Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-05

| ending on that date wns no less than
N422,55I.1s. ~
In 1902 thu pnnsion, roll in tho Uni
| 100000 rnnrk. the exnct figures be-
Ing 9ooA4s; but the forthcoming re-
port of Commissioner Warner will
show that at the present time the
number OF recipients OF pensions In
thu country, as a whole has dropped
to 947,7os
This IL the smallest number OF PEN
| sioners that have been on the roll for
the past sixteen years, and the PEN
sion authorities believe that the list
will shrink rapidly from now on. un-
less Congress broadens the pension
able field by new legislation. 1t has
been practically forty-fve years
since the Civil Wnr ended. The grim
reaper has cut down the veterans at
rate which ought to reassure the
affairs who have opposed a generous
pension system.
| During the month OF May there
were Alb deaths among the pension
ers. During the same month 1896
names were added to the list Tho
removals by death more than offset
this gain, the net decrease for that
month alone being 1.4ss.
But while the hummer OF pensioners
paid ont IN pensions is gradually In
crcasing proportionately owing TO the
advanced rates and broadening policy
adopted from time TO time by Con-
grcss with reference to the conditions
under which pensions nre to be grant
| ed.
Tho first time the amount OF PEN
s'ons ever passed the 100000, 900
mark was In 1890. when the total was
s1o6.193.s5os9, the number Of pension
ers Mt that time having been 1894
In 1898 the number Of pensioners in
creased 20 ess.o12 and the total dis
bursements for pensions were $685.
a06.s37al Last year the sum so dis
bursed was sl53.o93.oss.27.
Our pension list proves conclusive
~ that not all republics arc migrate
full. In this connection II will be In
teresting TO note that the tota, PEN
! sions disbursed to soldiers. their wild
ows. minor children ana dependent
relatives on account OF military ana
naval service during the wars in
which the United States has been en-
gagged have reached the enormous
sum OF sa.75l.los.so9
or this vast amount 100000 went
luton, over s45.ooo.oOo to pensioners
OF the War of 1912. on account OF
service without regard to disability.
nearly $500 900 to pensioners Of tho
Indian wars about s41. 100000 to PEN
sioners of the war with Mexico. s3.-
533.593,o25.95 to pensioners of the Civil
War. $22,563,e354l to pensioners of
the War with Spain. s1263o.a47 TO the
regular army, while sl6,sos.s4535 is
unclassihed
According TO the pension report but
one pensioner now remains on the
roll on account OF the Revolutionary
War. She is Phoebe NJ. Palmer OF
West Edmcston. n. T.. and she Is So
years OF nge. She was the daughter
Of Jonathan Wooley who served IN
New Hampshire company under Gem
cral Washington. She was pensioncd
by special act OF Congress. During
tho past few months second sur
wing pcnsioner credited to the Rev
olutionary War passed away. She
was Sarah c. Hurlburt, aged 81, and
a daughter OF Elijah Weeks, who
served In n Massa chsetts company.
The last surviving widow pensioncr OF
the Revolutionary War was Esther y.
Damon of Plymouth Union. Vermont,
who died on November II. 1896, aged
60. The last survivor Of the War OF
the Revolution was Daniel T.. Bake
man. who died at Freedom. Cattarau-
gus county. New York. on April s,
1869, aged 1903 years months and 3
days.
The last surviving pensioned soldier
Of the War ~ 1912 was Hiram Cronk
of Ava, y. Y, who died on May II,
1905. aged 105 years and 16 DAYS. Tho
names Of Al widows of the War OF
lsl2 remained on tie pension roll on
June 30 1908.
According to these Indications the
close OF the centeury now begun will
not see the last pension paid to Wild
ows of veterans of the War with
Spain. while pensions TO widows OF
veterans OF the Civil War will con-
tinue for many decades to come.
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THE BETTER PART.
Long fed on boundless hopes. o race OF