The National tribune., 1882-01-21
What 1t Cost the Pensioner.


which are the New York Tribune, Herald, Times
and Post, and the Philadelphia Times and Press,
have devoted much of their space to articles
containing false, cruel, and malicious charges
against the ex-soldiers, and especially the pen
sioners of the Government. The editors of these
papers have also given much of their time to
making computations desi signed to show the
probable cost of the Arrears of Pension Act,
meanwhile clamoring for its repeal, not forget
ting to denounce in general terms (but meme the
less specific for that reason) the Senators and
Members of Congress who voted for the measure
on its passage. They have been careful, how
ever, to exhibit only one side of the matter-to
show only what the pensioner costs the Govern
ment. We propose to show the other side, and
in order to do shall take supposititious case,
but one which nevertheless has its counterpart
in every community of pensioners. For con-
venience we have taken mechanic as our sub
ject but in order to apply our illustration to
or the like-it only becomes necessary to change
the rate of wages to suit the particular case.
Now let us see what the Government has cost
single pensioner since the date of his entry into
the service of the United States
Brown has just been granted pension under
the Arrears Act, and his first payment amounts
to S22eO He was rated as follows: For the
first five years succeeding discharge in 1864, four
dollars per month for the next two years, six
dollars per month; for the next year, eight dol
lars per month; for the five years succeeding,
twelve dollars, and the last five years eighteen
dollars per month-eighteen years in all. He
enlisted in April, 1861, and was discharged in
March, 1854, on account of wounds and other
disabilities incurred in service. He received
during the thirty-fve months he was in the
army in pay and bounty the magnificent SUM of
$685.. He has therefore cost the Government up
to the present time s., 935.
New, let us see what the Government has cost
him bearing in mind that the capital of
laboring man consists chiefly in the degree of
health and strength of muscle he is able to invest
in his business. at the date of his enlistment he
was twenty-one years Of age, perfectly sound, by
occupation mechanic, and in receipt of steady
income of SIS per week for his labor.
Had he remained at home engaged at his
trade instead of enlisting his wages for the
thirty-fve months covering the period of his
army service would have amounted to $2,2eO
He, therefore, in addition to perilling his life in
defence of his country, undergoing all manner of
hardships, enduring suferings and losing his
health, virtually donated to the Government
81 $685. or at the rate of dollars per month
for all the time he was serving it, or about two
and one-halftimes the amount required to pay for
another soldier for the same length Of time and
upon similar terms.
But this is not all. Brown came home in
March, 1854, mere wreck. He was badly Grip
pied and his general health was very much i'm
paired. Being unable to live without work he
sought for employment. Wages were high dur
ing that year, and had he been an able bodied
man he could have commanded not less than $40
per week during 1864 and 1865, and SIS per
week after the latter year. In his disabled
condition, however, he was forced to accept
"boy's wages" OF about, in those days, Sc per
week. He worked for this pay five years, earn
ing, in ALL 81 $50 instead of the So 800 which an
able bodied man would have earned during the
same period, making an additional balance
against the Government for losses incurred
through his military service of $3.50.
At the end of the five years his ability to labor
had decreased to such an extent that he could no
longer obtain steady employment, and from 1869
to 1874 he worked by the day. During these
five years his average daily pay was seventy-fve
cents, and his total earnings only amounted to |
1926, he having lost one third of the time on |
account of sickness, resulting from his army |
service An able-bodied man, during the same
period, would have earned, at SIS per week,
So, 800. Brown, therefore, lost an additional |
974-through having assisted the Gov
ernment in putting down the rebellion.
From 1874 to 1875 he was unable to perform
any manual labor, and, therefore, earned nothing |
The labor of an able-bodied mechanic for that |
year would have been worth SIS per week, or
$3.50. This sum must be added to Brown s losses
growing out of the war. From 1875 to 1879 he
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