The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-09-09
THE PENSION LIST.
The Roll Not Only Increasing In
Numbers but in Values.
CLAIMS IN The WAR WITH SPAIN.
A Separate Division Being Organized in tho
Department for Their Adjudication
Complaint Against the Lack
of Uniform Ratiugs-


Washington, Sept. 5.-The annual
report of II. Clay Evans, commissioner
of pensions, was submitted to the sec
rotary of the interior 1t is a long
document, filled with interesting
tables of pensions and pensioners. 1t
says in part:
At the close Of the year. June 30. 1898. the an
nual value OF the roll was $3.50 9js AS June 10,
1897, the annual value OF the roll was t129. 7OS,
42S, showing an Increase OF 81. t73,037: that
the roll Is not only increasing In numbers but
In values II is believed that the roll will in
crease from the war OF the reb ,lion as there
are probably 200 900 ex-union soldiers living
who have never had a pension The roll will
increase in amount annually by reason OF in
creased disabilities as provided by law
1t is hardly fair to say that there are 200, 900
original claims pending. awaiting adjudication.
am confident that there are not over -. 90
OF these dnvalids and widows) that ore genu-
Inc original claims, as an original claim should
be understood. The other $4,000 are claims
unvalds and widowsl whore the claimants are
already pensioned under the act of June "a,
1890 and have claims pending under the gcn-
eral law to establish claim for disability as be-
ing of service origin.
When the disability act OF June "a 1890,
passed IL provided minimum pension OF 80 per
month and n maximum pension OF SIC per
month. There were at that date about 100 900
pensioners on the rolls drawing less than %
per month Many OF these were transferred to
the new Law and received the benefits OF this
law and the law did not deprive them of the
privilege OF continuing the claim under the
general law
A separate division is being organized for
the adjudication Of all claims growing out OF
the war with Spain; records are being pre-
pared for registration Of oil these claims; an
accurate account will be kept. so that in future
actual results may be known and existing
conditions without unnecessary delay. II is
expected that the date Of the presidents proc
lamation declaring war with Spain fixes the
date OF the beginning. These soldiers will re-
ceive their pensions under the general laws
for disabilities OF a permanent character con-
tracted while in the service The act OF June
"a, 1890 applies only to the war Of the rebel
lion, excepting rs to dependent parents only
few claims Qess than 1907 have been filed up
to the close Of the fiscal year and none have
been adiudicated
The number OF pensioners In foreign coun-
tries at the close OF the fiscal year was 4.3Ii
having increased 800 The total amount paid
TO pensioners living abroad was 1868. 800
There we're II survivors and 2ll widows OF
the indian wars and IS survivors and 5O2 Wild
ows OF the Mexican war pensloned during the
year There are surviving five widows and
seven daughters OF the American revolution
TO his widow and seven widows OF the war OF
1872 we're pensloned during the year just closed
Pension claims pending June 3d. 1898 num-
bered 635, 050
There is much complaint among pen
sioners, says the commissioner, and
very just cause for such, by reason of
the lack OF uniformity OF ratings for
the same or like disabilities of differ
emit claimants This complaint has
always existed and always will, with
the present system, he declares, and it
cannot be remedied without radical
change of system.
Attention is called to an extract
from the pension laws. providing that
all pensions granted under the general
laws regulating pensions of widows
in consequence of death occurring
from a cause which originated in the
service since March 4, 1861, shall com.
mence from the death of the husband.
Up to the passage of this act, June Z,
1883, the widows pensions dated
| If the application was filed after
July l, 1880. No soldiers pen.
sions can go back of the date OF
its issue since July |, 1850. 1t would
seem, says the commissioner, that
there We're and are large number OF
widows who had never been pensioned
or filed claims for pension Many OF
them at the date Gune Z, 1855 had re.
married, and before the passage OF
this law had no pensionable status on
account of their remarriage without
filing claim for pension. The soldier
husband, for some reason, had not
claimed pension, and the widow had
not filed claim, although she may
have remained widow for from one
to twenty wears or more.
Under the act mentioned the widow
becomes the beneficiary of the govern
ment practically for the use and ben
eft of the second husband. Commits
sioner Evans is of the opinion that the
operation of this law is contrary t.
the spirit or intent of a just and gen
erous recognition of the soldiers serv
ice. The widows pension, he says, /,
intended to aid, assist and comfort tn,
soldiers widow during her widow
hood. 1t is recommended that thu
payments of pensions be made to the
wife or some other suitable person IL
the case of pensioners who are likel,
to dissipate their money.
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