The National tribune., 1906-04-19
$1,78S,OOO

"Of the number of soldiers pension
ed at rates between $12 and $40 per
month, 1t is believed that 10000 will
be over rs years of age on June 80,
1906. The increase to the roll caused
by granting them $40 per month would
be about S2.000,000 per year.
Referring to your question as to
what extent such an act would increase
the pension appropriation on account
of the pensioners now on the rolls, it
would seem that an additional appro-
priation of S1O,714,400 per year would
be required to pay the increased rate
provided by the bill to the soldiers now
on the pension roll.
From an estimate made by the War
Department in 1896, it would appear
that on June 80, 1906. there will be
7S2,72 survivors of the civil war. and
as the number of pensioners on the
rolls at that date will not be over 675,
900, there will then be over 100000
survivors of the civil war not yet PEN
stoned
This uncertain factor should be
taken into account in preparing any es-
Inmates as to the number of beneficiaries
and the cost of enactment of legisia-
ton, but it is manifestly impossible for
this Bureau to state even approximately
how many of these soldiers would apply
for original pension under the bill. and
equally impossible to estimate the addi-
ticnal cost that would be produced by
such application. 1t is safe to say that
under the terms of the bill al least one
third of the unknown army" would file
applications during the coming year,
and that an additional appropriation of
81, 900, 900 would be required to pay
them for the coming fiscal year. max
ing a total cost OF the proposed iegisla-
lation for the year of about s15,000,000
1.-The same additional amount would
have to be added to the pension appro-
priation for some years, probably five
years to come.
VERY truly, yours,
"'V. Warner, Commissioner
Hon. P. ]. McCumber, United States
SeEate.'"
Against this estimate Of s15,0OO.0OO
year to carry the bill into operation
is set the following calculations of the
mortality of pensioners:
The Pension Bureau estimates that
on June 80, 1906. there will be 675, 900
survivors of the civil war on the pen
sion rolls This number is estimated by
ages as follows:
62 years and under. ......... 10000
62 to 40 years. S.............. 3S5, 900
40 to 10 years. ............... 10000
| rs years and oYer............ $4,000
Total $4,000
The probable number OF deaths that
would occur in 10 years. according to
the mortuary tables of the New York
Mutual Life and other insurance COM
,NaIa 70 4
at the present time. would be as fol-
lows:
| Death rate per / 900 below the
age of 81 years, $50 in 10
years for 10000 would be-. $4,000
Rate per 1000 between the ages
of G2 and 20 averaged at &c
| years, 500 for 10 years for
$4,000 would be.......... 192, 500
Rate pee 1000 between ages of
| 70 and rs years averaged at
73 years, $50 for 10 years for
10000 would be.......... $4,000
| Rate per 1000 of those over rs
years in 10 years would be
over 100 per cent; therefore
| for $4,000 we have. 10000
| Total deaths in 10 years. $4,000
| Owing to the fact that nearly all
these pensioners have contracted dis
ease or were injured in the service, the
death rate would be larger than among
those in the ordinary pursuits of life.
Therefore, it seems plain that though
the first year might show an increase
of possibly $1O,OOO.OOO in pension ex-
penditures the rapidly-rising mortality
would soon bring them down within the
present limits, and thereafter the pen
sion expenditures will rapidly diminish.
| Generals OF the Army.
| Editor National Tribune: Please an