the flood of foreign importations and the competi- -Benj. Harrison. PENSIONS. It is the settled policy of the United States not to maintain a standing army in time of peace larger than is necessary for police purposes, and to depend on the patriotism of its citizens for military service in time of war. And the magnificent army of volunteers which it put into the field during the Civil War, fully justifies this policy. Instead of a large standing army, it has adopted the most liberal Pension system ever known to the world. Of the $459, 374,885.65 of expenditures for the year 1893, more than one third of it all was for pensions. WHO ARE PENSIONABLE. All officers, soldiers and sailors in the service of the United States who, in the line of duty incur any wound, injury or disease which disables them for the performance of manual labor. And when such die of a cause due to the service, their(1)widows, (2) children under 16 years, (3) dependent mothers, (4) fathers, and (5)brothers and sisters, in the order of succession named, are entitled to pensions. The rates of pension for disability depend on its character and degree, and range from $1 to $100 per month. Widows and dependents are entitled to $12 per month, and $2 additional for each minor, except that officers' widows have more on account of rank. This is the General Law. Under the Act of June 27, 1890, all officers, soldiers and sailors who served for ninety days or more, during the war of the rebellion, and have been honorably discharged, and are now permanently disabled to an extent which renders them unable to earn a support by manual labor, from any cause not the result of their own vicious habits, are entitled to pension at rates ranging from $6 to $12; their Widows are also entitled to pension, without regard to the cause of death, if they have no means of support but their own labor, at the rate of $8 per month, with the $2 additional for each minor child. Various laws make provision for service pensions to the Soldiers and Sailors, and Widows of the wars of the Revolution, of 1812, of Mexico and Indian wars; and to Army Nurses of the Civil War; which are too numerous to be here cited. Provision is also made for increase of pensions with increase of the pensionable disability. COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS. The administration of the Pension laws is under the immediate charge of a Commissioner of Pensions, who has nearly two thousand assistants of various grades, and whose office constitutes a Bureau in the Department of the Interior. From the last published Report of the Commissioner, for the year 1893, is taken the following: by the question of a protective tariff. CLAIMS FILED AND ACTED ON. Since the year 1861, 2,034,695 original claims have been filed and 1,357,921 claims have been allowed. Of the 119,361 applications for original pensions filed during the fiscal year 1893, 65,002 were filed by invalids, and 20,914 by widows and others under the act of June 27, 1890. In the total number of claims allowed under the acts in force during the fiscal year 1893 are included 62,291 invalids and 36,917 widows and others, under the act of June 27, 1890, as well as 2,599 survivors and 1,347 widows of the Indian wars, and 286 army nurses. This last-named class have been pensioned under the act of Congress approved August 5, 1892. Since 1871, 80,071 claims for pensions on account of service during the war of 1812 have been filed. Of this number 34,939 have been filed by surviving soldiers and sailors, and 45,132 by the widows of those who served in said war. During the fiscal year 1893 no applications were received from survivors of that war, but 49 applications were filed by widows. The number of pensioners on the rolls at the close of each year is also stated in this table, as well as the amount disbursed for pensions each year since 1861. THE NUMBER OF PENSIONERS ON THE ROLLS JUNE 30, 1892, Was 876,068. During the year since that date 121,630 new pensioners were put upon the rolls, 2,004 who had previously been dropped were restored, and 33,690 were dropped for death and other causes. The net increase of pensioners during the year was 89,944, and on June 30, 1893, the number of pensioners on the rolls was 966,012. Average annual value of each pension.......... Average annual value of each pension under the general law.......... ......... Average annual value of each pension under act June 27, 1890............. Total annual value................... THE FALLING OFF $135. 10 157.65 113. 75 $130, 510, 179. 34 In the presentation of new claims appears from the fact, shown by the last report of my predecessor, that there were on October 12, 1892, 788,061 claims pending in the Bureau, while, as before stated, on July 7, 1893-not quite nine months later-the number of claims pending had been reduced to 711,150. It is apparent, therefore, that the filing of new claims and claims for increase has ceased to exceed the number of cases disposed of by the work of the Bureau, and that a rapid diminution in the number of new claims may be expected. THE AMOUNTS PAID On account of pensions during the fiscal year were: Pensions General Law, $85,292,931.08; Act June 27, 1890, $68,259,357.18; every battlefield and patriot grave to every living CLAIMS FILED AND ACTED ON. (Continued.) Mexican War, $2,132,565.79; Other laws, $1,055,613.09; A total of $156,740,467.14. To this add the expenses of the Bureau, and the amounts paid by the Third Auditor, to make up the total cost as stated by the Secretary, of the Treasury, $159,357,557.87. Claims under act of June 27, 1890, additional to prior 144, 574 istence we trace the golden thread of human Numer of pension claims filed and allowed each year since July, 1861, and the number of pensioners on the roll at the close of each year, together with the annual amount paid on account of pensions since July 1, 1860. cratic party to pass this Wilson Bill is a war upon -Hon. Albert J. Hopkins, Illinois. In the total number of applications filed in 1893 are included 65,002 invalids and 20,914 widows, etc., under the act of June 27, 1890; 4,505 survivors and 4,514 widows of the Indian wars, and 930 Army nurses. In the number of claims allowed in 1893 are included 62,291 invalids and 36,917 widows, etc., under the act of June 27, 1890; 2,599 survivors and 1,347 widows of the Indian wars, and 286 Army nurses. In the number of pensioners on the roll, under the heads of "invalids" and "widows, etc.," are respectively included all male and female pensioners of every class. |