The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-12-27
PENSION ABUSES.

will prove of great value if it should
not only stop further pension extrav-
agance, but lead to revision of ex-
isting 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 suggestions as to
the need of preserving the honor of
the pension system. It was thought
a 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. Every con
gresham now sees that care in max
ing appropriations is necessary lest
the monthly deficit be continue dn-
definitely.
During President Cleveland's first
term it was extremely unpopular to
to criticise the pension system. 1t
was taken as offensive to the veter-
ans, and as indicating lack of sympa-
thy with the great service they rem
dered the country IN restoring the
union and making the United States
free from slavery. Since Republi-
cans of the stalwart type in both
branches of congress are now calling
attention to the need of keeping
down the pension appropriation by
guarding against abuses of the gen.
erous provisions of the laws, it may
not be considered unpatriotic to urge
the cause of pension reform. 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 Ieformers. 1t makes a care
ful estimate of the survivors of the
civil war on the basis of the COM
monty received statement that 2,O63,-
391 individual actually served in
the union forces. OF these 3O4,36O
died in battle or in hospital. Ac-
cording. to the census of 1890, there
were then 1,034,073 survivors, show
ing a natural decrease, up to that
time, of 724,958. Since 1890 it is
estimated that from various causes
the list has been reduced to 727,122.
In addition are widows and depend
ents of dead soldiers. From the
pension list 1t appears that there are
947, ,5z2 pensioners, Including Co.
$50 children and 27,559 dependents,
leaving 854,114 survivors and wild
ows, or 4O,745 more than the whole
number of soldiers and widows sur
viving. In addition 1877 sos surviv-
7Ors are demanding pensions.
Remembering that there are many
actual survivors who are not re-
ceivlng pensions, it must be admitted
that we have here a problem in
arithmetic which is not easy of solu-
ton. Pensioners are proverbial for
longevity. We still have on our
lists not only pensioners of the war
of 1912, but also of the war of lnde-
pendence. But it would appear 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 increas-
ing year by year, Notwithstanding
the expectations of an accelerated
death rate among them.
There are on the pension rolls
$4,000 who receive their pensions
under the provisions of the act of
1890. OF these, says the Sur, not
one received an injury during the
war, and not one was able to trace
anyssdfsabillty back to service in the
war. Their disability, when they
had any, arose subsequent to the war