Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1894 — MONEY FOR PENSIONS. [ARTICLE]

MONEY FOR PENSIONS.

A Total of & 151,581,570 Asked For, and Will Be Allowed. The appropriation bill for pensions has been reported to the House by the Committee on Appropriations.. There were no surprises in the recommendations, although mate ial reductions from the expenditures of last year were made in tho bill. The total amount recommended for pension expen es for the fiscal year ending June 30,1895, is $151,581,570, which is practically in accordance with tho la-t levised estimates of the Commissioner of Pensi ns. The total is $14,949,780 loss than the appropriation foe the fiscal year of 185)4. which was $160,531,350, but is more than the sum applied for pensions in any year before 1893, when the amount was $100,581,787, including defic:encies. In detail the expenditures recommended by the commission ate for payment of pensions. $150,000,000; fees of examining surgeons, $1,000,000; salaries of ag*ents, $72,000; clerk hire at agencies, $450,000; miscellaneous, $69,570. The commissioner's original estimate, based on the operations for the fiscal year ending June 30,1893, were $162,631,570, but revision reduced them about $10,000,000. The business of the first six months of the year showed a great failing off in the number of new

pensions granted and of arrears. Nary pensions are to be paid so far as possible from the income of the navy pensicn fund. Some minor amendment} are made a part of the bilL One provides that each member of an examining board shall receive 12 for each applicant when five or less are examined on one day, and 91 for each additional applicant. When more than twenty appear no fewer than twenty are to be examined in a day. No fees are to be paid to examiners not present and assisting in examinations. The amount of clerk hire for each agency is to be apportioned as nea~iy as practicable in proportion to the number of pensioners paid at the agency. Commissioner Lochren’s recommendations, which the bill follows, showed that the amount of first payments for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, was $33,"0h,319, and fir=t payments for the six months of the present fiscal year $4,769,310.43. The number of pensioners on the rolls Dec. 31 last was but 130 more than on the first of July. The number of cases pending is 711,150.