The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-10-11
APPLICATIONS
APPROVED BY
STATE BOARD
AMOUNT SET ASIDE BY FIFTH
LEGISLATURE NOT ENOUGH TO
PAY ALL CLAIMS - STATEMENT
BY BOARD.

bOHhD.
Oklahoma City, Oct. 11.-Only 979
out of 2,9OS applications for pensions
under the provisions of the new Con
| federate soldiers and sailors pension
bill were approved by the state board
of prison commissioners, according
to a statement given out Friday. Lack
of sufficient funds with which to pay
the claims is the reason. that more
of the claims were not approved, it
is announced. Each of the persons
whose claims were approved by the
board will receive So for the present
quarter
Following is the statement Issued
by the pension board:
The state board of pension COM
missioners, which has been in ses-
sion for four days in the office of
the chairman in the Patterson build
ing, has adjourned, having completed
its work for the first quarter. The
work of the board was extremely diff
ficut due to the fact that the num-
ber OF applications for pensions far
exceeded all expectations of those
who fathered this bill in the Fifth
legislature.
1T was believed by the supporters
of the bill that the sum of $4,000
would be sufficient to pension all ap-
plicants. but when the bill came up
before the legislature it was amended
and finally passed appropriating $780,
DOO for pensions, and it was thought
that this would be ample to provide
fair allowance for all who might
apply.
Had No Emergency.
"As the pension act did not carry
the emergency it did not go into
effect until July of this year, the
first quarter thus ending October l.
No money whatever has been avail
able prior to this date During this
time the applications arrived in large
numbers until the total number on
file at the time the board met amount
ed to 2,9OS. Many of these were, of
course, ineligible, and to have divided
the appropriation among so many
would have reduced each individual
allowance to such a pittance as to
have been of no benefit to anyone and
resulted in a mere dissolution of the
funds without doing any real good
therefore, the board was forced
to a rigid Interpretation OF the law,
that only the most needy might be
placed on the pension rolls, taking
into consideration the age and degree
of indigency of the applicant. No
doubt many who have been rejected
NAV feel that they are indeed worthy,
and the board does not question that,
vet it must be realized that here are
others whom the board found to be
in much greater need, and with the
information at hand the idea of the
board was to impartially judge OF the
needs of each applicant and include
as many applicants in the grant as
possible and still provide a sum for
each sufficient to be of some benefit,
THE total number of pensioners
is g79, and the amount granted each
So per quarter 1t will be useless
for any one to make inquiry of the
board as to whether or not their ap-
plication was granted, as due notice
will be sent to both those allowed
and rejected just as rapidly as 1t is
possible to get them out with the
limited amount of help available IN
the office for this purpose. By re-
framing from unnecessary cores
pondence the board will be enabled
to forward to those who are pension
ers the necessary claim papers much
sooner. While it will take ten days
or more to attend to this, yet no one
need feel that their application has
been slighted or forgotten, for all
have received attention and due no
tice will be received just as soon
as possible.
This represents the final action
of the board and as they do not meet
in regular session again until next
January, there is no appeal from their
decision.
The members of the state pension
board are: w. l.. Alexander, state
treasurer: Gen. Thomas ID. Bard oil
Eushyhead, Gen. d. NJ. Haley oi
McAlester, J. w Harris of Oklahoma
CITY and William ID. Matthews state
commissioner of charities and cor
rections. all of whom, with the eN'
ception of Mr.. Alexander, are Con
federate Veterans, and Mr., AleXanuer