I invite attention to the suggestion of the
Secretary of the Interior in this behalf.
There was paid during the last fiscal year for pensions, including the
expense of disbursement, $29,185,289.62, being an amount less by
$984,050.98 than was expended for the same purpose the preceding year.
Although this statement of expenditures would indicate a material
reduction in amount compared with the preceding year, it is believed
that the changes in the pension laws at the last session of Congress
will absorb that amount the current year. At the close of the last
fiscal year there were on the pension rolls 99,804 invalid military
pensioners and 112,088 widows, orphans, and dependent relatives of
deceased soldiers, making a total of that class of 211,892; 18,266
survivors of the War of 1812 and 5,053 widows of soldiers of that war
pensioned under the act of Congress of February 14, 1871, making a total
of that class of 23,319; 1,430 invalid navy pensioners and 1,770 widows,
orphans, and dependent relatives of deceased officers, sailors, and
marines of the Navy, making a total of navy pensioners of 3,200, and
a grand total of pensioners of all classes of 238,411, showing a net
increase during the last fiscal year of 6,182.
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