The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-08
CHANGE I'm THE LAW BY WHICH
THEY RECEIVE PENSIONS
BY MAIL.
1T MAKES A BIG SAVING.
ORDER JUST ISSUED CUTTING
DOWN THE AGENCIES ONE
HALF.
BENEFIT TO PENSIONERS.
Less Possibility of Error and More
PrOmptitude i'm Pay
ments.

WASHINGTON, Feb. THE presi-
dent has signed, on the recommended
tion Of Secretary of the Interior Fran
els, an important order reducing the
number of pension agencies in the
United States from eighteen to nine.
The object of the order is to effect a.
very large saving to the government
without inconveniencng the pensioners.
The secretary demonstrates that by
this reduction of the pension agencies
the cost of disbursing pensions can be
reduced by at least $3.50, 900 per annum.
The change was made possible by an
amendment to the law governing the
disbursing Of pensions, which amend
ment was approved March %, 1885, II
required that all pensioners should,
after that date, be paid by checks re-
mitted by mail. Reports from the pen
sion agencies in reply to inquiries as
to the operation of the new law were
to the effect that under 1t the pension
ers are paid much more promptly; that
the possibility Of error is minimized,
and that upon the whole it Is much
more satisfactory to the pensioners
than the former law. The agents also
advise that the pensioners receive their
pensions when remitted by mail at
their homes, where, being surrounded
by family influences, the pensioner is
much more likely to make a judicious
disposition Of his pension. money.
This executive order will go into ef-
feet Sept. 1 next, it's execution hav-
ing been postponed until that date
in order that no pensioner should suf-
fer Inconvenience in, consequence of de-
lay in receiving his pension, and to
give ample time for the removal of the
rolls and records from the agencies
discontinued. The consolidation was
made by uniting existing agencies and
the entire jurisdiction thereof, in order
that no expense should be incurred by
the making of new rolls. Among the
changes Of agencies are: The agency
Of Milwaukee is discontinued and pay
ments are made from Chicago; those
at Des Moines from st. Louis, a new
agency being established at the latter
point because of the better mail facil-
tiles there than at Des Moines. The
following is the preamble Of the
EXECUTIVE ORDER:
Whereas, By act of congress approved
March %, 1896. the law governing the pay
m0nL OF pensions was dnfG5ldGQ SO as 10 re-
quire all pensioners to be raid by checks re-
mttted by mail instead of permitting those
to collect personally who elected so to do
and
Whereas The method Of paying by remit
tance has greatly lessened the labor of pen
sion agencies through which pension appro-
priations are diSbursed and facilitated the
payment Of pensions, as evidenced by reports
from agents, and
Whereas, The remittance of pensions by
mail has proven eminent1y satisfactory to
Uvhn hU Tnoth0d rpQ6iUa their
quarterly allowances more promptly, with
unvarying regularity and with less likelihood
Of error. and
Whereas, The successful operation Of the
amended law has now been thoroughly dem
onstrated, and
Whereas, Under it's provisions and in con-
sequence thereof the number OF pension
agencies can be materially reduced without
any inconvenience whatever to the pension
ers and great saving to the government be
effected; therefore, from and after the list
day of Seputember 1897, it is ordered ETC.
This is followed by the body Of the
order, which defines the jurisdiction of
each agency. The secretary of the in
terror is charged with the execution Of
the order. The following are the nine
agencies and the number of pension
ers paid thereat under the new order:
Boston, "a, ,357; New York, 9S,S33; Phil
adelrhia, 106735; Washington, 140,265;
Columbus, 1O4, 1872; Indianapolis, 116,-
| G66; Chicago, 125, 1913; ST. Louis, 161, 709;
San Francisco, 23,09S total, 970,67S.
All pensioners of the United States
residing in foreign countries, number
ing 3,781, will continue to be paid from
the Washington agency. and the navy
pensioners will be paid as heretofore.
The estimated saving to the govern
ment is as follows: Clerk hire, $685.
675; salaries, nine agents, $4,000; con-
tingent expenses of agencies discOntin-
ued, $10,182; rent for discontinued
agencies, $3.50; total, s$t61, ,407.
The following discontinued agencies
pay the rents given below: Buffalo,
81, 400; Detroit 81, 400; Milwaukee, ST.
500; Topeka, $2,250; total, $3.50.
The total cost for pensions and the
disbursement thereof for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1896, was s142, zoe, $780,
made up as follows: Payments to PEN
sioners. $13S 215, ,176; fees to examining
surgeons, $672, ,5S7; maintaining pension
bureau at Washington, $2,75S, 760; cost
Of maintaining pension agencies, $685.
027
It is on this last item that the new
order is intended to save between $780,
900 and $160,000 per annum.