The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
STEADY STRIDES OF
THE PENSION ARMIES
Rolls LengtheDing Out as the
Years Go By.
Visions Of Heavy Demands as Sol
diers Grow Older.
Eleven Thousand Applications Al,
ready on File as n Result of the
War With Spain.

1t is not probable that thorough idea
of the cost to the Government in dollars
and cents growing out Of the recent war
with Spain and the present struggle In tho
Philippines will fasten itself upon the
people of the country for some time to
come. When the United States was draw
ing upon its every resource more than a
year ago. getting ready for the anticipated
struggle with Spain, the expense OF war
was discussed but there were few who
viewed the subject in all Its phases Little
or no attention was paid to the aftermath.
The question OF pensioning the men who In
the ordinary course Of war would be disa-
bled either by sickness or wounds. or the
widows of soldiers who would be killed in
battle or die as the result OF disease con-
tracted while in the service. was scarcely
touched upon. Yet in the years to como
this particular phase OF the short but sharp
contest will present itself with force to the
statesmen whose duty 1t will be to provide
Tor the current expenses of the Govern
ment. The experience of the Pension Blu
reau has taught that the great majority of
men who have served in the various wars
OF the country since the foundation Of the
Government have not fled their claims for
pensions until years after the war in which
they were engaged had been brought to a
close.
This delay has been almost wholly due
to the fact that claims were not fled I'M
I'll the claimant was well advanced in
years and was beginning to feel the eff
fects OF the hardships suffered by him
during his period OF service Ii is not as
a general thing until fifteen OF twenty
years have passed that the veterans begin
to find themselves becoming ineapacitated
for gaining livelihood. This is especially
true in the case of the civil war. Up to
1880 the amount OF money paid out by the
Government in the shape OF pensions was
far less than that paid during the fiscal
year of 1898. In 1880 the amount was $685.
69S.22S. while in 1898 it was Sfi4. 651. sI9
As result OF the war with Spain there
have been about 1900 applications for
pensions either from the men who were
ineapacitated in the service or by the
widows of men who died while with their
commands in camp or in the field Seven
ty-tive pensions have been allowed the
greater number Of them being to widows,
who are granted s12 month
Already the amount paid out in pensions
as result of the Spanish war, amounts to
more than Sl1,o00 a year. and when IA
vorable action is taken on the claims now
-
increased into the millions. There can be
no doubt that claims will continue to be
received at the Pension Bureau Indeed
il past experience counts for anything they
have scarcely commenced. The number
of men killed in battle during the war with
Spain was 27g. while 1.i65 were wounded
These numbers represent but very small
portion OF the ones who are entitled to
pensions. The vast amount OF sickness in
. -arsOr mil in ratf
parts of the country has made many in
yalids for life, who have just claim for
support by the Government. There are
thousands of others who contracted dis
eases in the service which while they do
not have the immediate effect of disabling
the victim will in few years result in per-
manent disability and afford good grounds
for application for pension. There Is no
way OF determining the exact number OF
these cases, but it is thought that they
viii number many thousands.
The war in the Philippines promises to
add thousands Of names to the list OF those
eligible to receive Government aid. The
number of deaths in action is already con-
siderable, and a greater number have died
OF wounds received. The unhesithful con-
ditions under which the troops in the Phil
ippines have existed have been responsible
for many deaths from sickness and for a
abilities. From present indications many
more will be killed or wounded before tho
instruction is crushed. The advent OF
the summer season in the Philippines will
no doubt prove somewhat disastrous to the
American soldiers, who are accustomed to
the Northern and more temperate climate
OF the United States.
The records Of the Pension Office show
that more than s.. $50 coo, 600 have been
in, ba
civil war. The cost OF the active opera
tons of that war-that is, the cost of main
tanning the various armies in the field
was somewhat more than one billion dol
| lars. Thus far the pension money for the
| civil war has been more than twice that
| paid out for the cost of actual operations
| Nor is the end in sight. The amount OF
| pension money paid out during the fiscal
year 1895 was four millions more than that
of the previous year There is every rea-
| son to believe that 1t will be fully fifteen
| years before the amount of money needed
/ for the payment OF pensions of the civil
war Will be materially decreased and fully
| fifty years before the last claimant has
passed away.
Commissioner of Pensions Hon. Fl. Clay
| Evans. when seen by Times reporter yes
terday, stated that OF course the number
of pensions as a result OF the Spanish war
In the civil war there were more than q
| OCO,OG0 men engaged on the Union side.
| whereas in the recent war with Spain there
were about 270,G00 who were either in the
| camps in the United States or at the front.
| There are on the rolls Of the Pension Blu
| reau 1913. ia pensioners, or a number equal
| to nearly one-half of the total number OF
men engaged in the civil struggle. While
/ the operations of the present war have not
al m n :
| those of the civil war the mortality and
| sickness resulting in disability has been
| nearly. if not quite. as great in proportion.
This is in a large measure due to the
| fact that the armies have been compelled
| TO hunt the enemy in tropical country.
| where climatic conditions are totally Gif-
| ferent from those OF America. Takin :
everything into consideration. il is safe to
| say that at least To-, 900 soldiers or widows
| of soldiers will have sufficient reasons to
| apply for pensions. Reckoning from tho
! experience of the war of 1872, it will prob
| ably be 100 years before all Of the PEN
| sioners of the Spanish war have passed
| away, and the probable cost TO the Gov
| eminent Will be fully billion dollars.
The following are the survivors II the
war of 1912 now drawing pensions: Hiram
! Cronk, OF North Western, N. V. aged
| ninety-eight. who served with New York
| State troops; Elijah Glenn, of Newark. n.
| j., aged lO2, who served with Maryland
troops, and Eleazor Smith. of Danbury.
| n. H.. who served with New Hampshire
| troops. There are living and drawing pen
| sions 2.407 widows of men who saw service
in this war. There are 1875 pensioners
| of the Mexican war. and 6.CS6 of the Indian
| wars between 1882 and 1912. Five widows
of Revolutionary soldiers still survive AID
seven daughters who are entitled to PEN
| sions.