The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-24
PENslON ABUSES.
If They Exist They Should Be Cor.
rected by This Administration.

New York Independent.
The present necessity of retrenchment in
government expenditures will prove OF great
value If it should not only stop further PEN
sion extravaganza, but lead TO a revision OF
existing laws and of the pension roll Itself.
Hitherto Congress has paid little heed to
warning voices from the great public, and
none at all to various presidential sugges-
tons as to the need of preserving the honor
of the pension system. 1t was thought
few years ago that the highest point in
pension expenditure had been reached, but
the annual bill is increasing again, and
promises to go several millions higher. Ev
cry congressman now sees that care in
making appropriations is necessary lest the
monthly deficit be continued indefinitely.
During President Cleveland S first term
1t was extremely unpopular to crItictse the
pension system. 1t was taken as offensive
to the veterans, and as indicating lack of
sympathy with the great service they rem
dered the country IN restoring the Union
and making the United States free from
slavery. Since Republicans of the stalwart
type in both branches of Congress are now
calling attention to the need of keeping
down the pension appropriation by guard
ing against abuses of the generous proVi-
sions of the laws it may not be considered
unpatriotic to urge the cause of pension
form. Many abuses have recently been
pointed out, and it is clearly made the duty
of Congress to provide remedy
An elaborate article in the New York Sun
will afford many hints to willing reformers.
1t makes careful estimate of the survivors
of the civil war on the basis of the COM
viduals actually served in the Union forces.
OF these 304.S6O died in battle or in the hos
pital. According to the census of 1890 there
were then 1O34,073 survivors, showing q
natural decrease, up to that time of 724 ,95S.
Since 1890 1t is estimated that from various
causes the list has been reduced to 727 122.
In addition are widows and dependents of
dead soldiers. From the pension list it APP
pears that there are 7,542 pensioners, in
Guiding 65. 500 children and 1859 dependents.
leaving 854l14 survivors and widows, or
40, l45 more than the whole number of SOL
diers and widows surviving. In addition
1S1 ,505 survivors are demanding pensions.
Remembering that there are many actual
survivors who are not receiving pensions.
1t must be admitted that we have here a
problem in arithmetic which is not easy of
solution. Pensioners are proverbial for long
evity. We still have on our lists not only
pensioners OF the war of 1872 but also of
the war of independence. But it would APP
pear that participants in the civil war have
the power of coming to life again, and that
the list of survivors by some unexplained
miracle is increasing year by year, not
withstanding the expectation of an accel-
Grated death rate among them.
The opportunity for abuses is chiefly DUE
to the dependent pension act of 1890. by
which it was provided. among other liberal
Devices that a disability might be rated
fractionally. Some Illustrations are given
of how advantage is taken of this provision.
Thirty years after the war three months
man believed he had rheumatism and
a generation ago He applied for a pen
sion. but his examiners found no evidence
of that disease, hut did fnd that his left
eye was not as good as the other. This
was a revelation to the man himself; but
he took their advice and put in a new APP
plication alleging injured eyesight. 1t was
estimated that his disability was four
eighteenths, and he got pension of S. a
month. Another man fell on the ice two
years ago and fractured his wrist; he got
a rating at four-eighteenths. Under this
act it is not necessary that the disability
should have originated in the service.
There are on the pension rolls 37S 0o0 who
receive their pensions under the provisions
of the act of 1890. OF these, says the Sun;
mot one received an injury during the
war. and not was able to trace any
disability back TO service in the war Their
disability, when they had any. arose sub
sequent TO the war and from absolutely