The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-09-04
Enormous Pension Figures.

Washington, Aug. 27.-During the
last fiscal year, the pension roll of the
United States was increased by 4, 2O6
names. and now amounts altogether to
997, 635 persons which is one in Is of
the total population of the United
States today, or one in about 35 of
the total population at the time of the
civil war Excluding the population
of the south. whence comparatively
few Union soldiers were obtained, we
have the startling statement that one
out of about every 25 persons living
during the war in the territory from
which the United States government
recruited most of its soldiers, receives
a pension. The fact that some few Of
these are survivors of wars other than
the civil war hardly affects the accu-
racy of this statement, as these alto
gether, including the Spanish war
pensioners, amount as yet to only
some 12, 900 persons.
Of the 4,20e net increase during the
fiscal year 190O-01, 3,S49 should be
charged up to the Spanish war, that
being the number of pensions for
that war issued during year. This
leaves net increase due to the civil
war-and this thirty-six years after
that war came to an end. 1t may well
be asked where this thing is to stop?
The expenditure last year for pen
sions was s13S, 531, 4S3, or over a quar-
ter million dollars day for the entire
year. From July l, 1865, at the close
of the civil war, until July l, 1901,
the close of the last fiscal year, this
country has paid out for pensions the
appalling sum of 81, 66e, 904, $50, a sum
sufficient to pay off all the greenbacks,
treasury notes, and bonds of the Uni
ted States and leave enough to re-
deem the silver certificates in gold and
dump the silver dollars in the Poto-
mac.
An examination of the figures just
furnished by the Commissioner shows
that the number of pensioners on
June 80, 1900, was 993, 529.
During the year 38, 153 died, but at
the same time A, 225 new names were
added to the rolls. a further examina-
tion does not tend to show that the
pension list is liable to be reduced
soon. The roll grew, first, because of
the law Of 1890 granting pensions for
disabilities not incurred in the service,
and, secondly, because of the admis-
sion to the rolls the widows of men
who died long after the civil war was
ever.
The annual amount Of the
appropriations on the pension
cacount in Grants two admin
istrations was only about $780,
600, 600. It had risen to s13S, 600, 600
| year during the Mckinley admins
tration. Predictions that the burden
would be lightened when life had run
its allotted span among soldiers are
| doomed to come to naught because of
the new war and the peculiar long
evity Of widows.
Of the veterans only 297, ,675 are pen
stoned for disabilities actually incur
red when in the service, while 43S, la
draw incomes for disabilities incur
red since then. The same proportion
holds good as to the widows, l45, III
being granted pensions because Of the
death of their husbands from diseases
other than those contracted in the
service, while only S3, S02 claim re-
wards because they are the widows of
soldiers who died directly from bullets
or diseases of actual war.
On July l, 1901, there were pending
403, $50 claims, of which 80, 532 were
due to the Spanish war. Many others
we're for increases, but when these are
deducted, over 100000 entirely new
claimants for injuries inflicted over
thirty-six years ago remain as asking
pensions.
Truly, pension, or the chance OF
obtaining one, seems almost equal to
an elixir for the indefinite prolonga-
tion of life.