Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-28
our Enormous Pension Roll.


According to the report of tho Com
missioner of Pensions, there are now
997, 735 names on our natioual pens. on
roll, a number much larger than the
armies that actually fought in our Civil
War, the cause of the grsat bulk of
these benefioiaries of the nation. 1t is
true that some pensions are paid on
account Of the war with Mexico, 1S45-S,
and few on account of the War of
1872, hut the fact that it is now more
than thirty-sixIyears since the close of
the great conflict between the States Of
this Union, would seem to Indicate that
pensions on account of that war should
begin to show material decrease, but
they do not.
On the contrary, they are constantly
increasing, and thousands of new appli-
cations are on file and steadily being
received. The pending claims at the
time the report for the past year was
issued numbered 403, 500, and additional
laims arrive daily by the hushel. or
courss, our recent war with Spain gives
occasion for material portion of the
later olaims, but the great bulk Of them
are ON the account of the Civil War,
which came to close in April, 1865.
That thousands of fraudulent claims
have been allowed and are still being
paid, and that thousands OF the pending
claims have no more real foundation
than the greedy insistenre of the pen
sion sharks who make money from al
kinds of claimants. Is a fact that will
not admit Of dispute. 1t is fortunate
for the country that the Commiss on or
OF Pensions, II. Clay Evans. is a man
OF sterling honesty and keen dscr m ina
tion. No wonder the pension sharks
are clamoring for his removal. But
President Mckinley would not crafty
these cormorants by removing Evans,
and there lie every Indication that Presi
dent Roosevelt will Likewise refuse.
The liquor license quest on, which has
become leading one in New York since
the pledges for liberal Sunday laws
made by the anti. Tammany leaders dur.
ing the recent mayora,ty campaign in
New York City, is going to raise q
mighty row in the next Legislature Of
New York State. An attempt will be-
made to amend the law SO as tC
authorize the sale OF liquor generally
during certain hours of the Sabbath
and the effort will be resisted strenu
ously. As one result Of the controversy
already under way, Bishop William
Croswell Dcane of Albany, wEo fayori
RESTRICTED Sunday opening, has resiepe &c
the craftsmanship OF the Church Tenn
perance Society of the Diocese of Al
pany, because the society protest &c
against Sunday selling in any form.
The award of bounty money ur
account of the Spanish american War
made by the Navy Department, givel
Dewey 80, $40 for destroying the Spanish
ships at Manila, and Samtson 49,, Al
and Schlsy s2l6 on account of tn,
destruction of the Spanish warships of
Santiago, The reason for the dis
crepanoy between the awards to Samp
son and Sohley is ths fact that Sam Sol
was commander Of the destroying feet
while Sohley was in command of ,
division OF that fleet only. And yet. b,
/ the irony of fate, Sampson was not il
the battle at all, while Schley, the mex
10 command, was actively and con
spicuously engaged 10 1T from beginning
to end.