Frauds In Pensions

The New York San reoeutly caine out with an eigbt colnmn oarefnlly prepared review of the pension legislation in coogress in the last 25 years. In it the Snn declares that the pension rolls have been padded almost beyond belief, and that bounty-jumpers and deserters, fake widows and orphans and cheats and swindlers of all classes Sirell the debt to Unole Sam's dienders. It has been estimated says the Snn, that the number of men wbo actually served in the war was 2,063,391. Of these 304,360 were killed in battle or by accident or died from disease, leaving a total of 1,759,081 survivors. The censas of 1890 showed that there were approximately 1,034,073 soldiers surviving and 145,397 widows. Gen. James B. Fry, the provost marshal, in his fiual report, pnt the numbnt of desertions dariDg the war at 201,397. The number who served less tban 90 days, aocording to the same report, was 72,000. NOT ENTITLED TO PENSIONS. If the death rate among the deserters and the emergency men since the war has been the same as the rate among other survivors, then at the present time there are 121,606 of them alive. They are not entitled to pensions under any law, exoept in a very few cases, when their disability has been removed by an act of oongress. Since 1890 it is estimated that 218,546 of the snrvivors then alive have died. Since the 1890 enumeration 10,560 ohildless widows have forfeited their pensions by remarrvina and 1.081 snrvivors and widows have forfeited tbeir pensions by failing to draw them for thiee years. Deductng the deaths, the deaerters and etnergenoy men and the forfeitures from the J890 total, it will be seen that there are 813,639 snrvivors or widows wbo might be entitled to pensions. To assume that these are all entitled to a pension, bowever, it is necessary to assame that they were all wonnded or bat today they are all disabled or dependent in wholeor in part. Now.take the survivors alone. In 1890 fchere were 1,034,073. Dednct 185,341 who have died, which inclndes an estimate for six months of the past year, and 121,606 deserters and emergency men. It will be seen that there are aotnal survivors today 727,122 who might be entitled to a pension. But to assume this the same assurnption mast be made as was made in the ca&e of the snrvivors and widows alone. TOTAL NUMBER OF PENSIONEUS. The total of penRions on account of the war of the rebellion is, according to the report of the pension commissioner, 947,542, of which 65,869 are childien and 27,559 are dependent fathers, mothers, sisters or brotherR. Deductiug these from the total there reruain 854,114 survivors and widows drawing pensions, or 40,745 more"survivois" and "widows" tban there are actual survivors and widows who onder any circumstances, could legally draw pensions. The pension rolls show that 738,52? persous are drawing pensions from the governruent as sorvivors of the war of the rebellion. That is, C,405 more "snrvivors" are drawing pensions tban there were actual snrvivors; a fraud on its faoe. Bat tfais is not all. Besides tbe 6,405 more "suivivors" drawing pensions than there are aetual snrvivors, 187,500 more "survivórs" are clamoring at the doors of the treapury for their share of the plunder, bulldozing congressiuen, bnlldozing senators, bulldozing the pension commissiouers, bulldoisiug the adrninistration. Regardless of the financial diffioulties of the treasnry, regardless of everythiug ave their own greed, this army stands olamoring and demanding the nation's buunty ; 193,905 more "snrvivors" drawing or demanding pensions than there aie actual snrvivors. In 1873 wheu James A. Garfleld in a speech in oongresspleading for pensions for the old soldieis said the high water mark had been reaehed, there were on the pension rolls 238,411. Since then 321,485 hare been removed by death. There now remain 979,014 and 345.750 ory out for admission. In 1873 the nation's bonuty to pensioners of the war of the rebellion was $6,502,528.96. Last year it was $139,949,717.35. TELL-TAE FIGUKES. Here is a little table oompiled from tbe pension rulls that muy be studied witb profit: Actual survivors of tho war 727,123 "Survivdi's" ilrawing pensions 733,527 Survivörs dcmandlng pensions -. 187,600 Wldows drawing pension .- 313,862 Widows demandiují pensions 1U4.938 Pensioners denianding: increase 205,840 Total rebellion pensionors on rolls - 947,5li Total survivors or wldows gettüig or demandiiiff pensions 1,189,31? Th8 aotaal estirnatd cost of the pension systera tbe coming year, exclusive of any nevv oheraes tbat oongress may be induoed to adopt, is $141,203,880. Compare that, item with tbe cost of the standing arruies of the oíd woild tbis year. Here are the figures : lireat Brltaln.... $ 8T.403.M4 Germany Ilo,l87,(t2ü France - 118,291,430 Ttaly 51,77t,(MU Bussia - - 176,842.000 Austsia ---- 67,286,25o Pensions In the United States l,283,880 Bussia alone of all the great tries of the world pays more for her immense standing ariny than the United Status pays in pensions. The United States pay more than Bngland and Italy coinbined. We pay $30.000,000 more than Germany, with her flnest standing ariny in the world, and $22,000,000 more than France, with her most extravagant army. THEIR OCCUPATIONS. The most interestingstudy in connection with the pension qnestion b the occnpation of the sorvivor3 of the war. The laws say tbat no person is entitled to a pension unless he is at present disabled in wbole or in part, aüd tberefore to a degree dependent. In 1890, of the total of 1,034,073 survivors of the war tbere were 964,587 ecgaged in oocupations by whioh presurnably they earned their living. In other words, tbere were only 69,486 actual dependents. Of tbese, 22,080 were inmates of soldiers' homes. The occnpations of the 90,587 are agrionlture, fisbing and mining, 420,750; professions, 51,672 ; trade and transportaron, 136,129; manufacturing and mecbanioal industries, 231,710. Of the 145,359 widows of soldiers, 39,944 were, in 1890, engagfd in specified oocapations, and were presumably earuing tbeir living. Of these, 14,922 were engaged in agrioulture, fisheries or mining, 1,178 were engaged in professional service, 13,997 in domestic service, 1,635 in trade and transportaron, and 8,212 in manufacturing and mechanical industries.