Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-08
LIBERAL TO SOLDIERS
What the Government Has Done for
Them by Pensions.
INTERESTING MEMORANDUM ISSUED.
Prompt Adjudication Under the
Present Administration.
SOME TELLING FIGUR RES

A most interesting memorandum has been
compiled at the pension office showing the
extent to which the United States govern
ment has been liberal to its soldiers by
granting them pensions. The memorandum
shows an enormous liberality toward the
veterans Of the several wars of this gov
eminent and their widows and orphans.
Not only is the amount expended on pen
sionS shown to be immense in itself and In
comparison with the total expenditures of
the government, but the fact is clearly de-
monstrated that never before in the history
of the pension office has there been such
prompt adjudication of pension claims as
there has been during the present admins
tration.
Comparisons That Show.
During the fiscal year ended June 80,
1900, 1885, certificates were issued by the
pension Office, against s9,054 issued in 1899.
OF that number A., 1888 bore names added to
the rolls, the balance being for increases of
ratings under various acts.
On July /, 1sse, there were 991 ,519 pen
sfoners on the rolls and during the year
this number was swelled to 1,056.S63; but 1t
was decreased, through deaths, marriages,
etc, to $685. $40 on the first of last July, be-
ing a net increase of pensioners on the rolls
for last year of 2,01O.
The vigorous work that has been done by
the pension office is further shown by the
fact that the number of claims pending in
the bureau was smaller on July 1 last than
at any time during the present administra-
ton. On July !, 1897 the number Of claims
pending was 57S,O91; July 1, 1885, 635, O59;
July 1, 1899, 477,239. and July 1, 1900.
437, 104.
Enormous Totals.
From 1866 to June 80, 1900 81, 52S, 1913 1918
has been paid by the government as pen
SiopS he
from 1869 to 1881 was 81. 321, 176. while dur
ing McKinley's administration the payments
have been as follows: First year, $144651,-
$3.50; second year. $13s, 355, O52 95; third
year. S13S, 49, 1924.
Not only are these payments enormous in
themselves, but they form very large
proportion of the total revenues Of the gov
eminent, even while 1t Is on war basis.
The total revenue receipts for the year
1900 amounted TO $58S, 9SS, 94S q, while there
was paid for pensions $l3S, 462, 17254, or "a
per cent. For the past fiscal year the total
expenditures for the War and Navy Depart
ments was $3.50. 7439 S0.6l. or 30 1-3 per cent
of the whole revenue Of the government.
IL will be seen that even with foreign
war going on the army and navy costs to
maintain. very little more than the amount
expended for pensions.
40 Per Cent of Revenues.
While the country on a peace basis
of the total receipts. For the year ended
June 80. 1897, the receipts We're $347, 7o1,-
7O5.16. the army and navy pensions for the
year being s139.943, 717.35, or 40 per cent
Of all the revenues of the government. Out
of every 800 collected by the government
in 1897 $40 was turned over to pensioners
Of the army and navy. In that same year
the amount paid for the War Department
was sis,950. 267.s or IA per cent. and for
the Navy Department S24, .'61 ,546.29, or 10
per cent of the total revenues.
Compared With CIeveland's Term.
The fact that the present administration
has been extremely friendly to the soldiers
in the adjudication of their claims is shown
by a comparison of the allowances and re-
jections during the first year of Cleveland's
administration and the first year of Nc
kinleys administration In the year ending
In 1884, the first year of the Cleveland ad-
were allowed and ssh per cent of them
were rejected. In 1898, the first year of the
Mckinley administration. 81 per cent of the
claims were allowed and AS per cent were
rejected.
High-Water Mark.
The high-water mark of pensions was the
last year of the Harrison administration
when there was paid out for pensions 1885,
SOC, 1914. In June. 1893, under the Cleve-
land administration. a board of revision
was created and the action of the previous
administration was reviewed.; thousands of
cases were dropped or reduced. that for
the year ending June 30 1894, the first
year Of that administration, there was
paid for pensions s139, 9S6, 62817, or a re-
duction of sl6.Sl9,3l1.s7.
Including the cost Of administering the
pension Office from July, 1865, to June 30,
1900, 2.G12.329 6O.SJ has been spent for
pensions. In addition to that amount ma
tonal homes for soldiers have been es-
tablished at a cost of AI, SS5,3S2.
REMOVAL OF ASHES.