The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-24
solely by the desire to put all the national
banks out of misery u
The Danger of the Hour.

merits Of the various pension and bounty
measures now pending before Congress there
is one thing that our veterans should keep
constantly in mind, namely, the danger that
the present revenues of the Government will
be so reduced by legislative action as to
leave no surplus in the Treasury out of
which the amount required for the carrying
out Of any of these new pension and bounty
measures can be appropriated. That danger
is real and perhaps imminent, and it be-
comes our ex-soldiers to exercise their
utmost influence to avert il.
1t matters not what their politics may be,
or whether they are believers in the doc
trines of free trade or protection, they have
common interest in preventing this reduc-
ton, since it would afford an excuse, if not
justifction, for refusal by Congress to
further consider their claims upon it.
AS we have frequently pointed out, there
are potent influences at work to bring about
this reduction. Aside from those who advo-
cate it openly as the most effeetUal way Of
closing the doors against the soldier, the
national banks are c1amorous for its accom-
plishment, since the extinguishment of the
surplus in the Treasury would put stop to
the payment of the public debt prior to the
maturity of the several loans, and thus re-
lieve them Of the necessity of securing their
circulation by the purchase, at high pre-
MUM, of the bonds required to replace those
called In. Many leading protectionists are
also disposed to favor reduction OF the In
ternal revenue taxes as, calculated to pre-
vent any interference with the tariff, while
the free-traders are equally desfrous to cut
down the revenues, providing it can be
accomplished through the removal of the
duties on imports. 1t is possible, of
course, that this very conflict of interests
may serve to defeat final action, but it is by
no means certain, and the passage by Con-
gress of any measure TO curtal the income
of the Government would unquestionably
operate as a bar to the enactment of any
new pension or bounty law requiring an
appropriation from the National Treasury
to make it effective.
There are many good grounds on which
our ex-soldiers might oppose this contem-
plated reduction, but one viii suffice,
namely, the obligation which rests upon the
Government to make good its promises to
those who bore arms In its defense. Con-
gress should be made to understand that in
the eyes of the country the debt to the sol
der is as sacred as that to the bondhoIder,
and that ample provision should be made
for its discharge before the revenues are
reduced.
Time was when the resources of The Gov
eminent, owing to the burden of its funded
debt, were unequal to the liquidation of the
soldiers claims, 1T was for that reason alone,
as he ayerred, that President Grant with
held his approval from the equalization of
bounties bill, and our veterans have waited
many years for the time to arrive when the
poverty of the Treasury would no longer
bar the settlement of their claims.
Now that the time is at hand, they have
a right to insist on the full and prompt
liquidation Of these obligations. The Gov
eminent can afford to pay, the people are
willing that it should pay, and not to pay
now win be equivalent to reputation. 1t
is in this Light that Congress should deal
with the question Of revenue reduction, and
every ex-soldier who is alive to the impor-
tance Of the issue should see to it that his
Representative is not left in the dark as to
his wishes in the matter.