The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-25
TREASURY RAIDS.
The Attempt, Through Pension Bills, to
Capture 1.-The Soldier Vote"

The Attempt, Through Pension Bills, to
Capture .'the Soldier Vote
The figures which are given in let
ter from Commissioner Black to Mr..
Randall, chairman of the Appropria-
tons committee, relative to the cost of
the schemes now proposed for Con-
gressiOnal action in regard to increas-
ing the pension list are simply astound-
ing. They afford striking exemplifi-
cation of the thOughtless way in which
wild plans are mooted on sentimental
or other like grounds, without any con-
sideration of the enormous expenditure
to be thereby entailed. 1t is fair to
suppose that if the data for the calcu-
latiOn of the cost were within the
knowledge of the authors of such
schemes, and were duly considered in
regard to their practicabilitY, they
would never be submitted.
The inquiry of the chairman of the
Appropriations committee had refer
ence to two points-first, rs to the cost
resulting from the extension of time
for filing applications for pensions un-
der the acts of January and March,
1879, and second, as to the probable
cost of repeating the limitation in re-
gard to filing applications under those
acts. The Commissioner shows that
the cost resulting from the extension
of time referred to in the first branch
of Che inquiry has amounted to S259,-
873,972 up to July l, 1885. In regard
to the second branch of the inquiry he
imposed by the acts referred to be re-
moved, all pensions will begin at date
of the soldiers discharge. and that the
result will be an increased charge on
the treasury of S75 5.000,00 to pay pen.
sioners now on the roll; and he esti,
mates that the number who would be
entitled to be entered on the roll would
increase that charge to 1902 1886, 200;
that is, pension claims would swallow
up, in effect, the whole revenue of the
Government.
This is the gist of the Commissioners
statement. 1t is directed with all the
force which a plain statement of fig
ures can command against such reck-
less propositions as that of Mr.. Browne,
of Indiana, who desires to remove the
present limitation of the Arrears-of-
Pensions act to January l, 1886. The
cost of carrying this scheme into effect
would be something over $500, 200, 900.
IfMr. Browne had taken the cost into
account it may readily be believed he
would have long hesitated before ad-
VT rt
The truth is-and these figures loud.
ly emphasize tit is high time to call
a halt in regard to further extravagant
legislation for the benefit of pension
erS. No nation in history has acted so
literally as ours toward its disabled
soldiers. What was generously given
it does not now begrudge, but main
tains and pays faithfully. Not only
has the vast and expensive machinery
of a great bureau been called into ex-
istence for the thorough consideration
of every case which should be present
ed, but, lest any deserving claimant
should be neglected, the time for
making application to share in the Ma
tons beneficence has been amply ex-
tended. The money-limit of generous
dliu SEdIclul IcS dIu Has Ottu Tcdcutu
In the matter of penSioning its dis
abled soldiers or their dependent sur
vivors, the Nation has done its duty.
Congress has other duties to which its
attention is invoked by the most patri-
otic considerations. 1t is not enough
to regard the past. 1t is requisite also
to secure the present and to provide
for the future.
An evil feature in every new pension
proposal is the demagogic spirit
which it inevitably awakens. Congress
men vie with each other in propound-
ing absurd plans for increasing pen
sions, which, if they were carried into
effect. would bankrupt the treasury of
the United States. OF course, many of
them are not even seriously intended,
and their real object is to ensnare and
capture what is known as the soldier
vote. But, like all insincere issues, they
exercise a delusive effect on the public
mind, and belittling influence on po-
liticsl methods.
The time has come for answering
with a decided negative every PROPOSE
ton to increase the pension charges OF
the Government whether the PROPOSE
ton is inspired by demagogism or cor
ruptiOn. Congress has done its full
duty by the soldier, let it now turn its
endeavor 20 doing its full duty to the
people Washington Post.