The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-11-10

tl4S,OOO,OOU, fS,OoO,OOO
Than Was Appropriately Value
of Pensions Consolidation of Agen-
l. cies Canadian Statesmen Coming to
Talk About Reciprocity and Seals.
Washington, Nov. 6-The first annual
report of Commissioner of Pensions IL.
Clay Evans TO the secretary of he in
terror was made public yesterday.
summary follows: There were added TO
the rolls during the year the names of
50,l0l new pensioners, and there were
restored TO the rolls 1871 pensioners who
had been previously dropped, total of
54,072. During the same period the losses
TO the roll were 81 $50 by death, 1,074 by
remarriage Of widows and mothers l.
S45 by legal limitation (minors), 1858 for
failure TO claim pension for three years
and 1850 for other causes, an aggregate
of 1,122. The whole number of pension
Ners on the rolls June 80, 1897. was &c.,
Sl4. The net gain over the previous year
was 1886 1t will thus be seen that the
pension roll has not yet begun TO show
any dminution, though il has been an
ticipated by Evans predecessors in Of
flee that such would be the fact. Seven
widows Of revolutionary soldiers and
nine daughters of revolutionary soldiers
are still on the rolls.
Disbursements for the Year.
During the year 94,454 pension certifi-
Gates were issued, OF which number 3d.
10l were original allowances and the bal
ance were reissues, increases. restora
tions, etc. OF this number 14,61 certi-
ficates OF various classes were held in
this bureau until July l. 1897. and are
accordingly not credited to the past fis-
cal year. During the same period 1924
claims OF various classes were disal-
lowed. This number. however. does not
include claims which were made for
higher rates Of pensions. The amount
disbursed for pensions by the pension
agents during the year was $139. 799,
24212, and the amount disbursed by
treasury settlement was $3.50, 475.23 to-
tai of s139. 949, 50. This exceeds the
amount disbursed during the fiscal year
1896 by the sum Of 81. 5S4 ,4s01S.
Total Cost of the Pension Roll.
II the 14,671 certificates which. as be-
fore stated. were held in this bureau un-
til July L. 1897. had been mailed TO the
pension agents during the fiscal year
they would have required first payments
amounting to s., 191 ,694 besides the ad-
ditional annual value which would also
have been charged upon the appropria
ton. This amount, added to that actu-
ally disbursed, makes an aggregate Of
s1f1, 1908 36. The appropriation for the
payment of pensions for the fiscal year
1897 was only $40. 900, 900. The average
annual value Of each pension at the close
Of the year was $133.17. The average
annual value Of each pension under the
general law was $1,000 and under the
act Of June q. 1890, $1O9.25 The aggre-
gate annual value Of all pensions at the
close Of the year was 1929. 795, 42S. This.
of course. excludes the cases that were
held up.
Opposed to Consolidation Of Agencies.
Referring to the consolidation Of agen-
cies Commissioner Evans says: II am
still OF the opinion that the reduction
and consolidation Of the pension agen-
cies at this time is not only unnecessary
but inexpedient: that the disruption OF
Ubusiness in the agencies, the business
for the interior department and the gen.
eral inconvenience of the service, would
more than offset the anticipated saving
TO the government" Attention Is called
to a significant saving in rentals Of
agencies. policy still being continued
In conclusion the report recommends
the publication of a complete list Of pen
sioners and Of the passage OF a law to
the end that no pension be granted to
the widow OF any soldier that shall mar
nv hereafter