The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30
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The Pack in Full Cry Again.


class who get it, as a rule, are INDECENT and
improvident, aud they will consume what
they get from the Government and produce
much less than if they got nothing" The
Repa6Ejcaa argues, therefore, that the money
paid ont annually by the Government on
account ofpeDsions, instead of being benefit
to the country, is an injury. Queer hypo-
thesis this, and queer deduction! The
money paid to pensioners it declares is con-
sumed unproductively." How can that be ?
1t goes to buy food and clothing and pay
rent, just the same as any other money, and
entering thus into general circulation, bene-
fits all trades and industries. The money,
OF the other hand, that is paid out in the re-
demption Of United States bonds gees d.
rectly into the hands of capitalists, foreign
SIS well as American, and who can tell what
becomes of it then? It is re-inyested of
course, but nobody can be sure that it viii
be invested i'll American industries or securi-
ties, or in any way that will directly bene-
fl American trade. But suppose it is
true that it is consumed unproductively
what has that got to do with the equity of
pensions2 The purpose of these pension
payments is neither to increase nor decrease
the volume of currency in the country. The
sfsaut which 3I,aoa orruol ,,apcinn dis
bursements may have upon trade, whether
beneficial or otherwise, is matter aLaade to
ments ought to be made. That rests entirely
upon the point whether there exists any OBJ
make them. # they are made in pursuance
of valid contract and in consideration Of
value already received, then certainly their
payment is just as righteous as that of the
national debt, and as matter of fact--as
everybody knows - the obligation of the
| Government to care for him who has borne
the battle, and for his widow and orphans,'
is affirmed and defined by the statutes of the
United States. Unless, therefore, the Re-
publican is prepared to deny the justice of
the claims of our disabled comrades to the
| pensions which tfe Government contracted
to pay them in the event of their becoming
so disabled, it is absurd for it to endeavor
TO arraign public hostility against pension
payments on the ground that the money
thus paid out is consumed unproductiveiy.
To its statement that our pensioners pro-
duce much less than they would if they got
nothing from the Government, it may well
be replied that but for the injuries which
they sustained in fighting to preserve that
4 Government they would not now in any
| degree be dependent upon it. Having lost
In the service of that Government the power
| to support themselves entirely by their OWL
efforts, it is but equity that the Government
should make good the deficit, and many o.
them have good ground Of complaint against
it. because the pensions which they receive
far from make up the difference between
what they are now earning and what they
wonld now be able to earn had their menta
and physical strength not been impaired
in the war.
But it is, perhaps, unreasonable to expec
the Republican to make such a discrimiua
ton, for in another issue of that journal WI
find the statement that somehow abou
$500, 1000 was dropped in the pension pi
last year, and if the present year goes Oh
according to the standard of last month
$500, DOC, 900 will not cover the case" Now
this is an entirely inexcusable and, we mus
believe, willful malyersion Of the tru
fgures-the more objectionable because tn
Rep9Jlican assumes to be first-class news
paper, and possesses all the necessary facil
tiles for ascertaining just what the expendi
tures On account of pensions during the pas
year were. For its information, however
we win say that the total expenditure O.
account Of pensions for the year ending Jun
30, 1882 last of which a report ha
been made to Congress, precisel
7 So, 1924, 566 20, though the annual value
) the roll was but 29,341 1892, the differ
$ ence being the amount Of arrears of pensio
: paid out during that year 1t is scarcel
!, necessary for rs 20 say that the statements
a paper which makes sueh glaring blundel
Q as this are not worthy moments consider
alton.
And now we come to the New York Sul
: whose pettish bark is also heard among til
t pack What the American people war
Q to know" ii says, when they pay OF
It $50O0O,o 600 70 S100,0 O0.000in pensions yearl,
u with a war ended eighteen years ago, is no
II many of these claims are fraudulent" an
e it therefore advocates widespread pull
e location of the pension list. It declares til;
d it should be " brought to the notice of ever
IS city aad township concerned, and then 70
d lowed up by the eager efforts of skille
IL detectives The Sun, it seems to us, vel
% tures a oaod deal when IL undertakes