The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-05
Pensions.

amounts to s6,733 0o3.1S. being less by
$685., 24064 than the sum appropriated on
the same account for the previous year.
Pensions.
At the c.ose of the last fiscal year, on
the SOth day Of June, 1894, there were
969.544 persons on our pension ro"s, being
a net increase of 1882 over the number re-
ported at the end of the previous year.
These pensioners may be CLASSIFIED as fol-
lows: Soldiers and sailors, survivors Of
all wars, 75S.96S; widows and relatives of
deceased soldiers, 215.162; army nurses in
the war of the rebellion, 414 OF these pen
soners 32,039 are surviving soldiers Of In
dian and other wars prior TO the late civil
war, and the widows or relatives of
such soldiers. The remainder, numbering
937.5O5, are receiving pensions on account
Of the war Of the rebellion, and Of these
469.344 are on the ro..s under the authority
of the act Of June q. $780, sometimes
ca.,ed the dependent pension law" The
total amount expended for pensions during
the year was $l39, S04, 90. leaving an un-
expended balance from the sum appropri-
ated Of SOS, POS, 1926. The sum necessary
to meet pension expenditures for the year
ending June 80, 1895, IS estimated at $14O,-
O00.O00.
The commissioner Of pensions is Of the
opinion that the year 1895, being the thir-
Ll'ul dLleT TIE Close OF lilt war Oh the le-
belliOn. must, according to sensible human
calculation. see the highest limit Of the pen
sion roll. and after that year il must begin
to decline. The claims pending in the
bureau have decreased more than 10000 dur
ing the year. \ large proportion Of the
new claims filed are for increase of pension
by those now on the rolls. The number Of
certificates issued was S0,213. The names
dropped from the rolls for all causes during
the year numbered 1881. Among our pen
si0ners are nine widows and three daughters
Of the soldiers Of the revolution. and forty
five survivors Of the war of 1912.
The barefaced and extensive pension
frauds exposed under the direction Of the
courageous and generous veteran soldier
now at the head of the bureau leaves no
room for the claim that no purgation Of our
pension rolls was needed, or that continued
vigilance and prompt action are not neces-
sary TO the same end. The accusation that
an effort to detect pension frauds is evl-
dence or unfriendliness toward our worthy
veterans and a denial Of their claims TO the
generosity Of the government suggests an
unfortunate Indifference to the commission
Of any offense which has for its motive the
securing Of a pension. and indicates a Will
ingness 20 be blind 90 the existence of mean
and treacherous crimes, which play upon
demagoCic fears and make sport of the pa
triotic impulse Of a grateful people.
The Eleventh Census.
The completion or the eleventh census
is now in charge of the commissioner of
labor. The total disbursement on account
Of the work for the fiscal year ending June
90 1894 amounted 20 so. 800 676.S1. At the
close Of the year the number Of persons
employed in the census Office was 679. At
present there are about AGO. The whole
number Of volumes necessary TO compre-
he1d the eleventh census viii be twenty
five. and they will contain 22270 printed
pa res. The assurance is confidently made
that before the close of the present calen-
dar year the material. SIN Incomplete, will
be practically on hand, and the census can
certainly be closed By the An of March,
1895. After that the revision and proof
reading necessary to bring out the volumes
will still be required.
The text Of the census volumes has been
limited as far as possible, u the analysis
of the statistics presented. This method,
which Is in accordance with law, has
CAUSED more or less friction. and in some
Instances individual disappointment, for
when the commissioner of labor took
charge Of the work. he found much matter
On hand which, according to the rule NJ
was compelled to discard. The census is
being prepared according TO the theory
thar il is designed to collect facts and
certify them to the pubic-nOt to elab-
crate arguments or to present personal
views