Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-04

I Washington, September 3.-The an
snual report of Hon. H. Clay Evans,
commissioner of pensions, was made
public to-day. The appendix contain
ing tables showing comparisons in pen
sion payments, etc., will be issued
later.
The commissioners say that the roll
is not only increasing IL numbers, but
in value. 1t is believed that it will in
crease from the war of the rebellion,
as there probably are 100000 ex-Union
soldiers living who have never had
pensions, and it will increase IN
amount naturally by reason Of increas-
eed disabilities as provided by law. The
amounts paid out at the several agen-
cies for the year on account CT pen
Eions under the general laws were
S75,275,3S3, and on account of pensions
under the act of June q, 1890, $685.
R55.670. The number OF pensioners in
foreign countries at the close Of the
fiscal year was 4,371 having increased
800. The total amount paid to pen
Sioners living abroad was S669, S62.
There were seventeen survivors and
I'll widows OF the Indian wars, and
46 survivors and SOP widows of the
Mexican war pensioned during the
year. There are surviving i've wild
Ows and seven daughters of the Amer
lean revolution. One survivor dead,
payable to his widow, and seven
widows Of the war of 1912, were pen
stoned during the year just closed
Pension claims pending June 30, 1898,
numbered 635, 059. The commissioner
is confident that there are not over
10000 of these, individuals and wild
OWs) that are genuine original claims
The others are cases where the claim
ants are already pensiond.
Attention is called TO an extract from
the pension laws, providing that all
pensions granted under the general
laws regulating the pensions of wild
OWs in consequence Of death occurring
from cause which originated in the
service since March 4th, 1861, shall
commence from the death of the hus-
: band. Up to the passage of this act
June Z, 1888, the widows pensions
dated from the date of fling claim, if
the application was filed after July 1,
1888. No soldiers pensions can go
back of the date CT its filing Since July
I, 1880. 1t would seem, says the COM
missioner, that there were and are a
large number of widows who had never
been pensiond or filed claims fOrAen-
sion Many of them at that date0Auly
z, 1881 had remarked and before the
passage of this law had no pensiOnable
status on account of their remarriages
without fling claim for pension.
The soldier-husband for some rea-
son had not claimed pension and the
widow had not fled, a claim, although
sc may fT5Te 1eir1If4re1 :, widow from
one to twenty years or more Under
the act mentioned the widow becomes
the benefciary Of the government prac-
ticallg for the use and benefit of the
second husband. Commissioner Evans
is of opinion that the operation OF this
law is contrary to the spirit or intent
of just and generous recognition Of
the soldiers services. The widows
pension. he says is intended to aid. as
sist oYd comfort soldiers widows dur
inc her widowhood.
Ii is recommended that the payments
of pension be made to the wife or some
other suitable person in the case Of pen
sioners who are likely to dissipate their
money.
A special division has been estab-
lished to adiudicate claims growing out
of the Spanish war These Will be
paid under the general laws. Only
about one hundred claims of this class
have been filed up 10 close of fiscal
year and none have been adjudicated.