Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-07-24
UNCLE SANS PENSIONERS.
Curious Facts Brought to Light by
the Annual Report of the Com
missioner of PensiOns-Daughters
and Wives of Soldiers of the Rev
OlutiOn still Hale and Hearty.

OlutiOn still Hale and Hearty.
Special Correspondence of the STANDARD.
The great European countries spend
vast sums of money in maintaining
their enormous armies and navies
but it is estimated that the war ex-
penses of the United States are great.
er than any of them, if we include the
pensions paid to soldiers and their
widows and orphans.
The last report of the Commissioner
OF Pensions shows that there are on
the roll 970,524 pensioners, who re-
ceive from the government upon an
average of about $40 per year.
The amount of individual pensions
granted under the general laws runs
from Sc to $72 per month. Only
about eight thousand veterans receive
amounts exceeding $50 per month.
The highest rate OF pensions, $72, is
granted to 2,2S6 men.
Congress has passed special acts al
lowing 500 per month to twenty-four
officers high in rank and the same
sum TO sixteen widows of officers.
The widows of five generals receive
$1,000 per year and one $500, and
the two surviving widows of Presidents
of the United States receive S., 1000 per
year each.
The army of pensioners is scattered
over the whole world, no less than
three thousand residing abroad. In
this country the State of Ohio heads
the list with lO5, ,160 pensioners, while
Oklahoma has 5,2S1, and Alaska has
Is.
Pensions are paid quarterly, the
drafts being sent out from eighteen
distributing centers, called "agen-
cies."
One of the most interesting facts to
be learned from the report is that
there are still on the rolls the names
of three daughters and nine widows of
Revolutionary soldiers-truly force
full reminder that the nation is still
young. Three of these widows are
low living in Virginia and two in
Tennessee.
The War of 1872 is represented by
twenty.one survivors, averaging in age
96 years. Three of the number have
lived more than century. Andrew
Franklin is still living at Burlington,
Kansas, at the age Of 102, and Hosea
Brown at Grants Pass, Oregon, at the
age OF 103.
1t is probable, unless Congress shall
pass new laws granting pensions to all
survivors of the late war, and their
widows and orphans, that the roll will
now grow smaller and smaller every
year. 1t is thirty-one years since the
war ended, and all who participated
are rapidly approaching old age. In
fact the amount paid for pensions has
already fallen off more than SIT ,OOO,-
600 from that paid in 1898.
At the close of the fiscal year there
were pending, undisposed of and in
different stages of preparation and ad-
vancement, claims for pension or for
increase to the number OF 552,21O.
More than half of these claims were
from parties already on the roll who
want higher rate OF pension than
that originally granted them.
Judging from the report, one of the
principle duties of members of Con.
gress is to look after claims for pen
sions on the part OF their devoted con-
stituents, for on an average each mem.
Der has investigated nearly two hun
dred cases. This is very annoying
both to the Pension Office officials and
to the Congressmen, and relief is earn
estly sought.