The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-06
SUMTER S. c.. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 8. 1899

the support ofth British army, which
numbers 163,560 men of all rank, in
time of peace, for this year, including
the pensions, is more than $50,000.-
900 less than the pension payments
of the United States for last year,
the amount being e10.22o.5Oo, or
500, ,lo2, 500 in round numbers.
the pension system of this coun-
try, which has grown to such enor-
nous proportions, commenced In
1776, when the Continental Congress
resolved that all officers who should
continue in the service until the end
of the war should receive half pay for
seven years after peace was estab
Iished. In 1880 the provisions Of
this law were extended TO the widows
and orphans of those who died in the
service. The lfpay for seven
years was extended to nalf-pay for
life, and subsequently commated to
full pay for FIVE years Pensions
were granted under this law amount
ing TO 5000 per annum. and in
creased until 1871, until they reach
ed the then enormous sum Of Sl75,-
S13 80 Between 1906 and 1913
principle was established by which
all persons, whether officers or pri
Yates, who had been disabled in the
course of military service should be
provided for at the public expense.
From 1871 to 1907 there Was grad
ual decrease until the pension expen
ditures amounted to only S70,500.
Under various legislative enactmen!s
the pension roll increased until In
1916, when i. amounted to $780,
055 u, the highes! figure thus far
reached On March 1, 1917, Con-
gress authorized the issuance of addi'
tional pensions. and in 1918. the
pension payments amounted to S42o
4S0.
In 1918, thirty. Eve years after the
close of the Revolution. further
extension occurred, by which pen.
sions were granted to all the survi-
vors of the war, who for any reason
stood in need of pecuniary assistance
Under the provisions of this law the
pension payments reached the mil
lion dollar mark for the first time in
the history of the government,
amounting in 1879 to s2,4l6,829 o.
In the following year, 1920, they rose
20 $3.21S.4 .494 20. Atthis the gener-
al public became alarmed. the num-
Der of applications under the former
act being about 5000. In response
to the general clamor, on May l..
1920, Congress passed what was
known as the "Alarm Act" which
required all pensioners on the rolls
to furnish a schedule of the amount
of property then in their possession.
Many of the pensioners whose seized
ules showed that they possessed too
much property were dropped from
the rolls Pensioners were dropped
who owned property to the extent of
$3.50. Under the operations of this
law the payments dropped from S3.-
2ls,404 in 1920, to S244,77S 81 in
the following year. This Legislation
proved equally unpopular, and on
March Is, 1922, Congress passed q
law giving pensions to the commu
tation pensioners. and to the widows
and orphans As result of this Act
the pension payments again rose to
nearly S2,000,000. but gradually de
creased until 1923. when they amount.
ed to on'y $S50.573 81.
On July I, 1882, forty nine years
after the close of the war, general
law was enacted pensioning all sur.
vivors who served not less than six
months in the Revolutionary war
Under the operations of this Act the
payments reached a new level
amounting IN 1888 to 1888. S5l A
Ga July 4. 1886, ffty-three years
after the termination of the war, an
aes vas passed granting pensions for
Eve years to Revolutionary war widows
providing they we're married to the
soldier or sailor before the close of his
last service, snd that his service was
not less than six months. Even under
this aud subsequent enacsments. how.
ever, the pensions payments decreased
uotil 1862. when they amounted to
cnly SS52.170 Al.
1s is singular fact that nearly all
peasion epacsments became Law afeT
,he cicss Of the war fer which they
; we're iasended The first law granting
pensions fer service 10 the war of 1912
vas passed February Il, 1871. fifty SIX
years after the close of the var. This
act required sixty days. service. and
widows we're cot entitled to nensions