Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1874 — Report of the Commissioner of Pensions. [ARTICLE]

Report of the Commissioner of Pensions.

Washington’, Nov. 16. Gen. J. H. Baker, Commissioner of Pensions, under date of Oct. 15, 1874, has submitted his anuual reporf(othe Secretary of the Interior. During the year 5.758 applications for army invalid pensions were allowed, at an aggregate annual rate of $39,332:50; the' pensions of 8,063 pensioners of this class were increased at an aggregate annual rate of $410,257.50; the josses to this roll from death and other causes ,were 6,105, whose pensions with the amount of reduction of the rates of other invalid pensions aggregated $377,452.55 annually. On the 30th of June, 1874, there were 102,457 army invalid pensioners on the roll. Tlte aggregate annual pay of this class was $10,058,377.54. The increase in the number of this class w.,s 2,653, and the aggregate increase of pensions was $431,137.45. During the year 3.051 new pensions for army widows and dependent relatives were allowed, at tin aggregate annual rate of $116,433, and the pensions of 12,932 pensioners of this class were increased at an aggregate annual rate of $403,111.22. There were stricken from the roll of this class of pensioners, 7,623 names, whose pensions aggregated sl,250,113.05. On the 30th of June, 1874, there werrt .on the roll of army widows and dependent relatives 107,516 names, at a'n aggregate annual rate of $13,587,195.56, the decrease for the year being 4,572 names; and the decrease of pensions of this class being $424,568.03. On the 30th of June there were ,1,551 navy invalid pensioners, at an aggregate annual rate of $169,492, an increase in the year of 121 in the number of pensioners, and $18,954.25 in the annual rate of pensions of this class. On the 30th of June there were 1,785 pensioners on the navy roll of widows and dependent relatives, at a total rate of $287,534, an in* crease for the year of 15 in the number of names, and $6,984 in the rate of pensions.

The names of 571 new pensioners were added to the roll of survivors of the War .of 1812, and 1,217 of this class were lost by death, leaving on the 30tli of June 17,020 pensioners of this class at a total annual rate of $1,691,520—a decrease for the year of (540 in the number of pensioners anti $62,001 in the rate of pensions of this class. 'The names of 813 widowsof soldiers of the war of 1812 were added to the foil, and 554 were lost by death during that period, leaving ou the 30tli of June 5.312 pensioners of this class—tin increase for the year of 259 iu the number of pensioners and $24,804 in the rate of pensions. -. . The total number of pensioners of all classes on the 30th of June, I_S74, was 230,241, a decrease of 2,170 during.the year; tlie aggregate annual rate of pensions of all classes on June 30 was $26,a decrease from the preceding year of $5,645.13. The roll contains the names of 410 widows of soldiers in the Revolutionary war.

Certain specific increases allowed to invalid pensioners by laws passed at the last session of Congress, and the steady increase of the number ou the invalid pension roll, will probably bring the disbursements to invalids for the present fiscal year up to those, of last year; but' in the payments to widows, minors, etc. a reduction may reasonably be expected. . During the year 234 claims for bountyland warrants were allowed, the warrants" calling for 35,640 acres of land. The number of applications for bounty lands received during the year was 529. There are now upon the suspended tiles of the office nearly 100,000 applications for bounty lands. Of this number 330 cases were prosecuted during the year. The existence of suspended claims is a temptation to unscrupulous agents to fabricate testimony with a view to obtaining the allowance of claims not admissible upon existing known evidence, The last act *if Congress granting boun ty lands lias been in force for twentyyears, a sufficient time for all those who are entitled to tlie benefits to avail themselves of its provisions. It would, therefore, in the opinion of the Commissioner, be consistent with justice, and for the interest of the Government, that a limit should be put by Congress to the period during which the various acts granting bounty lands shall continue in force. During the last fiscal year the Special Service Division has performed important set-vice in the detection and prevention of fraud in the prosecution of claims for pensions. Claims were investigated by this division numbering 1,203, and during the year thirteen persons were convicted*of violation of the law relative to the prosecution of claims, and five awaited trial at the close of the year. An account is given in the report of the services of the medical division of the office, -and the Commissioner says there can be no doubt that if higher fees were paid to examining surgeons better talent would be at tlie command of. this branch of the service, and, while more exact justice would be done to individual pensioners, a saving to the Government would be Effected. ,He therefore recommends that by proper legislation the fee for ordinary examinations, and certificates therefor, be fixed at $3, and that in all cases requiring special skill and the use of instruments the fee be fixed at $5. ° The amount of appropriation that will oe required for the pension service durj ing the fiscal year ending June 30, 187 b, I xvill be $30,500,000.