Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-10-20
UNCLE SANS PENSION ROLL.
IL Now Averages One Quarter Of the
Total Government Receipts.


The pension roll OF the government
now averages about Sl45.0OO. 900 an
naully. or one-fourth OF the total gov
eminent receipts.
No other nation In all history has
been so liberal with it's defenders in
war and. at the same time. none has
been so well able to afford that uber-
atty. Our pension roll is the wonder
or other countries. not only from its
size, but because OF it's reluctance TO
reach the maximum point and begin
a steady decline.
Now, however. the pension commits
sioner believes that the high point has
been touched. and that in the years
Just ahead of Us the decrease viii be
very rapid. So convinced is he that
this is 90 be the case that he is plan
ming 20 reduce his Office force and
vacancies in pension Office clerksbips.
as they occur from time to time. are
not 10 be filled.
Il has been one of the paradoxes Of
American pensions that the roll. not
withstanding a decrease Of from IS. 600
TO $4,000 names year by death. has
maintained high level for eight sue
cessive years. At the close OF each
fiscal year Of that period the number
Of pensioners has fallen just below a
million. excepting in 1904. when the
million mark was slightly exceeded.
The hich level Of pension expense
was reached more than ten years aro.
but the paradox above referred 20 has
been in evidence an the while until
this year. This paradox is the result
OF the law OF 1880. the dependent pen
sion law. which recognized the valid
ity Of claims for government aid on
disabilities not directly contracted in
the service. This law also ponsioned
widows and minor children OF veterans
who could not have asked support UNI
der prior laws. and had the effect OF
doubling the pension rolls so far as
the number OF names SIS concerned.
There were 5379i4 pensioners IN
1890. Next year the number was &c
100. Tn 1892 40 was S7606S. and IN
1898. 966.012. Tho largest annual APP
preparation Tor pensions was for the
fiscal year 1928. SI61.74f.0O0. The
next highest was for the fiscal year
1875. S14S.765.0O0
Under this dependent pension law
OF 1890 perhaps a million claims We're
filed. and these accumulated i'm the
pension Office greatly IN excess OF the
ability % the clerical force to examine
them. From that surplus enough
names have been recruited year after
year 90 make good the natural losses
OF from 10000 20 $4,000. But the sur
plus is now disappearing. There were
half million names left IN Il six
years ago and to-day the number is
$4,000.
I'm four or five years these claims
Will an have been checked up and dis
posed OF. and then the heavy death
rate with nothing 90 balance &C. will
mako itself felt En- a rapid decline not
only Of the number Of pensioners. but
Of the annual appropriations
IL IS the belief Of officials OF the pen
sion Office. says the Chicago Journal.
that the pension appropriations are
soon 90 be cut anywhere from $4,000
600 90 s25o00000 a yoar.
This belief takes account OF the
Spanish war pensions and of the addi-
uons 20 the Hst which will come
through the Ware resolution. which
gives "a small sum 90 all veterans who
have passed their sixty-second birth
day anniversary.