NATION NATIO OF op PENSIONERS Englishman Predicts America Will Bec Become me Such at Present Rate It If the United States keeps up Ut Its present liberal pension system it will not not be long before everybody in that country can stop work and live on the government This criticism was made by one of the most minded keen-minded members of the British Parliament the other day while discussing some come of the problems that Confront the American people One lerSon person in every six seventy Inthis inthis in inthis this countr country now draws draw's a pension ItI If It all the applications pending were to be I granted the proportion would become one in every fifty The rhe population has increased 21 per percent percent percent cent in th the last decade while in the same period of time the pension list has increased 47 per cent Thus the pension roll is overtaking the population population population tion every ten years at a a. 26 pe per cent faster rate of growth The ingenious mathematician may figure out how soon everybody will be on the list When that time comes everybody willbe will willbe willbe be able to sit around and loaf loat until election time comes and then vote ote for fora a a. horizontal increase The serious side of the affair is that In spite of the large number who are already on the rolls there are claims pending While While- most of these date from the Civil war it is surprising sing how many men contracted dl disabilities during the war with Spain Commissioner Henry Clay Evans in his annual report cites the history of a volunteer regiment that served six abc months during 1898 There were fifty- fifty three commissioned officers and enlisted enlisted en- en listed men and up to the date of ot filing his report the commissioner had re received received re- re claims on account of ph physical physical sl cal disabilities Thus pearly nearly one-half one of the regiment is applying for tor government government government govern govern- ment aid within three years after the close of its service