The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-02-08
THE CUBAN REFORMS.
Minister De LONE Discusses the
Spanish Pledges,
AS LARGE A MEASURE OF LIBERTY
As Granted to Any Colony in the World,
with the Exceptions of Canada and New
South WaIes-The Right of Franchise
May be Extended.

a -
Washington, Feb. s.-The president
has signed, on the recommendation OF
Secretary Of the Interior Francis, an
important order reducing the number
Of pension agencies in the United
States from eighteen to nine. The OBJ
ject Of the order is to effect a very
large saving to the government without
inconveniencing the pensioners. The
secretary demonstrates that by this
reduction of the pension agencies the
cost Of disbursing pensions a be re-
duced by at least $780, 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 20, 1896. II
required hat 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,
II 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
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their homes, where, being surrounded
by family influences, the pensioner is
much more likely to make a judicious
disposition of his pension money. I'm
der the previous law many pensioners
collected their quarterly payments in
person and, under the influence of bad
associations, were often induced to ap-
ply those payments unwisely and de-
priVe their families of the benefits
thereof.
This executive order will go into eff
feet Sept. l next, it's execution having
been postponed until that date in or
der that no Densioner should suffer
Inconvenience in consequence of delay
in receiving his pension, and to give
ample time for the removal of the rolls
and records from the agencies discon-
tinued.
The consolidation was made by
uniting existing agencies and the en-
tire jurisdiction thereof, in order that
no expense should be incurred by the
making of new rolls. The agencies at
Concord, N. H, and Augusta, Me-, are
discontinued and payments hitherto
made there are ordered made from the
agency at Boston, Mass; the pension
ers heretofore paid at Buffalo, N. Y,
are to be paid from New York city
agency; those at Pittsburg from the
Philadelphia agency those at Louis
vile and Knoxville from Washington;
those at Detroit from Indianapolis;
those at Milwaukee from Chicago;
those at Des Moines and Topeka from
st. Louis, where a new agency is es-
t|ablished.
The following are the nine agencies
and the number Of pensioners paid
thereat under the new order; Boston,
9l,357; New York, 98,898I Philadelphia,
1O6, 1855; Washington, 40, 265; Columbus,
104, 1872; Indianapolis, lie, O68; Chicago,
1~25,123; st. Louis, 161, 709; San Fran
cisco, 23,O93; total, 97O,679,
All pensioners of the United States
residing in foreign countries, and now
numbering 1881, viii continue to be
paid from the Washington agency,
n the navy pensioners will be paid,
as heretofore, from Boston, Chicago,
New York city, Philadelphia, San
Francisco and Washington. The esti-
mated saving to the government is as
follows; Clerk hire, sos, 675; salaries,
(nine agents, $4,000 per annum), $780,
600; contingent expenses of agencies
discontinued, $40, 1872; rent for agencies
discontinued, $3.50; total, $161, 4O7.
The total cost for pensions and the
disbursement thereof for the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1896, was $142,-
206, $50, mad up as follows: Payments
to pensioners, $13S, 215, 176; fees to ex-
aiming surgeons, $672, 5S7; maintain
ing pension bureauat Washington, 81
753,760; cost Of maintaining pension
agencies, $685. OPT. It is on this last
item that the new order is intended to
save between $4,000 and 100000,