earn o support
The execution OF this law In Is early
stages does not seem to have been In ac-
cord with Its true intention, but toward
the close of the last I'D mi inis ira tion an au-
thoritativc construction was given to the
statute and since that time this construc-
tion has been followed. This has had the
effect Of limiting the operation OF the law
to its intended purpose.
Pension Frauds.
The discovery having been made that
many names had besn put upon the PEN
sion roll by means of wholesale and gigan-
tic frauds, the commissioner suspended
payments upon number Of pensions which
seem to be fraudulent or unauthorized
pending complete examination. giving
notice to the pensioners, In order that
they might have an opportunity to estab-
lish II possible the justice Of their claims
Notwithstanding apparent invalidlty.
This understand Is the practice which
has for long time prevailed In the PEN
sion bureau. But after entering upon
these Investigations the commissioner
modified this rule 80 rs not to allow until
after complete examination interference
with the payment OF D pension apparently
not altogether void, but which merely had
been fixed st rate higher than that su-
thorized by law. ] am unable to under
stand why frauds In the pension rolls
should not be exposed and corrected with
thoroughness and vigor. Every name
frsudulently put upon these rolls II .
wicked imposition upon the kind
ly Q ntiment in which PEN
sions have their origin. Every
fraudulent pensioner has become Q bad
citizen; every faIse oath in support of .
pension has made perjury more common,
and false and undeserving pensioners rob
the people not only Of their money. but
OF the patriotic sentiment which the sur
vivors Of the war who fought for the
preservation of the union ought TO In
spirc. Thousands Of neighborhoods have
their well known fraudulent pensiouers
and recent developments by the bureau
establish appalling conspirscies 10 &C.
complish pension frauds BY NO means
the least wrong done 10 70 the brave and
deserving pensioners, who certainly ought
NOT to be condemned TO such associstio
Those who attempt In the line Of duty to
rectify these wrongs sh0uld not be- 90
cused Of enmity or indifference 20 the
claims Of honest veterans
The sum expended on account Of PEN
sions for the year ending June 81, 1898,
was eibd. .74O, l67. IL The commissioner @.
Inmates that et6s, OK. 900 will b required
% pay psosions dariag the year ending