The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-11
PENSION AGENCIES CUT OFF
ORDER SIGNED BY THE PRESI-
DENT REDUCING THE NUM-
BER ONE-HALF.
Saving OF $|50,0O0 PER AAAUA
To the Government-Beginni Septem-
Der Pensioners Will Be Paid in
Checks, RENTED by Mail to
the Pensioners Home.

Washington, Feb. Tho president
has signed, on recommendation of Secre-
tary of the Interior Francis, an order re-
ducing the number of pension agencies in
the United States from Is to g. The OBJ
ject of the order is to effect very large
saving to the government, without incon-
venience to the pensioners. The circu-
lar demonstrates that by the reduction of
pension agencies the cost of disbursing
pensions can be reduced by at least
S15O,OOO per annum. The change was
made in accordance with an amendment
to the law governing pension disburse-
ments. which amendment was adopted
March 23. 1896. 1t requires that all
pensioners should. after that date, be
paid by checks, remitted by mail. Re
ports from the pension agencies in reply
to inquiries as to the operation of the
law are to the effect tha. under it pen
sioners are paid much more promptly
that the possibility of error is mini
mized and that under the whole it is
much more satisfactory to the pensioners
than the old law. The agents also ad-
pensions, when remitted by mail, at
their homes, where, surrounded by
family influence, the pensioner is much
| more likely to make judicious expendi-
ture of his pension money. Under the
old style many pensioners collecting their
quarterly payments in person and under
the influence of bad associates were often
| induced to expend these payments un-
wisely and deprive their families of the
benefits thereof.
The executive order will go into effect
September l next, it's operation having
been postponed until that date in order
that no pensioners shall suffer incon-
yenicnces on account of delay in re-
| ceiying his pension and to give ample
| time for the removal of the rolls from the
| agencies discontinued.
The consolidation was made by uniting
| existing agencies and the entire jurisdic-
tion thereof in order that no expense
should be incurred by the making Of the
new rolls. The agencies at Concord
| NJ h., and Augusta, Maine, are dis
there are ordered made from the pension
| agency at Boston,, The pensioners
heretofore paid at Buffalo, N, Y. are to
be paid hereafter from New York City
\ Those at the philadelphia agency, those
| of Knoxville and Louisville from Wash.
ington; those at Detroit from Indiaiiapo.
| lis; those at Milwaukee, from Chicago
those at Des Moines and Topeka from
| st. Louis, where anew agency is to bt
established. A new agency is estab
lished at st. Louis because OF the better
mail facilities there than at Des Moihes
or Topeka and for the further reasons
that there is q government building al
st. Louis that can be occupied without
cost to the government, and there il
also sub-treasury there. The pension
agency was moved from St. Louis t.
Topeka in 1882 There are more pen
sioners now in Missouri than in Kansa.
or in any state formerly paid by thu
Topeka or the Des Moines agencies
There are in Missouri 1882 pensioners
in Kansas 42,313 in Iowa 37,815.
The following is the preamble of thu
executive order:
| Whereas, By an act Of congress, ap
ing the payment of pensions was amended
so as to require all pensioners to be pait
in checks, remitted by mail, instead o.
permitting to collect personally wht
elected to do so; and
whereas, The method of paying by
checks has greatly lessened the labor o.
the pension agencies through which pen
sion payments are disbursed and facili
tated the payments of pensions, as evi
| denced from agency reports; and
| whereas, The arrangement ha
proven eminently satisfactory to pen
sioners, who, by this method, receive