The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-07-21

amounting in 1919 to $24l6 829 OF
In the following year, 1920, they rose
to $3.2l8, ,494 20 AT this the general
p l0lic became alarmed the number
of applications under the former act
being about 5000 In response to
the general clamor, on May |, 1920,
Congress passed what was known as
the Alarm Act" which required all
pensioners on the rolls to furnish IA
schedule of the amount of property
then in their possession. Many of
the pensioners whose schedules
showed that they possessed too
much property were dropped from
the rolls. Pensioners We're dropped
who owned property to the extent of
$3.50. Under the operations of this
law the payments dropped from
50 2l8, ,494 20 in 1920 to $244, ,778 81 in
the following year. This leisla-
tion proved equally unpopular. and
on March 10, 1922, Congress passed
law giving pensions to the in
valids, to the Communication pension
ers, and to widows and orphans.
AS result of this act the pension
payments again rose to nearly 81 ,000,-
600, but gradually decreased until
1928, when they amounted to only
$3.50 57357.
On July 7, 1881, forty-nine years
after the close of the war, general
law was enacted pensioning all sur
vlvors who served not less than six
mouths in the Revolutionary war.
Under the operations of this act the
payments reached new level,
amounting in 1888 TO 81 ,598 7l5 A.
On July 4, 1886, fifty. three years
after the termination of the war, an
act was passed granting pensions for
five years to Revolutionary widows,
providing they were married to the
soldier or sailor before the close of
his last service, and that his service
was not less than six months. Even
under this and subsequent enact
ments, however, the pension pay
ments decreased until 1862, when
they announced to only 1882 l70.47
The first general pension law was
enacted July IA, 1862, in which it
was provided that any officer, sold
ier, sailor or marine disabled by rea-
son of wounds or disease contracted
in the service of the Unites States
and in the line of duty, might be
pensioned for such disability during
its continuance. 1t was also provid-
ed that, in case of his death from
causes originating as above set forth
his widow or child under l6 years of
age might receive pensions. Subse-
quent laws enacted down to and in
cluding 1890 further extended the
system SO as to include all soldi Ars
and sailors, who had been honorably
discharged, who were sutferiOg from
wounds received or disease con
tracted as result of their servic :,
and made provisions for widows
and orphans.
In 1860 there were only S, ,636 names
on the pension rolls, receiving ST.,
l02, 1926 Is annually. In 1865 the pen
sion rolls had been increased until
they carried 30 9S6 pensioners, who
drew in that year Sl6 ,525, 1853. In 1876
there were lS9 696 pensioners, who
drew in that year $27 ,780,8ll. In 1876
234 1921 pensioners drew $29,6S3, l6.
In 1880 there was further Increase
in the number of pensioners to 250,-
SO2, who received that year from the
Government $57 ,240, $40. In 1885 345,-
l25 pensioners drew 500 693 706. In
1890 537 ,944 pensioners drew $l06, ,493,.
800.
The pension rolls for the fiscal
year ending June 20 last will show
nearly 100000 pensioners and ar
an annual expenditure of$l47, 7,000,0 900
1t is an interesting fact to note
that from 1871 to 1876, period Of
eighty-siX years, the total pension
payments amounted to only $339 1915,
536 30, or about $43 900, 900 less than
the annual pension appropriations
for the past three years. From 1874
to June 80, 1899, inclusive, the pay
ments have am )unte1 to $2,l25 ,090,-
676 81.