The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-09
THE PENSION REPORT.
Number Of Names ON the Rolls June
30, 1898, Was of0, 670-
Amount PAID Out Was olBA.31]vooe, .
Decrease Cndsr Last Year Of o1~eSSs-
ooO-Presens Plan Of Paynsus -
Checks Proves Satisfactory.

Commissioner of Pensions Dominic
Ignatius Murphy has submitted to the
secretary of thA interior his annual re-
port Of the operations Of the pension
bureau for the fiscal year ended june
so, 1896. 1t shows that Al, 37i new pen
sioners were added; 3,s13 restored who
had been previously dropped, making a
total Of 44,247; the losses for varieus
reasons aggregated A.0s3 The whole
number OF pensioners On the rolls June
SO. 1896, was s70,s78. The commission
er states that Il may now be safely as
kumed that the roll from thu time ON
will show . steady diminution unless
congress should enact still more liberal
provisions. The ra4e Of m0rtality ct
the pensioners, particularly these who
served through the war Of the rebellion,
is rapidly increasing.
DisallowaRces Of pensions during the
year amounted TO 81 go, most of them
being applications for increases. The
amount aisbursed was s13s,214,eoo. .
decrease of &1.5e2 600.
Upon assuming charge Of The bu
feau the Commissioners directed that
preference be given original applicants,
giving second place to those whose
names were already ON the rolls, and whs
are seeking additional pension.
Tho business Of the Office was great
" increased In correspondence, which
delays the settlement OF claims. as IL
requires q large clerical force to en-
ewer inquiries.
The amount appropriated for pen
sion payments, $40. 0Oo, 200, was found
to be more than sufficient.
There was at the olssb Of the fiscal
year an unexpected ba3snce Of 81, $780,
COO.
The commissioner adopts the esti-
mate of his predecessor for 1898. name
ly. s14e. ooo, 600 for pensions. and 81, $685.
coe for other expenses.
The payment OF pensioners in checks
the commissioner thinks u better than
payment In person
In regard to pensions payable In
Germany, the state department has been
asked for information as to whstber
anybody other than . United States
consul can administer oaths in such
cases.
Instructions are now being pre-
pared by the medical referee, which will
insure every pension applicant the ben
Gift Of the Judgment and experience Of
three members OF the board OF surgeons,
except where the claimant expressly
WAVES his right and agrees to an ex-
animation by a less number. It = in
tended to detail experts from this di-
vision to visit and instruct the 1,2s5
boards in the country al to uniformity
of examination in the construction Of
medical certificates and to prevent
errors in rating.
The act of January s. 1893, increasing
Mexican veterans pensions from So "a
s12, whose names were then on the roll,
does not, the commissioner says. Inaln
any provision for the pensions Of others
whose names might be subsequently re-
corded, and he recommends that the $12
increase be granted to all Mexican
survivors who are totally disabled and
in destitute circumstances.
The commissioner also ceals attention
TO the fact that there Is no statute pro.
viding pension to the widows Of ofi-
GERS or soldiers who died from caunes
in the service prior 70 March
4. 1891, during the time Of peace. This
he thinks. b an inequality In the law
which should be remedied by congres-
sional action The commissioner strong
ly favors the bill now before congress
entitled On act to codify aAd arrange tAs
laws relating to pensions.