Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-07
THE PENSION REPORT
Interesting Facts Shown Concern
ing the Payments.
VALUE OF ROLL HIGHER THAN EVER.
Commissioner Evans Makes Answer to
Some Of tho Complaints Against the
Burean-Satisfied with the Re.
suits for the Year.

Washington, Sept. 4.-The annual re-
port of Col. II. Clay Evans, the commits
sioner of pensions, for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1899, presents some in
teresting facts in connection with the
condition of the pension roll and the
operation of the bureau.
The pension roll is made up of 1881
4ol surviving soldiers and 237,115 wild
ows, or dependent relatives, and G53
army nurses. To them last year was
paid $131,617,961, which is S64a. 400
more than was ever before paid out in
pensions i'll one year.
The average of each class of pension
ers is also higher The cost OF bureaus,
attorneys fees, etc, broughs the total
amount expended up TO $13s,555,o 5a,
or $1,644,94S less than the appropria-
tion.
The payments for pensions for the
year are classified as follows: General
law, $71,115,703; Spanish war, 2s,6O6;
act of 1890, $64,321,46O. The fees paid
10 attorneys aggregated $476,960,
against $73O,00O in 1898.
The total number of claims filed dur
ing the year was s4s,765; allowed, 37,-
OF; restored, 3,91i; total allowances,
INCLUDING Increases, S9,054; tot..I claims
pending on June 80, 1895, 635 ,O59; June
20, 1896. 477,239.
he total disbursements of pensions
ers since 1866 aggregate $2,3s9.910,974.
During the same period, SIS, 400, 1856
went to examining surgeons; $12,O92,-
ATS TO pension agencies, and $50, 237 ,22S
forisalaries and other expenses of the
pension bureau.
The number of pensioners living in
foreign countries is 1906, to whom is
paid $633,309 OF this number 2.139
live in Canada; Ais in Ireland; COS in.
Germany, and 321 in England.
There are four surviving widows
and four surviving daughters of the
revolutionary war on the rolls.
Hiram Cronk, of northwestern New
York. is the only surviving pensioned
solder OF the war of 1912. He is 90
years OF age. The number of pension
ed widows of the war of 1912 is H.
99S.
On account OF the Indian wars, 1868
soldiers and $500 widows are pension
ed.
For service in the Mexican war there
are enrolled 1904 soldiers and SID
widows.
On June 30, 1899, the total number
OF pensioners was 991,5l9, being
2,195 less than on the same date in
1898.
The report says that considerable
progress has been made in bringing up
the back work in the bureau. The
work on original claims is practically
current and the work of ordering
medical examinations in increase claims
is being pushed so that very little time
now elapses between the dates of fling
the claims and of ordering the medical
examinations.
The commissioner reports the work
to be in far better condition than at
any time since April, 1897, and it is
believed that further progress will be
attained by the systems instituted in
the different divisions.
The commissioner calls attention to
the fact that order No. 225, issued on
June 9, 1898, which provided for re-
adjustment OF rates of pensions pre-
Siously granted under the operations
OF order No. 1854, is still in force, but
he states that no revision of rates under
the order has been made under his adj
ministration.
During the year 1O7,919 claims of all
classes were rejected in the bureau.
\ careful analysis is given of the caus-
es OF rejection of SO many claims, show
ing that large percentage of rejec-
tons occurs in claims in which an adj
ditional allowance of some kind is
claimed
=. full and detailed explanation as
to the causes of delay in the adiudica-
ton OF claims is presented. 1t appears
that in nearly every case of unusual
delay the fault lies with claimants
or their attorneys, and not with the
bureau.
In order that the present complex
system OF pensioning>may be simplified
and tossecure a more uniform practice
in the future, the appointment of a
commission on the revision of the laws,
rules and regulations of the bureau is
recommended.
Legislation is suggested extending
the benefits of the act of June 81, 1890,
to persons who served in the confed-
craze army and afterward voluntarily
enlisted in the union army or navy
prior to Jan. /, 1865, and were honor
ably discharged.
The re-epactment of the law reuuir-
ing biennial examination of pension
ers who have been recently discharged
from the service is recommended,
there being no way now in which the
recovery of a pensioner from the pen
sion causes can be determined.
The act of June z, 1855, removed all
Limitations as to the date of filing
claims by widows. Legislation is ask
ed to the end that no pension shall be
granted to date prior to the date of
fling the application.
The act of June Z 1888. the report
says, holds out inducements and Of
fers a premium to the vicious to file
fraudulent claims carrying large sums
us arrearages. 1t is a bad law that en-
courages crime and the government
has but little opportunity to dispute
ShapeIy !; ! ::