Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-29
ExtraYagance in Pensions.

1t is stated that an application will be
made to Congress for a pension for the wild
ow OF Gen. Logan, and there is no reason to
doubt that it will be granted. Gen. Logan
was an excellent soldier, and it is claimed
that the disease from which he died was
contracted while in the military service.
OF course it is not proposed to give
Mrs. Logan small pension, such as she
would have been entitled to If her hus-
band had been killed in battle, or had died
from wounds received while in the dis
| charge of his duty as a soldier. 1t is pro-
posed to give her a pension something
like that which Mrs. Grant has.
The precedent has been established of
granting pensions to the widows of eX-
Presidents, and it will doubtless continue
20 be followed, but there is no precedent
for giving pension to Mrs. Logan. II
there were there could possibly be no OBJ
lection to granting one to her, not only
because she is very worthy lady, but
chiefly because as q soldier her husband
rendered the Union cause great service.
If, however, a pension Is granted to Mrs.
Logan, will not the way be opened for
granting pensions to hundreds and thous-
ands of others whose claims are just as
meritorlous as Mrs. Logan's?
Mrs. Logan is not in needy circum-
stances, 1t is true that her husband did
not leave a large estate, but it will be
ample for Der wants. 1t is probable that
she will have ffot far from 500, 900 when
her share of the proceeds of her husbands
book is received.
1t is remarkable how rapidly the PEN
sion charge is increasing in amount. Con-
gress appears to be always ready to pass
any pension bill presented to it. 1t was
supposed ten years ago that the limit
of the pension charge had been
reached. 9d 1t was then about
$27, 0lQ.ooo. year. In 1878, however,
the flood gates were opened by the pas
sage of the arrears of pensions act, and
slpee that time additional acts, increas-
ing the pension charge, have been passed
by every Congress. Last year the in
crease in the humber of pensioners was
greater than in any previous year except
one, and the probabilities are that it will
be greater next year than it was last.
Nobody can give an approximate guess
when the increase in the annual amount
for pensions will cease. 1t is more than
twenty years since the close of the war.
and, notwithstanding the vast number of
pensioners who have died, the amount
paid out for pensions each year keeps on
increasing. In 1885 about $50, 000, 900 was
paid to pensioners, and this year the
amount reached $6S0O0, 900. Since the
war over $900,000.0O0 have been dis.
tributed in pensions, nearly half OF which
has been paid out within the last eight
years.
Is it not time to call halt? There are
pension bills now pending which call for
many millions of dollars annually, and it
would not be surprising il they should be
passed. The vast surplus which is accu-
mulating In the Treasury is constant
temptation to extravaganza in legisla-
tion. If the money is collected, say Con-
gressmen, why should 1t not be dis
tributedy And they argue that there is
no better way to distribute it than In pen
sions. The only way to put stop TO this
pension extravaganza is to cut down the
revenues to point where they will only
be sufficient for the wants of the govern
ment.