The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-17

to deaths relates to six months OF 1897. grhe
defenders Of the honor of the pension roll
reject mere estImates tSuesses) and appfexi-
nations as TO the number OF survivors when
these estimates. approximations and guess;
work made the foundation for "a charge
OF wholesale fraud upon the pension roll.
DesertArs Are ~,1rvivors Tho SIN admits
that many of them have been restored by
act or Congress, and are drawing pensions.
Inc number OF deSerters VINO have been re-
stored is q matter of record. The ninety
days men are survivors Many Of them arc
applicants for pensions. To deduct the
number OF deSeTterS from the number OF
susvivors improperly lessons the number OF
survivors and makes it easy 10 show more
pensioners than there are survivors. Also,
fake an assumed pItno ba. of actnal e,,rpi4arsy
al a given date: guess at the number since
deceased, and very great mistake may oe-
cur as TO the actual number OF survivors.
II i.t5f,o.2 was the true number of survivors
in 1850: If lS5 245 Is the true number deceased
since 1890 IL III SOC of the 10S4.07s are right
iuity deducted then the suns statement
that there are only ~, l22 actual survivors
entitled 10 pensions is probably correct
But the 1,034,073 is only an approximate
statement of the number OF survivors in
1920; the statement that 1S5, 34j had died since
1880 Is in part guess, and the deduction or
survivors unauthorized The conclusion OF
the Sun that l2T,l22 is the true number or
survivors is wholly unwarranted by the
facts, as stated by that journal.
There are discrepancies In the suns state
ment of deaths of survivors since 1890, to
which attention is called In one paragra oh
1880. when the census was taken. il is esti-
mated that 21S,546 Of the survivors have
died" Then in a succeeding paragraph 1t
says: Now, take the survivors alone. In
1880 there were 1904, U7S Deduct 1S5,3i5 who
have died which includes estimate for
six months of the present year nS9O.' The
Suns first statement of the number of de-
ceased survivors since 1880 is 49, POI in ex-
cess of the number OF deaths for the same
period, as given in its second statement.
The unfairness Of the Suns article stands
conspicuous in its treatment of pensions
under act of June p, 1890 1t says: Let IL
be remembered that of the 37S, GOO who got On
the invalid pension roll through the act or
June y. 1890, not one received an injury
during the war, and not one was able 10
trace any disability to service I'm the war
Well, they did not have to do that: honOra-
bic service and disability were all the law
required to be shown. But, personally. the
writer knows that the statement that not
one of the 37S, GO incurred wounds or dis
ease in the army is untrue He knows thaE
many comrades who had applications pend
ing under the old law at June -, 1890 APP
piled at once under the new law. and set
up in their declaration precisely the same
disabilities that they had alleged in their
old claims. The new law expressly author
lied the prosecution of such pending claims.
and of the 37SGG0 pensioned under the new
law. thousands are to-day prosecuting their
claims under the old law, and constitute a.
large proportion of the 1880 survivors
who, the Sun sneeringly says, are ''clamor-
ing at the treasury doors for pensions.
GEORGE W. ALLISON.
Nashville Ind Feb. 16