The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-10-04
VAST sum PAID OUT
Government has Spent Billions Of
Dollars in Paying Pensions
Of Disabled Soldiers
NUMBER FAST DECREASING
Pensions Paid to Veterans of Spanish
American War Already Amount to
More than $15,OoO,OoO and
There is More to Follow


During the entire history of the
United States government the total
expenditure on account Of pensions is
shown by the annual report Of Com
missioner Of Pensions Warner. which
has just been completed, to have been
nearly So, 500, 100000. That more old
soldiers died during the fiscal year
ending June 80 last than in any pre-
vious twelve months time is proved
by the statistics, which show that the
net decrease in the pension roll for
the year was 1910, the largest de-
crease known in the history Of the
country. In the report the commits
sioner expresses the opinion that
there will be still more marked de-
crease during the present year.
During the year there were added
to the roll 1850 new pensioners and
], 4O5 reservations and renewals, MAX
ing a total addition of 34,974. The
total number of pensioners on the roll
during the year was 1903, AIS, The
number of pensioners dropped from
the roll during the year was AZ, 444,
leaving the number Of pension ers
June 80, 1906, 985, o71.
The maximum number Of pension
ers in the history of the bureau was
reached Jan. 81, 1905, when it was
1904, 1876, since which date there has
Deen.a steady decrease, aggregating
to June 80, 1906, 1925. Death was
the principal cause of the decrease of
the last year, the number Of names
dropped on that account being 40, 800.
Of these %, 208 were those Of surviv-
ors of the civil war, leaving 600, 453
survivors of that war still on the roll.
There are still four pensioners on ac-
count of the revolutionary war, one a
widow and the other three daughters
600, all widows, on account of the war
with Spain, and IL, Az on account Of
the Mexican war. Of the Mexican
war pensions 9,84i are to survivors.
The commissioner calls attention to
the fact that while there has been a
material decrease in the number OF
pensioners, the annual value of the
roll is nearly as large as it was last
year. This arises from the fact that
the ratings Of many invalid pensions
are constantly increasing, the average
increase last year being .$1.22.. Penn
sylvania has tie largest number of
pensioners 98, 500. Ohio follows with
go, 564. New York has 89,24O. More
than 5000 pensions were paid to per-
sons residing abroad. Of these {, 567
are in Canada, COZ in Germany, and
495 in Ireland, and the others are scat
tered in sixty-four other countries, in
GLIDING the island of ST. Helena, the
Azores, Siam, Korea, etc.
During the year %, 628 claims were
allowed under order No. 70, allowing
old-age pensions. Since the Begin
ming Of the civil war there have been
granted by special acts of congress
17,215 pensions and increases Of pen
sions, of which 10, Az are now on the
rolls, with an annual value Of So. 937.-
$40. During the last session of con-
gress 3,5O7 special acts were passed.
onG1T6
history Of the country the total ex-
penditure on account of pensions has
been So, 459, $780, 81, of which only
500, AS, 444 had been paidEout prior to
the beginning of the civil war.
The total payment Of pensions on
account Of the Spanish war reaches
SIS, 438, 355 up to date.
The disbursements for navy pen
sions during the year were $4, 2O4, Oo4
and the income from the navy pension
fund available for the payment of
pensions was 1868, 618, or less than 9
per cent Of the amount required for
the payment Of navy pensions Since
1870 this fund has been inadequate to
pay navy pensions and the defici ncy
has been provided for out of the pub
lie funds by congressional appropria-
ton.
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