The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-02
PENSION FACTS.
Annual Report of Evans, Cont
missioner.
Total Amount Expended for the Year
sIas,5s5 .O5a.-Threo Revolutionary
War widows ON List.

The annual report of Col. II. Clay
Evans the commissioner of pensions, for
the fiscal year ended June 20, 1859, pre-
sentssome Interesting facts In connection
with the condition of the pension roll and
the operations OF the bureau.
The pension roll is made up. Of 753, 4sl
surviving soldiers. and 237.4i5 widows
or dependent relatives, and $50 army
nurses. To them last year was paid $751;
Gil, 1861. being sefo. 4o6 more than ever
before.
The average 81 each class Of pensioners
is also higher. The cost Of bureaus, at
torneys' fees, etc.. brought the total ex-
pended mp to siSs, 555, o5s. being si,e44, e4s
less than the appropriation.
The total number of claims filed during
the year was IS, 765, allowed s7,o77, re-
stored s,9l4, total allowances, including
increases s9.o54. Total claims Epending
June 80. llsQs. esb,o5o; June 80. 1899,
z77,s39.
The total disbursements to pensioners
since 1866 were g.. $50. ,g74. During the
same peflou Slo, ,Sco went 10 eAahltn-
ing surgeons $1e. 092, us to pension agen-
cies and So, sS7, 1913 for salaries and other
expenses of the pension bureau.
The number of pensioners residing In
foreign countries Ia 1906, to whom is paid
$685. 300. of this number. $3.50 reside In
Canada. 4i5 In Ireland. sos in Germany
and 32i in England
There are four surviving widows and
seven surviving daughters of the revoiu-
tionary war on the rolls. Hiram Cronk
of northwestern New York 4s the only
surviving pensionei soldier of the war OF
1919. He Is 90 years of age.
The number OF pensioned widows Of the
war of 1879 Is 1898. On account of the
Indian wars 1868 soldiers and 1899 widows
are pensioned.
For service In the Msxi can war there
are enrolled 9204 soldiers and sire widows.
June 80. 1899. the total number of pen.
sioners was 991, 5l9. heing 2le5 less than
on the same date in $780, The report says
that considerable progress has been made
bringing up the arrears OF work In the
bureau. The work on original CLAIMS is
practically current, and the work OF or
dering medical examinationsin increase
claims Ia being pushed so that very little
time now elapses between dates of filing
and ordering the medical combinations
The commissioner reports the work IN
far better condition than at any time
since April. 1897, and 1t Is believed that
further progress will be attained by the
systems instituted in the different diyis-
ions.
The commissioner ycalls attention ITO
the fact that order 225. issued June 9,
1898, which provided for q read justment
Of rates of pensionfrreviously granted I'M
der the operations of order 1864, is still in
force, but he states that sno revision of
rates under said order has been made
under his administration.
During the year 107, $40 claims of all
Glasses were rejected by the bureau. A
careful analysis of the. causes of rejection
of 30 many claims il given, showing that
large percentage OF rejectionss occur In
claims In which additional allowance of
some kind is claimed.
A full and detailed explanation as to
the causes OF delay in the adjudication of
claims is presented. from which Ii appears
that In nearly every case OF unusual delay
the fault lies with claimants or their at
torueys, and not with the bureau.
In order that the present complex sys-
tenn of pensioning may bs simplided and
to secure more uniform practice lin the
future, the appointment of commission
on the revision Of the laws, rules and
regulations is recommended.
Legislation Is suggested extending the
benefits OF the act of June "a, 1870, to per-
sons who served In the confederate army
and afterward voluntarily enlisted in the
uulOn hTlly Ut navy UElUE w Jhus IL lOUO,
and were honorably discharged
The re-enactment of the law requiring
biennial examinations of pensioners who
have been recently discharged from the
service Is recommended, there being no
way In which the recovery of pensioner
from the pensioned causes can be deter
mined.
The repeal of the act OF June z, 1883,
removed all Limitation as to date of filing
claims by widows. Legislation is asked
for to the end that no pension shall be
granted to date prior to the date Of filing
the application.
The act Of June q, 1883, the report says
holds ont Inducements and offers pre-
MUM to the vicious to file fraudulent
claims carrying large sums as arrearages
1t is q bad law, that encourages crime,
and the government has but little oppor-
tunity TO disprove a carefully prepared
fraudulent claim under this law.
Complaints have been made against the
bureau for the stoppage of tho pensions
of those who enlisted OF accepted oom-
missions in the war with Spain. These
pensions ceased by operation of law. and
not by any order or instructions from the
bureau.
Up to this date the number of rs-enlist-
ments of pensioners for service in the
war with Spain has been reported as Is
of the navy, A Of the regular army and
60 OF the war OF the rebellion.
Out of 4e4l GASES In which action has
been taken by the department In appeals
from the action Of the bureau, the bureau
was reversed In 617, and many of these
were cases In which, the adverse action
had been taken before April, 1897.
Ihe commissioner expresses his sutiE-
faction with the results for the past year.
No new rules of evidence have been In.
troduosi in the adjudication of claims.
but the work has been accomplished un-
der prescribed rules of many years. stand
ing.
states that the pension laws are generous;
that their Interpretation by the depart
ment has always been liberal. and their
administration by the bureau OH cials
has besn and Is now far more liberal than
the generous laws. always giving the
benefit of the doubt in favor Of the sol.
dier.