The National tribune., 1882-11-30

itself TO be- Alone and single handed 1t began
and won the fight for the reorganization of the
Pension Office and the appointment OF tom-
missioner in place of Mr. Bentley whow would not,
like the latter, conduct the bureau on the prln-
cple that all applications for pensions should be
regarded as fraudulent until proved to be other
wise. Alone and snglc-handed it also began and
won the ffnht for the recognition of thcsoldicrS
right to arrears of pension, and has since had the
proud satisfaction of announcing the appropria-
ton by Congress, without dissenting voice, OF
one hundred millions of dollars to make the
payments on this account. But its work Is only
partially accomplished, and it can never be fully
ACCOMPLISHED until our eX-soldiers and sailors
to a man resolve to follow where it leads. 1T
is because Your own interests are involved
in its success that the editor of THE
TRIBUNE makes this appeal. The tribune
already goes to more than eight thousand post
offices, embracing every State and Territory III
the Union but it should do more than that 1t
should 90 to the home of every cx-soldler and
sailor in the land. To educate the generation
which has grown up since the war to properly
APPRECIATE the obligations which it is under to
the men who saved the Republic, it is necessary
| that the 1R1BUNE sHouiu ildN0 dU iN'N' oiS
| hundred thousand subscribers on its rolls and
| half q million readers. Will you not do your
part towards propagating the glorious truths
which it teaches by becoming subscriber to 1t
and pcrsuading your friends and neighbors to
subscribe also? 1t is in the hope that you will do
so that this sample copy is sent you, and your
response should be as prompt and certain as 1t
used to be when the command was given TO
stcharge" in the brave days of old
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.
1t is necessary, rs has been said, to educate
the public up to a proper appreciation OF the
obligations which the Nation is under to the
men who saved the Union. The public must
be disabused of the idea, for instance, that the
payment of the pensions and bounties due our
veterans involves an enormous and unreason-
able expenditure of the public money. The
amount paid to the bondholders is out OF all
proportion to that paid on account of pensions,
as the following statement compiled from otii-
cial sources, shows:
Total public debt August 81, 1861
less cash in Treasury S2h 13i,1Il 1d
Total public debt July !, isS2-.- 023,414 q
Paid TO bondhOlders 10 July /, iSS2,
on account redemption of bonds. l0Sl, ,4Os, 100 IL
Paid TO bondholderS on account
interest on debt to July l. lSS2 2,loZoi5,o5' 81
Paid to bondholders on account OF .
debt and interest to July |, 1852" 326io ,63S 5t
Total amount paid FOR pensions
since the commencement of the
war, Is6I-'6s s.........-........ 5S7, ,427, ,69i ia
Excess Of amount paid TO bond
holders on account of public debt
and interest amount paid on
} account of pensions.......... $2,6I6,6*''o4a'o
Showing that the bondholdCrs have received abou
five dollars to one paid the soldier.
But it is not in this direction alone that the
, public need to be educated. One of the great
f est dangers that threatens the interests OF ou
ex-soldiers and sailors at the present time i