New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-23
TIE PENSION BrRDFy

The annual report of the Commissioner of
Pensions for the year ending June 30. 1903.
strongly sustains the Judgment expressed from
tIne 10 time In these columns thar the .'biyh-
water mark In pension expenditures has been
passed and that the burdens Of orr r,ension
system are soon 10 be materially lightpnpd
has opinion we have expressed in srite of tI,,
TACT that the pension roll has steadily EXPANDED
during the last decade on June 50 1882. the
pensioners on the federal payroll numbered
e'6o5S. Or June 80 1902 the total was 500. 446.
ana Tor time IN the fiscal year I901-O2 the
million limit was actually exceeded. We have
held however. that on the whole the cost of
me system has SHOWN signs Of lesseninC, and
that, N default Of broadening legislation by
congress, pension payments may be expected
!" IAN within another decade or two below
S1oo.G0009o
commissioner Wares report furnishes evi-
dence that such shrinkage is inevitable in the
near future. IL shows that the number al non
sioners on the roll on June 30 last had dropped
from :31.44G 10 g9G4+5-the first decrease on
record since the pension system, under the pro-
visions Of the Dependent Act Of June. 1880
suffered lis lateS, and most startling expansion
His decrease. too. came from wholly natural
causes. IL was not brought about by the hold
W methods practised under the second Clpve-
land administration. Forty-four thousand four
hundred and eichty-seven names were added
10 The roll. But Ass names were dropped
death alone erasing nearly 41.e0o IN the chr
rent year the Commissioner expects q still
greater loss-45,0O0 10y death and GOOO through
renarrnSe- expiration Of the age Limitation i'm
the case Of minor children and other causes.
Though the pension roll was thus slightly
shortened during l902-O3. the total cost of dis
burSements and administration rose bv n few
hundred thousands The amount spent i'm
l50l-02 was Sl41,5}j, G4G: that spent in 1902 -03
was Sl4l.752.S1o. But this last total is lower
than that FOR any other year since the Ie-isla-
ton OF 1890 became operative. In 1912 the
amount spent was S141.2g2. SO. In lSq2, or il
was Sl6L714.572. IN 1S9T-8S il was Sl4S. 100
sal In other years it has luctuated between
Sl42.oo0oco and S14Aoo0OoO Congress last
winter passed an ac; increasing pension rates
Tor certain kinds Of disability. which will en-
tan extra annual payments of about 81 900 900
Other changes IN law may help 10 hold the total
u Disbursements 10 lis present figure But il
Is evident that with the annual diminution Of
the roll now foreSAadowed the conditions have
passed which actually doubled the army OF pen.
sioneFs between 1890 ard 1902
{ The survivors OF the War OF the Rebellion
stlH unpensioned Commissioner Ware estimates
4 Al perhaps 100000. This body OF "pensioua-
/ bies' is now seeking government aid al the
/ rate OF 1900 applications year. Its death
rate is per cent. and il viii lose In deaths and
! pensions during the coming year bout % 600
In five more years Mr. Ware predicts this
unknown army" win he reduced 10 e0oco
/ In ten years il VIII cease 20 be a factor in the
pension problem.
/ Prom another point q view the Commissioner
! also polntedly emphasizes the tightening OF the
/ pension burden. While the growth Of the pen
sion roll IS being checked the United States is
/ growing enormously in wealth. population and
1 resources As he shows, the country's wca1th