The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-01-01
The Pension Drain.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.


The extravaganza of the present pension
laws is illustrated by case just made public.
A native of Norway was married in 1888. lie
emigrated to the United States in 1861, en-
listed the following year in Wisconsin regi-
ment and died in the service in 1863. His
widow. who has never left Norway, applied
for a pension in 1894 and she has been awarded
one with arrears. aggregating over $1,000, from
the date Of her husbands DEATH From July
!, 1880, until June Z. 1888, the law made pen
sions begin from the date of the filing of the
application. Since then the pension granted
to a widow commences from the date of the
soldiers DEATH
The allowance of this pension is strictly in
accordance with law, but the law itself is i'm
provident, not only with respect to such cases.
but with respect 10 other provisions for pen
sions. The Commissioner Of Pensions recon-
mends the passage of a law providing that no
pension shall be granted to the widow of any
soldier who shall hereafter marry. A woman
who marries soldier pensioned under the
Disability Act of 1890 is not entitled to pen
sion as widow unless she were married to
the soldier prior to the passage of the act III
question, whereas the woman who marries ii
soldier pensioned under the general law and
thei eater becomes a widow is entitled to a
| widows pension. Secretary Bliss says in his
report
IA woman who marries Il soldier now
! (thirty-two years since peace was declared }
takes him for better or for worse. She was
not his wife during the war, experienced none
Of the hardships, deprivations and anXietles
incident to the life of the wife of a soldier,
and should not, therefore. be placed on the
rolls as such.
1t is charged that designing young womeA
| Of ,,nrhnnS OWL cbara nj have married old
soldiers solely with IL view to drawing pen
sons after the death of the soldiers. The
New York Sun gives in detail examples of
scandals of this character. And as for tire
| Norway widow, who had not seen her huS-
band for three years before the war, and who
wal ed until 1894 to apply for pension, it is
scarcely probable that there was much merit
in her case. although it may have come within
the technical requirements of the law.
About one-third Of the expenditures of the
United States are credited to pensions. The
estimated cost of pensions for the coming
year is Sl4l. 263, $50. which is S56. 600 000
more than Great Britain spends for her stand
ing army, SO 600, 600 more than is spent ON
the magnificent army of Germany, which Is
everywhere pointed out as an example "i
ruinous waste of public money. and only $50.
600. 600 short of the cost Of the vast standing
! army of Russia.
1t is believed that if the pension rolls were
purged Of frauds and of persons who have no
equitable claim on the United States the total
amount could be easily reduced 80 per cent.
1t must not be forgotten that many pension
cr> are natives of Europe resident abroad,
and the annual drain on the treasury for that
purpose alone is astoniShingy large Most of
these pensioners came to this country under
the stimulus of heavy bountcs for enlistment
! -, H.. nd THAR connection with the
Rebellion was professional. and not patriotic.
They came as the IIessans came before them.
for hire and salary. They were MOI patriots:
they were mercenaries The whole question
of pensions is one with which Congress can
not afford TO temporizc.