The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-08
PLUMS TO BE SCARCE
WILLIAM M'KINLEY'S TREE SHAKEN
BY GROVER CLEVELAND,
And a Great Deal of Unripened Fruit,
Long and AnxiousIy Awaited by
Republicans, Destroyed.
PENSION AGENCIES REDUCED
TEN OUT OF IS TO BE LOPPED OFF
AND A NEW ONE CREATED.
Checks from st. Louis Because Mis-
souri, Has Most Pensioners.
INDIANAPOLIS ALL RIGHT
DETROIT AGENCY TO BE MERGED
WITH THE ONE IN THIS CITY.
Great Saving Made Possible by Con-
gressman Overstreets Law-TO
Go Into Effect on Sept. L.
kansans and Iowans to Receive
Checks from st. Louis Because Mis-
souri, Has Most Pensioners.
INDIANAPOLIS ALL RIGHT
DETROIT AGENCY TO BE MERGED
WITH THE ONE IN THIS CITY.
Great Saving Made Possible by Con-
gressman Overstreets Law-TO
Go Into Effect on Sept. L.

WASHINGTON, rep. t.-lDe fIeSlueHt
has signed, on the recommendation of Sec
retary of the Interior Francis, 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 with
out inconveniencing the pensioners. The
secretary demonstrates that by this reduc-
ton of the pension agencies the cost of
disbursng pensions can be reduced by at
least $l50,G0O per annum. The change was
made possible by amendment to the law
governing the disbursing of pensions, which
amendment was approved March %, 1896. 1t
required that all pensioners should, after
that date, be paid by checks remitted by
mail.
Reports from the pension agencies in re-
ply TO inquiries as to the operation of the
new law were to the effect that under il the
pensioners are paid much more promptly:
that the possibility of error is minimized,
and that upon the whole it is much more
satisfactory 10 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.
Under the previous law many pensioners
collected their quarterly payments in per-
son, and, under the influence of bad asso-
Citations. were often induced TO apply those
payments unwisely and deprive their fam
lilies of the benefits thereof.
This executive order will go into effect
Sept. next its execution having been post
poned until that date in order that no pen
sioner should suffer Inconvenience in con-
sequence of delay in receiving his pension,
and to give ample time for the removal of
the rolls and records from the agencies dis
continued. The consolidation was made by
uniting existing agencies. and the entire
jurisdiction thereof. in order that no ex-
pense 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 pensioners heretofore paid at Buffalo.
n. Y. are to be paid from New York city:
those at Pittsburg from the PHILADELPHIA
agency; those at Louisville and Knoxville
from Washington; those at Detroit, from
Indianapolis; those at Milwaukee, from Chi
cago; those at Des Moines and Topeka
from St. Louis. where new agency is to
be established.
MANY PENSIONERS IN MISSOURI
new agency is established at St Louis
because OF the better mail facilities there
than at Des Moines or Topeka. and for the
further reasons that there is a government
building at ST. Louis, which can be occu-
pleG without cost to the government. and
there is also subtreasury there A pen
sion agency was removed from St Louis
10 Topeka in 1SS2. There are more pen
sioners now in Missouri than in Kansas
or in any State formerly paid by the To-
peka or the Des Moines agency. There are
In missouri o3,Sl2 pensioners in Kanas A. 433
in Iowa 31,I9S Following Is the preamble
of the executive order:
Whereas, BY act of Congress annro,ed
March 2S, 1896, the law governing the paw
ment of pensions was amended SO as to re-
cure all pensioners to be paid by checks
RENTED by mail, instead of permitting
thoSe 10 collect personally who elected so
TO do, and ~
Whereas. the method of paying by re-
mittances has greatly lessened the labor of
pension agencies through which pension an
propriations are disbursed and facilitated
the payment OF pensions, evidenced by
reports from agents, and
whereas, the remittance of pensions by
mail has proved eminently satisfactory to
pensioners who, by this method, receive
their quarterly allowances more promptly
WITH unvary1ng regularity and with less
Likelihood OF error, and,
Whereas, the successful operation of tbe
amended law has now been thoroughly
demonstrated, and.
Whereas, under its provisions and in
consequence thereof the number of pension
agencies can be materially reduced without
any inconvenience whatever TO the Den
sioners, and great saving TO the govern
ment be effected thereby;
therefore, from and after the 1st dav of
September, 1881, 1t is ordered, etc."
This is followed by the body of the order
which defines the jurisdiction of each
agency. The secretary of the interior is
charged with the execution of the order
and directed to cause the agencies TO he
grouped in the manner provided by the act
of March 3. 1891. which requires that each
pensioner shall be paid quarterly and dis
tributes the payments at the different agen-
cieS in such a manner TO be most con-
venient 10 the treasury officials at WASH
ington and the subtreasuries. Following
the nine agencies and the number of
agencies paid thereat under the new order.
yi,
New \ OTk NIB
fnliauelpfla .106. 135
.1U4, ,492
l6.
1HlCdSo l23
81 lsouiS lbl. tUy
san francisco %. .O8S
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