The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-02
THE D1srR1surIoN OF PENSIONS.

AAA6 0AO4 hAoO AAON VIZ 1GNSAOIN0s
Let us consider some other features OF
the great benefit to the country from the
pensions. Last year the State of Ohio
received SIS. 104, 092.54 for pensions. paid
out to 100000 pensioners residing in the
IS Counties of the State. This makes an
| average of the immense sum of $111:4o0
distributed annually to each County in the
State. As the cities are largely filled
with foreigners who have come into the
country since the war, and young men
who have left the rural districts for the
cities, il is evident that much the larger
proportion of this money goes into the
country districts, where its beneficial eff
fects will be most marked and felt There
are 5000 post-ofiices in Ohio, which would
give an average of S4,700 every year for
| the constituents and patrons of each post
office in the State.
There was paid in the State of Indiana
last year $10.1I6066.G0. There are %
Counties in Indiana, which would make
| an average payment to each County of
$11O,6G9. There are 2,055 post-offices in
Indiana. making an average payment of
$i,9JG for the constituents and patrons of
| each post-ofi:ce in the State.
Illinois received in pensions last year
50, I4G, 062.12 There are 1O2 Counties in
Illinois, which would make an average to
each County of nearly 100000. What is
said about Ohio applies with still more
force to Illinois, where Chicago has been
built up enormously by the influx of for
eigners and young men from the country,
so that the real proportion of the pensions
which go to the rural districts is still
greater than the figures would seem to
show. There are 2,J0S post-ofices in
Illinois, which would make an average
distribution of pensions to each post-oflice
about $1,000 year.
Pennsylvania received in pensions last
year SIS. DID,, 2S695. There are 81 Coun-
ties in Pennsylvania. which would make
an average of $19T,347 for each County.
There are 5,OIS post-ofIices in the State
which makes about $1,000 year for each
post-office. Here again the rural districts
of Pennsylvania receive an average benefit
beyond that shown by the figures, for the
reason that since the war millions have
gone into the great cities and mining re-
gions of that State who had no connec
ton with the struggle. The districts
which sent the soldiers into the army get
a much bigger share of the pension ex-
Inv fbn
averages.
The people of Michigan received for
pensions last year S6,561. 52S.S3. There
are 81 Counties in Michigan, making an
average payment to each of SIS. 113.
There are 2,0G1 post-offices in Michigan,
so that the average payment to the COM
munities which they represent would be
about S3.174.
Wisconsin last year received 81, 12S, 27994 |
pension money, which, distributed among |
her GS Counties, would make an average |
payment of $50, 700 to each County, or
about $2,25S to each of the 1888 post |
offices in the State.
Iowa was paid s5,404.36G.2O in pen
sions, which would make an average !
payment to each County of nearly S54 1859 |
and about Sob to each of the 1,194 COM
munities represented by post-offices.
1t goes thus all over the whole Nation, |
and when we note this contrast of the |
equitable division Of the pension money to |
every little community over which the |
flag floats, with that of the great lump |
sums which are paid out under the Army |
and Navy Bills, the Rivers and JIarbors |
Bills and similar appropriations which in
variably land quite near Wall street to
increase the congestion there, we cannot
help being struck by the enormous superb
ority of pension payments to the whole
people in serving as a pendulum, a regu
lator or governor, for the financial situa-
ton. No one can deny that they are the
greatest check to the dangerous "Napo-
Icons of Finance" who are constantly
and convulsng the money mar
ket for their own benefit and to the detri-
ment of the people. Money paid out for
pensions is absolutely beyond their con-
troll or throttiing. 1t supplies the sinews
of business and keeps up healthy circu-
lation, in spite of their efforts to constipate
the money market and derange the com
mercial health. OF course, the bulk of
this money goes into the strictly rural dis
tricts, benefting firstly and mostly those
who live there. Hence the hostility to
pensions of the metropolitan papers and
Of the people in the cities who read their
and who get the least benefit at
first from the distribution of the pension
money, though they really share at last
with all the rest Of the people of the
United States.
ADMIRAL DEWEY TALKING AGAIN.
L., |