The National tribune., 1882-12-28
EnunliLp the EnuntiPS.


| Of such newspapers as the New York 7j1b-
U1e SuR and Herald that the bill to equalize
bOunties involved the granting of gratuity
to our ex-sOldiers when the fact is that ii
simply provides for the payment of money
! uniustly withheld from them on a mere
! technicality of law. 1t cOnfers no new right
! upon the soldier, and creates no new obliga-
! lion on the part of the Government; its
| whole purpose is to carry out the spirit OF
! the contract which Congress made with
| those who volunteered in defense of the
| Union, and who, after serving their country
| with unquestiODed devotion, were excluded
| through no fault of their own from partici-
patton in the promised bounty. A single
| illustration will suffice to show what we
mean:
Smith and Jones, citizens of the same
! town, in response to the call for more vOlun
! teers, enlist for three years in the same regi
! ment According to acts of Congress each is
! entitled at the date of his discharge, after
| the expiration of two years Of actual service,
! 10 receive two hundred dollars bounty,
which is eight and ore-third dollars per
| month. At the end of twenty-three
months--or Just one month before the bounty
falls due-Smith, having become disabled
| by disease contracted in the service, is pro-
n0unced unfit for duty and is honorab]y dis
charged. Jones serves one month longer,
making twenty-four months, when he is
| also houorably discharged by reason of dis
! ability, and receives two hundred dollars
| bounty; but Smith, who has served within
one month of the same PERIOD and whose
/ failure TO complete the term is owing to
causes entirely beyond his control, receives
no bounty whatever!
viii any one say that such a discrimina-
| ton is either just or equitable? Yet that
| is just the discrimination which the Gov
ernment made between its soldiers, and for
which the bill to equalize bounties is
| designed to make atOnement.
| That bill is based on the principle that
every soldier to whom the Government of
! the United States offered bounty as an in
ducement to volunteer, has just claim
upon the Government for an amount Of
bounty propOrtiOnate TO the number Of
months that he actually did serve. When
the Government called for volunteers it
distinctly promised to furnish medical
attendance tor'all who might become dis
! abled in its service. 1t was one of the CON
! siderations of the contract that the Govern
| ment was to take care of its sick and invalid
soldiers Yet, as n matter of fact, it made
their disability a reason for their discharge,
and coolly left them TO their own resources.
It was not because these men were unwiI-
ling that they failed TO serve out the allotted
term, but because the Government had no
further use for them; indeed, it was the
Government itself which broke the contract;
and we assert that it was mean and con
temptible thing on it's part to set up its own
act as bar to the payment of the bounties
to which these brave though unfortunate
men were entitled.
The sole purpose of the Equalization Of
Bounties bill is to right this wrong 1t is
based on the principle that the United
| States Government owes to every ex-soldier
who enlisted in the service, and who holds
an honorable discharge, eight and one-third
dollars for every month that he was in its
| service, less only the amount of bounty
which he actually received from it.
Again and again the equity of this propo-
| sition has been affirmed in one House or the
other of Congress, and once only the veto of
! President Grant-a veto interposed not be-
cause of any doubt as to the righteousness
! of the measure itself but because of the
! slender resouTces Of the Treasury at the
| time prevented it's execution. But, as
Senator Morton, Indiana's great War Gov
| ernor. said of this measure in a memorable
! appeal for its passage:
Justice to the sGldier cruuot always he deferred
IL must and will triUWVn >umetme. If il does not
come this Cougrc-- # e.. N come at some other Con
/ ,.re-s II Is a part of .st. debt, much "A
the $40 bonds IH- lo-i0 bonds. 1t is founded on
the primo s- 81 justice. IL Is an obligation
resting upon tis Nation and if it takes 500 COO
/ or $40 $4,000 can make no difference 1t is debt
/ this Nation honestly owes and ought to be paid IN
/ other words. let the bounty bc equalized put all
lfonorably discharged soldiers upon the basis;
pay them at the same rate. They entitled to it,
rhe Justice of il dispute, and that is all
that this bill ContemPiatcs. am for IT. vote for
! 1t with all my heart"
| Years have elapsed since these eloquent
words were spoken, but they still live in the
hearts of our comrades, and THE TRIBUNE
will not relax its efforts until the Equaliza-
! ton Of Bountes bill has become law
Paper for the Million.
! IT OCCASIONALLY happens that a sub
/ scriber, as an excuse for not canvassing,
| alludes 10 the fact that there are no ex-
soldiers residing in his vicinity, as much as
/ TO say that veterans alone would be likely