The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-13


our comrades have been forced to contend
with such adverse influences as in Missouri,
and certainly a few years ago the most san
guine would net have ventured to predict
that the Order would ever gain mere than
precarious foothold there, but it is now
clear that this is destined to be one of our
banner Departments.
The Pension @ committees Recommendations.
Elsewhere in our columns, this week, viii
be found the full text OF the memorial of
the P nsion Committee Of the Grand Army
TO our Senators and Representatives in the
Forty eighth Congress, eInbodying IFS recon-
mendations as to the pension and bounty
legislation that ought TO be enacted during
the present session. These recommendations
it should be stated at the outset, were only
determined upon after careful examina-
ton OF the various bills now before the
Senate and House Of Representatives and a
frank exchange Of opinion as to their COM
parative merits, and they represent the ma
tuTe judgment Of the members Of the COM
mittee, based upon a full knowledge alike
of the needs of our veterans and the extent
of their claims upon the Government 1t is
quite likely that from some of their conclu-
sions certain class of our comrades may be
inclined to dissent, but upon due reflection.
it wiz be generally admitted, we think,
that the recommendations as whole cover
the most essential points as to which legis-
lation is needed, and, if carried into effect
by Congress, VIII be productive of the great
est good to the greatest number.
The clauses anfagonizing the land war
rant bin, and that to make good to the sol
diers the difference between his pay in paper
and gold, viii doubtless provoke some critic
ism; but, as a matter of fact, there is not the
slightest reason TO suppose that these meas
ures viii ever be seriously entertained by
Congress, while there are grave doubts as to
their wisdom and practicability Were land
warrants TO be issued without requiring &C
tual occupation by the soldier, the ultimate
effect would certainly be to open new field OF
speculation, in which our veterans would be
the dupes of the capitalists, and the purpose
Of the Government in reserving its public
lands for actual settlement would be com.
pleteIy frustrated. The warrants, being
issued in such vast number, would become
drug in the market, aud the big money
kings would gObble them up at a price much
below their real value, and thus practically
acquire ownership Of a large portion of Ii,
national domain, occupying the same posi-
ton towards the masses as the Landlord
class in Ireland TO the oppressed tenantry o
that unhappy country. AS it is, every ex
soldier can obtain land warrant who i
willing to actually settle on the land, and i
would be mnch more equitable to those VII,
do not intend TO become actual settlers t,
pay them the money value of the warrant
AS TO the other biz, even supposing tba
the Government were under obligation
by reason Of the terms of its contract viii
the soldier, (which it is not in law, howeve
it nay be equity TO pay its defenders tn
difference between the face value of thei
i
pay and its purchasing power, according t
the gold standard, it would be PRACTICAL
impossible to devise any really just mode {
adjustment, since during the entire war Ii
market value of our currency constant
; fiuetuafed from day TO DAY and hour to hon
Bat it is not necessary to go into these que.
Z tons; they certainly viii not at the preser
time be reopened by Congress, and the Pei
sion Committee has undoubtedly increase
I, the chances Of other bills of undispute
= merit becoming laws by eliminating the 70
: mer from consideration. We agree vii
the committee, that the time has not y
come for the granting of service pension
> without regard to disability although
is perhaps not far off--and We believe it h
J acted wisely in combining its recommend
tions to measures of obvious merit and in
mediate necessity. Indeed, the limit h
? very properly been drawn By the commit
at disability, and within that limit
recommendations arc Of The most positi
: .aad emphatic character. They embrace
!. Pensions FOR disabled ex-prisoners Wit
. out requiring proof thai disability is the
{, suit OF imprisonment.
y 2. Extension of arrears act to January
L 1886.
4 3 Increase Of widows pensions from