The National tribune., 1885-12-24
Justice VS.. Injustice.


THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of last week has
an editorial on what it believes to be the best
legislation for the soldier, and among other de-
mands which it makes is that ali soldiers who
suffer from disease contracted in the army,
which in any way incapacitates them from
earning livelihood, should be pensioned. Why
not pension all honoraby- discharged soldiers,
and those who are disabled proportionately
more? Undoubtedly they are all suffering more
or less from the effects of their privations and
exposures endured. And, aside from the justice
of such proceeding, it would be one of the best
panaceas for hard times, and incentives to i'm
provement, and give the business of the cOun-
try an impetus that all subsidies ever granted
TO corporations could not do.
So far as the pensoning of all soldiers Of the
Union army is an act of justice, it seems that
those who risked life, limb and health in put
ting down the greatest rebellion in the annals
Of history should draw more benefits than those
who remained supinely at home and reaped the
harvest of high prices for all kinds of produce,
slept on feather beds in Iowa and other North
ern States, while the soldier slept On the flint
stones in the mountains of Arkansas and Geor-
gia or the mud of Alabama aud Louisiana and
other Southern States. 1t is true they received
for this the sum of Sl3 and SIG in greenbacks
per month, and some extremely loyal stay at
home patriots think this enough" all they de-
served; " but when it took all of his wages to
the pay was not so munifcent as it might have
been, especially when labor at home was worth
from two 10 four times as much.
1t was claimed in olden times that I" to the
victor5 belonged the spoils;" it is in the pres
ent instance rendered, to the bondholders
belong all the benefits accruing to the country
from the prodigal pouring out of blood neces-
sary to preserve to posterity the Union intact.
As proof Of this, it is only necessary to refer to
the report of Gen. Black, Pension Commissioner,
which shows that interest OH the public debt
has been paid to bondholders to the amount of
So pos 0l9, ,4l9.1 while the sum paid pensioners
for the same period since 1861 has been only
S16o, ,092, ,64018-a fraction over onc-third in
amount-and this includes pensioners to the
number Of over 90 900 of the war of 1872 Thus
while it is seen that the Shylochs who held the
purse-strings have been we'll taken care Of the
men who did the work have not had their pro-
portionate share; for in all reasonablcness the
risks the soldier took-life, health everything
were far greater than the paltry dollars of the
money changers Of Wall street.
Then there was another Injustice: The bond
holders interest was paid in gold, when the
premium on that sort of money was from ~ to
1S5 per cent, while the soldier and pensioner
took it at its face and made it good at the point
Of the bayonet. In July, 1854 little over 81
cents day. hard cash, was what the country
paid the patriot-volunteer to stand up and bare
Il
did not kick; and when it was claimed the
Nations honor demanded that the bonds re-
deemable in legal tenders should be made pay
able in gold, they acquiesced, and have all
along done so until the last year, when the
| Legislatures Of different States memorialized
Congress on the subject of doing tardy justice
to the soldier, and Congress itself attempted to
pass several bills for that purpose, or SO let on,
but failed sgnally through the opposition of
| some Of the great guns whose only political
| stock in trade during a campaign is their love
| for the soldier, which love is like the ague,
rather intermittent in form. 1t recurs regu-
larly just before every other years elections
| Bargain in Corner Lots
is what most men desire, but TO keep from fill
| ing grave in cemetery lot ere half your days
are numbered, always keep a supply of DR..
| Perce's "Golden Medical Discovery" by you.
| When the first symptoms of ofeonsumption appear
lose no time in putting yourself under the
| treatment ofthis invaluable medicine 1t cures