The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-29
THE PENSION RECORD.
sEC,Y SWITH SUBMITS HIS ANNUAL
REPORr no THE PRESIDENT.
The Estimates for 1897 About the Same as
for the Present Near->icaragua
Canal Company's Report.

gins with the Indian service and calls at
tention TO the strict enforcement which
has been given TO civil service reform.
botn as to those places covered by the
| classified service. and those to which the
| rules Of this service do not apply.
IL dwells upon the necessity of eiimnat-
| ing politics from the management or IN
dian affairs and OF conducting each reser-
walton upon strictly business principles.
the object being TO make every Indian
who remains upon the reservation self
supporting and ready. as soon as posi-
bic. 10 assume the duties OF citizenship
and be- freed from the paternal care of
/ the Government.
He recommends that instead - single
Commissioner OF Indian AffairsXthe IN
dian service be placed In charge Of three
/ commission rs-two OF them TO be civil
ians-to be appointed from different poll
teal parties. and one TO be detailed
/ army officer
The report shows that the attendance
upon the Indian schools increased fifteen
hundred during the past year, nearly one
! half Of the increase being in the govern
ment day schools
/ Tho reduction Of % per cent, which
! the law requires 10 be made in connection
with the contract schools. has been strict
/ iy carried out, and the Secretary adds
/ that there seems 90 be no reason why
/ such reduction should not continue from
| year 20 year until The system Of gov
eminent aid 10 sectarian schools shall
terminate.
PUBLIC LANDS.
The report estimates the amount OF
4 public lands undlspOsed OF 10 be about
| 600e0.000 acres ar the close of the fiscal
year. and shows that the total receipts
during the year for public lands amounted
to over S2o00,lO0.
The unadjusted land grants to railroads
amount 10 nearly 90O000e acres.
The Secretary suggests the advisable
ity Of patenting the arid lands 10 the
States after IL is fully determined that
the selections made by them under the
Carey act are, arid lands.
He calls attention 10 the fact that the
reservoir sites selected by the geological
survey remain without proper legislation
providing for their use. while the water
they were expected 10 store is being d.
vertcd 10 less practicable and economical
sites.
Under the subject Of forests the Score
tary calls attention 10 the fact that H.
0o0.0o0 acres arc now included within for
est reserves. tho object 10 thus preserve
the forest for future use. and through
this preservation TO control the supply
OF water so that It may be stored and
thirty agents 10 protect the timber upon
the entire public domain. 10 examine
swamp lands. 10 invest gate fraudulent
land entries. n force too small 10 permit
anything 90 Doe done towards guarding the
forest reservations.
Unless some plan is designed by Con-
ercss TO- protect the forest either by the
army or By f0resters living upon the
reservations. 10 IFS manifest that the OBJ
iecf sought 10 bc accomplished Will fail.
PENSIONS.
Number OF pensioners June 30. 1894. $50. a
New pensioners added during the
year .........-... ...-.+.-....++...t-. "',ieJ
Pensioners restored. who had been
dropped ......-... .................. 4zlD
Aggregate on roll during the
year .......... ....................lolZ ,'5o
Deaths reported during the
year .....-.- ...-...---......... z.Sle
Dropped for other Causes. 1855
Number on rolls June go 1885,. 91o,52l
Increase of pensioners al end OF
year .............. .-......+.+....+.. ">V
Number of new pension claims al
lowed ............. ..........-.....-+. afl'0
Increases. sdditonals, and other
charges ......-.... ..........'....'.' '''i'-
Certificates issued ................. a6,83l
Number of claims rejected ............ l05. 800
Number of claims adiudicated... l99 6j2
SO now certificates were issued under
act of Congress OF March ., 1885, raising
pensions below s. per month 10 that rate
Pension agents We're instructed 10 pay
the Increased rate on the old. certih-
Gates. thus saving delay and labor.
CONDITION or THE WORK.
Number OF new applications filed
during the year ......-..... 5l,050
Number OF pending cases June 20,
1875, including new cases and Old,
claims for increase. ctc.....+..... J92,ZlV /
These are represented by f59.l1j claim
ants. of whom 2iS ITO are now on roll,
and 30, 155 are original claimants, widows,
or dependents not upon the roll The |
pending cases OF the .tter class arc
l6.in less than at the beginning OF tine |
year.
Appropriation for pensions for
fiscal year ended June 30
1893 ............. ..............sl O,N'ND1 % |
Rccoycries Of payments..... o,6.2 5s |
Applicable to payment Of
pensions .......... ........... lOpS. 6s2 b 1
Amount paid FOR pensions.
same fiscal year .............. ld9 S0l,3N 20 /
----------
Surplus remaining in Treas
ury .......... ..-............. 1921. 1875. %
Pension agents salaries. clerk
hire. rents. fuel. lights. and
contingent expenses paid. 51S.54 90
surplus of appropriations for
these purposes ................ S.o95 As
Surgeons fees Tor 1891. paid
from that years appropria-
tiona ........... ............. 20 257 70
Surgeons fees for 1896 paid. 57S.59 81
Balance ~ appropriation for
surgeons fees FOR 1875 in
Treasury at end " year.. 42l5i2 43
This last balance will be largely re-
dured by payment ar surgeons fees not
adjusted a end OF year.
For Payment Of pensions for
year ending june ~ lss8..... $40 10000
The amount paid for pensions for 1895.
Sfto. >J1. 3I.a0. was <2hs5.25 in excess OF
the amount paid Tor pensions i'm 1854.
Tho act OF March =, 1895. increasing an
pensions below 81 per month 10 that rate.
and another act OF the same date re-
pealing the act OF March g. 1893. which
forbade payment Of pensions 70 non
residents after July 4 1898. increased
the payments during the last four months
Of 1895 about $4,000. II is probable.
now ever that the appropriation for the
present year, Sl4000o,010 VIII be sufli-
eieat. unless pensions are increased bv
further legislation. as pensions must
decrease from natural CAUSES