The Indianapolis journal., 1899-08-14


pensions allowed during the fiscal year
ended June go. 1899:
General Law
Original invalid ................... 1924
Original widows ...-............... 4,246
War with Spain .................. 295- {, 165
Act of June 27. 1890
OOriginai lnvand ......--.----'-----2 20 SH a. ono
General law increase ......... %. 460
Act of 1890 increase .............. 25,603
Total ...... 50 054
1t will be rendered that the disability
which entities TO the maximum pension (Sl2
per Hlonth) under the new law is SubStan-
TALLY the same as would entitle to a PEN
sion of $50 per month under the old law,
viz: total disability for manual labor.
The following table shows the number of
INVALID pensioners now On the rolls under the
di1erent laws at the rates given:
General Law
46.oS5 receive -....- ......$l2 per month
* seS receive ''''''' -'.'''s5d s5a per per month
1o,tSo IecelNe .......... .SoV per month
Act of June 27. 1890
!oS, .sa receive -........... IS per month
lSo'lf3 receive ....-....... $500. IS per month
30 co'o6e , receive .......... .....Si0 per month
loo, fvo receive ...... ............Sl2 per month
This shows that there are more persons
pensioned at the maximum rate than any
other under the act of 1880, and that the
number receiving that rate for total dsa-
bility under the new law is more than ten
times the number receiving pensions for to-
tai disability OF service origin. These fig
ures emphatically dispose of the charge of
insufficient ratings under the act of Juns
q. 1890
The total payments on account of
pensions during President Grants
During his second term ia 395 Ss57
During President Hayes's term. 145, ,322 4S9
Inc payments on account of pen
Sions during the fiscal year ended
June 30 1899. were............... 13s 253 922
Thrs II appears that the payments for the
year 1898 were largely i'm excess of the entire
amount paid during the first or second ad-
ministraion of President Grant. and almost
as much as was paid during the entire four
years OF President Hayes's administration.
THE BUREAU EMPLOYEES.
There have been reinstated as employees
of this bureau during the present admins
tration 139 ex-Union soldiers and sailors who
had been discharged by former administra-
tions. During the same period 279 ex-Union
soldiers and sailors have been promoted and
sixty-four widows and orphans of soldiers
have been reinstated or promoted.
The entire organization or the Pension
Bureau is controlled by men who served in
the Union army. 1t is essentially a sol
diers bureau" and in all matters pertaining
to the organization OF the different divi-
sions. in appointments and promotions, the
ex-Union soldier and sailor has had the
preference. The statute which gives prefer
ence to the Union soldiers of the rebellion
mas been faithfully observed by the officers
OF the bureau.
1t is well known that the foundation of
much OF the criticism thai has arisen
against the administration of the bureau
Will be found in the refusal of the commits
sioner to allow the claim agents to run the
bureau. He has Striven TO afford claimants
who are not represented by attorneys every
facility for the prosecution of their claims
and has often found 1T necessary to take
action which some of the claim agents do
not like. and as a result they have organ
ized systematic attack upon the bureau in
all directions, thereby endeavoring to create
sentiment of hostility among the soldiers
10 the administration of the Pension Bu-
reau, when, as a matter of fact, all the off,
GERS and clerks are putting forth their best
EFFORTS TO adjudicate claims Justly and
speedily and in accordance with the law as
Ii exists.
Upon assuming the duties of his office the
commissioners realized that ii would not be
an easy nor a pleasant task, and, therefore
he selected for the positions of responsibility
the most competent ex-Union soldiers that
he could find in the bureau. believing that
the soldiers of the country would appreciate
the fact that their old comrades in arms
were to have charge of the settlement of
their claims upon the government for pen
sions.
the expectations of the commissioner and
1t Is believed that the determination of the
commissioner TO adjudicate claims in ac-
cordance with the law has received the ap-
probation of all worthy claimants for pen
sion and all others who believe that the
pension laws should be administered i'm the
Spirit which prompted their enactment but
who do not ask the officers of the bureau
to go beyond the law TO satisfy the demands
of the claim agents.