The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-14
Pecunlary Exemption.

The $500 exemption clause, at FIRST glance
seems to favor an invidious distinction between
the rich and poor, to the advantage of the for
mer; but further examination will show that il
has no unfairness which does not attach to the
privilege of furnishing substitutes in any way, and
that it is far more to the benefit, both of the
Government and the people, than any other
plan.
The ordinary substitute is obtained at price
30 large that none but the very rich can obtain
one and when obtained, in many cases, be
runs of, leaving his principal minus his money
and still liable to serve. This influence on the
army has always been pernicious. The other
soldiers are either made jealous by his larger
bounty or are induced by him to desert, for the
purpose of filling their pockets at the expense
of some man of more money than courage. Such
has been the experience in this country, and
such was that of France, until about thirty
years since since the Government adopts
ed the system of accepting pecuniary
equivalent for service, about three fourthe
Of which is offered to volunteer recruits
and the remaining portion appropriated by the
Government for its own purposes. The plan
has worked satisfactorily. Every year the pro
portion of volunteers in the French army has
increased, until it has now reached fifty per cent.
Most of our readers know that the French army
is the best drilled, and most orderly in the
world. The price Of exemption in France is
about four hundred and fifty dollars, fifty per
cent. more than the maximum rate designated
in our CONSUMPTION act Out of the thousands
of soldiers whose time is about expiring, our
drilled volunteers to fill the places of conscripts,
who furnish the equivalent,-while it's bounty
fund is independent of any appropriations of
Congress. Is it more arstocratic to exempt a
man for the least sum which will induce train
ed soldier to re-enist than is release only those
who can pay 81 900 or 81 500 to escape mill
tary servicee
But it may be asked: Why exempt any,
Why not adopt the Prussisn system, which
releases none? Are not all citizens Of the
same country, equally responsible to the same
Government? The answer is simple one
No law, however minute in it's details, can
meet all cases. The present law, the most
humane that has ever been passed, specifies all
the cases of unusual hardship to the poor which
could be anticipated; but there are Others which
deserve relief, though they cannot be met by
direct legislation. There are thousands of men,
rich and poor, who though not incapacitated
by deformity or acute disease from RESPONSE
bility, are still SO delicate that it is morally
certain they could not endure six months CAM
ton of the Surgeon, who does not know their
history, will often do them an injustice. The
man who gives employment to scores of opera.
tives is doing ofteutimes more good by strength.
ening the sinews of war at home tlan by his
single arm in the field. But We need not null
tiply examples. The law specifies all the cases
of exemption it can reach, and then makes pro-
visions for all others in way which may meet
the popular want without injury to the service
As has been before suggested, the Secretary
War is limited in the price to be paid for ex-
emption in one direction only. He must not 60
above $500, but there is no section that forbids
bis lowering it one quarter or one half He
can have no interest in making it higher than is
necessary to secure recruits. We thus have
law which places al upon an equality, for none
but the sick and afflicted poor are wholly re-
lieved from it's operations. The poor should be
the last to complain of the act; for, as we have
before said, it contains several provisions for
their exclusive benefit. Not q single section
applies to the rich alone; for the one complained
Of is as beneficial to the poor as to them. If
q worthy but INDECENT man is drafted, and his
neighbors, commiserating the special hardship
Of bis case, wish to aid him, will they not be
more likely to attempt to secure bis release
when $500 will affect that object, than when
four times the amount is required?-[C Cincinnati
Ga zotto