Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-21


whom we have rescued from darkness
and oppression"
Here is chance for benevolent as
similation" to be really benevolent.
Our great and good friend, Michael
Stein, Prince of Fulton, must get Els
Greater Wheeling clothes on to be in
style. They will become him well.
PENSIONS BREAK THE RECORD.
The assaults on Pension Commits
sioner Evans on the ground that he is
unfriendly to the old soldiers and
pursues cheese-Daring and illiberal
policy with them doubtless have their
| origin in the fact that Mr.. Evans
| although a Republican. is a southerner,
hailng from Kentucky. Certainly the
charge of illiberality against Mr..
Evans falls to the ground when we ex
anime the figures Of his report just is
sued, which show that the year ending
June so last reached high water mark
in the pension business.
The figures as given by the Washing
| ton correspondent of the New York
| Times are decidedly interesting and in
structiye at this day-thirty-six years
after the close of the war. On June 80
last there were on the pension roll
997.735 persons. The highest record
was supposed to have been reached
more than twenty years ago, but it has
steadily increased since. The cost of
the roll for the year was $13S, sol 4S3.
The country has now paid in pensions
since July /, 1890, $2,763, $50, 033. of
which s2666, 904 $50 has been paid since
July l, 1865. 1t will be a round"
three billion before the next presi-
Dental election.
The net gain in the number of pen
sioners was 4,206 for the year. The
gross gains were APPS names added
for original claims allowed and 1867
renewals and reservations, while there
were 1888 losses by death. and other
losses making up total Of 43,5S6. But
of exhaustion. There We're 403, $50
claims pending on June 80, 24,206 being
claims for accrued pension, 1882
| claims arising out of the war with
| Spain, and 22S534 filed by persons who
are already on the pension list and
want their pensions increased. OF
| ike character are Al 1893 claims for
new disabilities" discovered. in cases
where pension has been already al
lowed for old ones, the newly and re-
Gently discovered disabilities being
urged for increase of pension.
Yet Evans is accused Of being
uliberal with the old soldiers. Traced
to its source this accusation is found
to be based on the fact that some
| 600 pensioners eagerly seeking an
increase have been kept waiting until
the Claims of new applicants for pen
sions were passed upon. Really, in
stead of being illiberal it seems to have
been Evans object to get new names
on the roll as fast as possible before
attending to the wants of those already
enjoying government bounty. How he
has succeeded in increasing the size OF
the roll during his administration Of
the pension Office the figures show
Commissioner Evans issued during the
year 109 66S pensions. being about 1000
more than ever issued in any one year.
That the number of applications is in
excess Of the number of claims granted
by only .635 for the year shows that the
machine under Evans is running pretty
well up 10 the limit. Proof of this is
the fact that pensioners of the recent
Spanish war drew during the year just
closed the sum of $l.l75,224, an increase
of $842320 over the previous year.
The New York Times correspondent
gives these interesting statistics
The record Of payments on account OF
old wars" is that pensioners on those
accounts have received only s. $50, 21s dur
ing the year. but the payments to surviv-
t ors of the War Of 1872 and their widows
, during the last thirty years reached the
respectable total Of s44 s4I647. the pay
ments on account Of the Mexican wal
have been $30.21,ls6. and those for the In
e dian wars have been s5,4d2 054. There are
e Ali pensioners residing in foreign coun-
tries, and the government has sent te
them the sum of s64l l6l during the year
not including s10.3l2 paid to pensioners re
siding in our insular possessions Their.
are seventy-two of these. The roll still
contains the name Of one survivor OF tn.
: war Of 1872 and Of 1921 widows OF tina
e war. There are 1895 pensioned survivors
: of the Indian wars and 3,479 widows, whik
a there are 1858 pensioned survivors of tn
Mexican war and 9,109 widows pensionek
on account of the same war.
8 The table below shows the growth o