The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-09-18
Pension list
Shows Decrease
Commissioner Ware Says 1t Is Not
Likely to Again Cross the
Million Mark.
Five Revolutionary Claims Are Still
Being ~Paid-Total Of 996,545 PEN
sions, Including widows and De-
pendents, Now on the Rolls-Lavs
Wanted to Reduce Expenses.

ASPOAS VI VI AOAoAOA0
Ware places the total number Of pen
sioners as now on the rolls at 1866 45
of which 729, 356are soldiers and 267,189
are widows and dependents. Mr.. Ware
announces that it is not probable that
the pension roll will again cross the
million line, the high-water mark hav-
ing been reached a year ago. Five of
the pensioners are on the roll on ac-
count of the war of the revolution,
1,116 on account of the wal of 1872;
4,734 on account Of the Indian wars,
and 1884 on account of the Mexican
var
What the Roll Shows.
The great bulk Of the roll is as fol-
lows: Civil war, invalids. 703,456,
widows, 248, $3.50; Spanish war invalids,
5000; widows, 1862; and the regular
establishment invalids, $40; widows,
1888.
The roll shows a net loss Of 2,901
pensioners during the year. Out OF q
total of 3O4, 800 applications on hand
during the year 130,109 were admitted
and 1894 rejected.
The average annual value OF each
pension is now $133. The annual value
of the Spanish war pension roll has
reached $1,765.310.
Some Recommendation.
Commissioner Ware makes the fol-
lowing recommendations: Enactment
of laws forfeiting the pension or right
to pension of any man convicted in
court of an infamous crime; prohibiting
the giving Of pensions to women who
marry soldiers after the soldiers become
old pensioners, and a different method
of examining applicants for pension,
stamping the present system as uncer-
tain, expensive, unsatisfactory and gen.
eratiye of an enormous amount Of po-
litical friction.
Mr.. Ware says that the bureau has
gained upon the current work 100000
cases during the last two years.
An interesting historical analysis OF
pension figures shows that the actual
total of disbursements in pensions on
account of the revolutionary war, war
of 1872, Indian wars, Mexican war, civil
a and the war with Spain, was 3d.
O38, 623 $50.
& An Enormous Sum.
It is estimated that Sic, 600, 900 was
paid in pensions for disabilities and
deaths due to military and naval serv-
ice in the wars of 1872 and with Mexico,
and during the time of peace priorto the
war of the rebellion, making the pay
ments of pensions to soldiers and sail
ors Of the war of the rebellion and of
the regular military and naval estab-
lishment since the close Of said war of
the rebellion, and their widows, chill
dren and dependent relatives, amount
to 81, 1862, 240, 400.
Cost of the System.
The cost Of the pension system per
capita Of population for 1903 is given as
s1.75. The system, according to Com
missioner Ware, was the greatest as a
burden to the people of the United States
in 1893, since which time 1t has shrunk
from 1924 to $1.32 per 81, 0 of taxable
wealth, and in ten years, he says, the
burden will cease to be noticed.
Mr.. Ware estimates that the unpen-
stoned survivors OF the civil war, eX-
elusive of deserters, is in round num-
bers 100000, and says that this un.
known army is meeting with disease
and misfortune to such an extent thai
it is applying for pensions at the rate
of " 1900 per annum. In ten years
Mr.. Ware predicts, the unknown arm,
will have ceased to be a factor.