The Mena weekly star., 1896-09-23
ABOUT PENSIONS.
The Commissioner Makes His Annual
 Report to Secretary Francis.
PENSIONERS DYING FAST.
The Amount Of Money riisbursed Less Than the Previous Year Payment by vouch- CTS Working satisfactorily
 Recommendations Made.

WASHINGTON, Sept 2a Dominic |.
 Murphy, commissioner of pensions. has
 made his annual report for the fiscal
 year ended June 30, 1896, to Secretary
 Francis. In it he says:
 There were added to the rolls during the year
 4O.374 new pensioners and there were restored
 3sT3 who had been previously dropped, total
 Of 4l,247 During the same period the losses
 were 29,993 by death and l,l41 by remarriage
 (widows) 6Si by legal limitation (mnors), g. a59 because of failure to claim pension for
 three years, and 23S for other causes-an ag-
 rregate of 44093 The net gain over the pre-
 vious year only 4, and t may be
 now safely assumed that the roll from this
 time forth will show marked and steady
 diminution unless congress should enact still
 more liberal provisions than are now upon the
 statute books. The rate of mortality
 among our pensioners, particularly among those who served during the war Of the re- hellion. is rapidly increasing, tho number
 reported decreased curing the year far ex-
 ceeding that of any corresponding period n the history Of the bureau The whole num-
 Der of pensioners on the roll June 30 1896, was g'0,67S While the rolls show a slight gain in numbers over the year immediately preceding, the amount dsbursed for pensions was sf3s- 2l4.7Gi a decrease of $i 592.A75 as compared with the previous year There VI ere 495. .66i pension claims pending at the close of the fiscal year, 234,3S7 being applicants for in- l creases made by persons now on the rolls Although last years estimate of Sf400O0, GOO for pensions was Sl.- 7oJG20 more than was necessary for he past fiscal year. the commissioner duplicates that estimate for the next fiscal year, stating that he believes the Adjudication of many cases will make ' lao ft,lI i.s |, ss, intention to push the settlement of cases as rapidly as possible. An esti- 1 Emate of Sl, 22S,5S0 is made for miscel- laneous expenses
 The commissioner says the payment by vouchers has worked satisfactorily and opposes a return 10 personal pay ments. Some difficulty has been ex- perieneed in the executions of vouchers E in Germany and the state department has been requested to furnish bureau $ zinformation as to what persons have zauthority to administer paths. There 2are 00i United States pensioners in sGermany.
 Regarding the revision of the pen Ssion list. the commissioner says: q There Is no foundation for the erroneous inn
 preSsion that it is tsle intention still further to freyise the lists as tho purging of the rolls ] zpshich was commenced in is93 has been entire Ey accomplished It ought to be understood. &h &however, that there still exists the purpose to %naintaln the pension roll as the nations roll jtf honor
 M Concerning prosecutions, llr Mur- Ahv says:
 T Offenders against tho pension laws have been # vigorously prosecuted during the past three
 $ ears that the criminal work of the law divi- n ion has been materially lessened Through @he combined efforts of the law division and Enc special examination division there has been 71efunted to the United States during the year f.J9S2. of which Sl0.726 was recovered the Outcome of the civil suits During the year 3s9 #ndictments were found and there were 24s #ecOmmendations for prosecution. The num- Nher Of convictions was i65, the number Of sen Hences @ and g offenders against the pension 4iws were taken into custody. l am glad to #tate that the rigorous measures instituted by @ay predecessors have apparently discouraged
 f iolators of the pension laws and rendered the Business Of procuring fraudulent pensions un- zrdfe and unprohtable
 @ Commissioner Murphy comments the SFork of special examiners and says shat the additional force of 150 should
 Ie continued The cost of this force seuring the year was $497,o5 He says 4the pension building is at present in-
 adequate for the work, and makes some Suggestions as to Improvements. He rec |pmmends an increase to SIP per month H9f pensions to survivors of the Mexican zRar, and also recommends pensions to
 Nidows of officers and soldiers who Haled from causes originating in the
 kervice prior to March 4, 1s6l He rec |pmmends the passage of the bill pend Ing in congress for the qualification of
 fhe pension laws