The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-09-17
TIE COST OF PENSIONS.
Over 50, 600, coo, 900 Paid-commissioner
Ware Says High Water Marx Has
Been Passed.

The annual report of Mr.. Ware,
the Commissioned of Pensions, places
the total number of pensioners now
on the rolls at 996,s4s, to which 72o,-
1856 are soldiers and a67.ISo are
widows and dependents. Mr.. Ware
says it is not probable that the roll
will again cross the million line, the
high water mark having been reached
a year ago. Five of the pensioners
are on the roll on account of the war
of the Revolution, LILO on account
of the War Of 1872, 4,734 on accoun,
Indian wars and 1884 on account
Of the Mexican War. The great bulk
of the roll is as follows:
Civil War-Inyalids, 7o3,456; wild
ows, 24S,3oo. Spanish war--Invalds
o,aoo; widows, 3,77a. Regular es-
tablishment-Invalids, 6,17o; widows,
2,03S. The roll shows a net loss of
a,ooI pensioners in the year. Out Of
a total of 3o4,So9 applicants on hand
in the year, 10000 were admitted
and II3.794 were rejected. The
average annual value of each pension
is now $I33. The annual amount
of the Spanish war pension roll has
reached $I,76s,3Io.
Commissioner Ware recommends
laws forfeiting the pension, or right to
pension, of any man convicted IN
court of an Infamous crime prohibit
ing the giving of pensions to women
who marry soldiers after the soldiers
become old pensioners, and different
method OF examining applicants for
pensions, stamping the present system
as uncertain, expensive, unsatisfactory
and causing an enormous amount of
political friction. Mr.. Ware suggests
boards of experts, under Civil Service
rules, which should 60 from place to
place on fixed days, making examna-
tons, and receiving testimony regard
ing the condition Of applicants and
making reports thereon. He also re-
commends law providing for super
annuated clerks, vigorously urging
some law OF retirement and provision.
Mr.. Ware says that the bureau has
gained on the current work one hun.
dred thousand cases in 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,
the War of 1872, Indian wars, the
Mexican War, the Civil War and the
war with Spain was $3,o3S,7a3,59o.
1t is estimated that $i6,ooo,ooo was
paid in pensions for disabilities ard
deaths due to military and naval
service IN the wars of 1872 and with
Mexico and in the time of peace be.
fore the Civil War, making the pay.
merits of pensions to soldiers and
sailors of the Civil War and of the
regular military and naval establish.
ments since the close of the Civil War
and their widows, children and de-
pendent relatives, amount tn $2,S62,.
24o,4oo.
The cost Of the pension system per
capita of population for 1908 is given
as $I.75. The system, according to
Commissioner Ware, was the greatest
as a burden to the people of the
United States in 1898. Since tha,
time it has shrunk from $a.z4 tc
$I.32 per $1,000 of taxable wealth
and in ten years, he says, the burden
will cease to be noticed. Mr.. Ware
estimates that the unpensioned sur
vivors of the Civil War, exclusive O
deserters, are, IN round numbers
200, 900, and says that this unknown
army is meeting with disease ant
misfortune to such an extent that it i.
applying for pensions at the rate oil
over $4,000 year. In ten years
he predicts, the unknown army will
have ceased to be factor.