Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-24
Arrears Of Pensions Act.


Senator Beck, of Kentucky, has been
engaged during the week past in striking
some telling blows at that infamy upon
the statute books of the United States
known as the arrears of pensions act. In
the course of his remarks, he showed up
thoroughly the iniquities of law which
takes hundreds of millions of dollars
annually from the pockets of the tax
payers, and exposed the means by which
the last Congress was deceived into pass
ing the bill through the influences Of an
army of claim agents-who industriously
circulated the idea that there was popu-
lar demand for its passage-and he con-
clusively showed how these same claim
agents had, since the bill became law,
pocketed the lions share of the money
thereby taken from the Treasury, while
the soldier, for whose benefit it was en-
acted, had been feeced and robbed I'M
mercifully.
While, however, Congress may have
been thus misled by claim agents in
this matter, that is really no excuse for
its having passed this bill. Such a
dignifed and important assemblage as
the Legislature of the United States
should be better informed and wider
awake than to permit itself to be taken
in by sharpers, and on the principle that
ignorance of the law excuses no man, so
should Congress be barred from plead
ing ignorance of the tricks of cormorants
in vlndication of its course. Mr.. Beck's
exposure of the influences which were
brought to bear upon the last Congress
to secure the passage of this bill, there
fore, is more of a reflection upon that
body for allowing itself to be deceived.
than a justification for its course.
The undisguised truth of the whole
matter is that this bill was simply the
result of demagogy, ignorance, and
political cowardice, and though the ma
iority of the Congress which passed it
was Democratic, both parties are equal
ly responsible for it, for the Republican
members voted as solidly for it as did
their opponents, and de fact0 President
albeit he did not hesitate to veto meas
ures of national interest and benefit, such
as the 3 per cent. funding bill-allowed
it to become a law. 1t was on the eve of
an important election, and both parties
desired to pander to the soldiers vote,
while the Democratic party, in addition
to this, actually feared to oppose the
| measure lest it should run the risk of
being dubbed disloyaL Besides the dema-
gogy and cowardice thus displayed, both
parties also showed their ignorance Of the
result of the law, because while they i'm
agined it would cost the country about
$30,00O,OO0 per annum, it will really
transfer about ten times that sum from
the pockets of the taxpayers chiefly into
those of pension agents.
But, whatever the causes of the pas
sage of this bill, its imposition on the
public and the enoImity OF its injustice
are now plainly manifest, and the ad-
vice of Senator Beck should be followed.
1t should promptly be repealed and the
country should be relieved from a
burden which works no special benefit
to anyone except a class of men who
desire to fleece ex-Federal soldiers and
their families, and pocket sums of money
to which they are not entitled. If not
repealed, however, it is to be hoped the
Democracy in the present Congress may
record itself against what ! 50 clearly
an inlquitous law. Tru-, Senator
VOORHEES,, although Democrat, perhaps
conscientiously advocates its remaining
a law, but in this instance at least he
shows himself an unwise counsellor.
The country will eventually applaud
the Democratic minority if through
their votes and efforts so fragrant an in
justice is expunged from the statute
books of the United States