The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-02-21
ONE HUNDRED MILLIONS!
Inc True Ln,oardness Of the Pension
arrears Biz
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb, 3, 1879.

WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb, 3, 1879.
10 the Editors Of tie Ncos and Courier,
on the 25th of January, Mr.. HAYES an
proved the arrears of Pension Bill" thus
making 1t the law. Every mail since has
Drought me one or more letters from friends
in Houtn Carolina expressing qualification
u. TINS tact, and inquiring how the writer
ne to sSs sssprp peAsidasr hi s hs FAD
in the Seminole, Black Hawk, Mexican or
some other war, with which the "Arrear
bill" had nothing to do. Before this reach
ees you their hopes will have been blasted;
but it may not be amiss to publish few
thoughts upon the subject of pensions, as
our people ut the South are morbidly san.
guine that the present Congress will give
many Of them material relief by passing
pension laws, which will apply to Southern
rs we'll as Northern soldiers who were in
wars anterior to 1861.
In 1878 G thnk) pension law was en-
acted granting pension to every soldier
who had been disabled, Cor his represep ia
tive If he had been killed. in the "war
waged for the suppression of the rebellion"
VI course this meant only Federal soldiers
The day of payment of the pension was to
date from the passage oftho law, anG all
soldiers who did not within five years from
that date apply for pension were to be
debarred.
The "Arrears of Pension Bill" amends
that law SO as to date the day of payment
back to the day ofthe death or wounding
of the soldier, and removes the five years
restriction. So, if a soldier was wounded
at the first battle of Manassas and is draw
ing but So month, this bill gives him ad.
ditional pay of nearly 81 900 in the aggre-
gate. There are over 100000 of these
pensioners: and their number will now be
greatly increased by the removal Of the Eve
years restriction and this Jumping off to
them of ten years pay at one payment.
No one estimates that it will require less
than $50 100000 to pay these arrearsges,
and some say it will require all of 500, 900.
900. The only obstruction now in The way
is the passage Of bill to appropriate money
to meet the demands of this arrears BILL
Whether this will de al impediment of
any consequence, you may judge when
tell you wooden.legged Federal general
framed and introduced the bill in Demo.
cratic House which passed it it then
passed a Republican Senate, and was
approved by Republican President who
convinced at least of its impropriety, hesi
tated several days before he would sign it
but had not the nerve to veto it.
The appropriation committee will doubt
less recommend the necessary appropriation,
the Southern members will not oppose it,
from that delicate sense of honor peculiar
to them, the two parties, North and South,
will vie with each'other in approving the
appropriation, the money will be required
to come forth, and the man who chews to-
bacco or takes an occasional glass of grog
will have to pay that much more for his
quid and his toddy
The surviving volunteer soldiers of the
war are really power in the land, and the
two parties North are vieing with each
rears pension matter is not, and cannot be
of the United States, but is virtually, if not
really, political measure, advocated by
either party to defeat the other. Neither
will gain or deserve special credit, aud SO
honors will be easy"
A few more words upon the general
question of pensions: On the 9th March
law was enacted to pension the sur
viving soldiers, or widows Of soldiers
of the war of 1912. Would you believe
it, there are on file now in the pen
sion Office more than $4,000 applications
for pensions under that bill l did not
think this could possibly be the case, but
so is. Human longevity has been admira-
bly, illustrated since the passage of that bill.
AS have received what appeared to me
to be fair proportion of these pension
claims from the veterans of the war Of 1912,
have multiplied that number by 292, the
number of representatives upon the floor
of the House, and find that the product
is little more than one.third the reported
number of applicants have wondered
where these 10000 veterans or surviving
widows came from.
The effect Of this unanticipated number,
I fear, has killed the possibility of the pas
sage of law pensioning the surviving
soldiers Of the Seminole or Mexican wars
These wars were fought principally by
Southern soldiers, aud this will be another
reason why pensions will never be paid to
their veterans. When the pension bill re-
lating to these wars was recently under con.
sidaration in the House aome one moved