The National tribune., 1882-05-20
The Victory Iiun Won.

Jhe Victory ttitu WON
AS will be seen by reference to our news
columns the consideration of the annual
pension appropriation bill has been con-
Guided in committee, and the amount recon-
mended fixed at S10000O,000, including a
provision for the employment of 1,210 addi-
tional clerks in the Pension Bureau. THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE, on the best of author
ity, predicted this result several weeks ago,
i'll advance of all other journals, so that our
readers will not be taken by surprise at the
announcement, but their qualification will
be none the less keen and intense on that
account. 1t is true that the bill has not
yet come up in either House for discussion
and when it does receive consideration will
be subject to endless amendment, but the SEN
timent of the majority in both chambers, as
revealed by the individual expressions Of
the members in public debate and private
discussion, is such that we cannot doubt its
final passage in substantially its present
form. The feature of the measure about
whose adoption we are most solicitous, we
need hardly say, is that which provides for
an increase in the force of the Pension Office.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE long ago pointed
out the necessity for this increase and sup
ported its arguments with indisputable facts
and figures. 1t demonstrated that without
such an increase it would require at
least ten years TO dispose of the accumu-
lated business before the Bureau-to say
nothing of the claims that may hereafter be
filed-thereby entailing upon many thou
sands Of deserving men q vast amount OF
unnecessary suffering, and, moreover, that
in the end it would cost the Government
quite as dearly, and it has lost no opportu-
nifty of enforcing its views upon Congress.
At first its appeals met with no response.
1t had TO contend, on the one hand, with
the iukewarmness of our Representatives,
the daily press, and the cause of the soldier
looked hopeless indeed. But as time went
on, and the applications for pensions kept
piling up in the Pension Office, the justice
of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNEs demands be-
gan to obtain recognition, and when Com
missioner Dudley succeeded Nj. Bentley it
found in him an invaluable ally. His lucid
report to Congress concerning the condition
of his Office, the obstacles which barred the
way to a speedy adjudication of pending
claims, and the number of additional clerks
that would be required to dispose Of the
arrears of work, sustained, in every respect,
the position of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
and carried conviction with it. Although,
as we have said, it remains to be seen
whether or not Congress will sustain the
action of the Committee, we cannot keep
from thinking that tho victory is already
more than half won. The publicity which
has been given through these columns to
the essential facts involved in this question
/ has served to cause wide spread public
interest in it, and public sentiment is over
whelmingly in favor Of granting the increase
asked for. 1t is to be expected that the
measure viii be antagonized on the floor of
both Houses by Irreconcilables Of the Beck
stripe, but it carries On its face such proof
/ Of its justice and reasonableness that discEs-
sion, we are confident, will only increase the
number of It's supporters. Just how far this
gratifying condition Of things is attributable
to the Iabors of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
we are quite conten5 to let our readers
! decide for themselves