The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-10

names of many pensioners were stricken from
the rolls.
In the early days Of the Republic, pensions
were distributed by the secretaries of war and
navy But on March u, 1888, a commission
of pensions was set up under the direction Of
the secretary of war. In 1910 the pensions dis
bursed by the secretary of the navy were also
placed under the administration of the commits
sion of pensions, which in the same year was
transferred to the department of interior and be-
came the pensions bureau There 1t remained
until 1881 when the United States veterans adj
ministration was established and absorbed the
pensions bureau.
In 1896 there began the enactment of a long
series of pension acts in fayof of the widows
of soldiers Of the Revolution, restricted at first
to those who had married before the close of the
Revolution. These grew more liberal later until
pensions were granted to all widows, regardless
of the date of marriage Out of these pensions,
and similar ones for widows Of veterans of later
wars grew many abuses Of the pension system,
for it became a practice for young women to
marry aged veterans in order to benefit by
government pension after the death of their hus-
bands.
The pension rolls of the Revolution had scarce
~ grown to their peak when the United States
became engaged in another war-the War of
1S12-to add to its list of veterans and depend
ents drawing pensions. And the same thing was
repeated later at intervals of two decades with
the Mexican war and the Civil war. The first
law pensioning soldiers of the Civil war was
disability pension act of July ii, 1852, which
provided for the disabled survivors, for the
widows, orphan children and dependent members
of those who died because Of wounds received or
disease contracted while in the service of the
United States and in line of duty. Rates for
total disability ranged from 50 to $50 a month,
according to rank, and these same rates were
applied to the widows of the soldiers Successive
laws. beginning July 4. 1864 and eliminating in
the recent act which increased the pensions Of
Civil war widows more than seventy-ive years
old. have increased the rates, setting fixed rates
for various kinds of disability.
The Civil changed number of things as
regards the pension treatment of war veterans.
In the first place, the veterans of that war were
numerically of large political Importance They
were able to make their influence felt in Wash
ington; consequently the march Of pension leg
islation quickened after the close of the war
The passage of the arrears act in 1879 added
greatly to the burden of debt which Uncle Sam
bears because of the wars in which he has en-
gagged. This act provided that all pensions which
had been granted or might hereafter be granted
should date from the time of disability provided
application made before January l. 1880
The effect of that law is shown by the fact that
the total sum paid for pensions jumped from
So 100000 in 1879 to 100000 in 1880, the
greatest increase in any one year in the history
of pension system.
From time to time during the course of the
pension history of the country various Presidents
have attempted to stem the tide of pension pay
ments. Outstanding in. this effort was President
Grover Cleveland. bill to establish service
pensions for persons in dependent circumstances
vetoed by President Cleveland in 1885, A
similar bill was passed June q, 1890 providing
that all persons who had served 90 days In the
war and who were suffering from any mental or
physical disability Of a permanent character
which incapacitated them from performing man.
ual labor might receive pensions ranging from
Sc TO So month, according to the degree of
disability. Widows of soldiers who served 90
days who were dependent upon their daily labor
for support could receive So a month
The most carefully worked out attempt to fore
stall the expensive and sometimes wasteful re-
suits OF the pension system was made when we
entered the World war. It was the first time
that our government had ever tried to find a sys-
tenn ar the outbreak OF a war to deal with dis
abled veterans In some manner other than by
pensioning them.
After the war. too, efforts were made TO pre-
vent the beginning Of a pension system bv Civ
ing the veteran some government assistance In
establishing himself. What the result has been
In the long-drawnout dispute over bonus legisla-
ton and other matters connected with veterans
compensation-is too well known from recon,
events TO require further comment In this article
G By Western Newspaper Unien