Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-04


In a speech day or two ago, in the
House, on the bill to grant pensions TO the
veterans Of the Mexican war, Mr.. Bayne,
OF PENNSYLVANIA, made the statement that
there were in that State 700 ex-Union
soldiers IN the poor houses, and declared
that it would be an outrage to pension the
! Mexican war veterans while there re-
NAMED any Union soldiers who were
in need OF assistance.
There appears to be no doubt that this
Congress Will largely increase the
pension burden. A bill has
already passed the House increasing the
pensions of widows of ex-Union soldiers,
and now it is proposed to more than dou-
BILE the pensions enjoyed by their children.
If nothing else were proposed in the way
OF pensions it is probable that there
would be no very vigorous protests from
the people, but the proposition to remove
the restriction from the arrears act, and
permit claims which 1t authorizes TO be
filed until July 1, 1855, has aroused very
general disposition to call halt.
The statement OF Mr.. Bayne that 700
eX-UniOn soldiers Of Pennsylvania are in
to arrest attention and suggest the in
quiry whether the bounty Of the govern
ment to the ex-Unlon soldiers does not
tend directly to increase pauperism. A
leading metropolitan journal last week,
in speaking of the proposition to grant
Federal aid to education, insisted that
such aid would be a fatal bounty; but,
assuming that Mr.. Bayne's statement is
correct, is it not much nearer the truth
that Federal aid to ex-Union soldiers
is a fatal bountyf The aid that it is pro-
posed to grant to education would help to
make the people better able to appreciate
the blessings of free institutions without
causing the States to relax their efforts
in behalf of education, but the eX-
traOrdinary generosity of the government
in the matter of pensions tends to
encourage a very considerable per cent
age of the eX-Union soldier element to de-
pend largely, if not wholly, upon pen
siOns for living. A man who has q GER
tain income, however small it may be, is
very apt to be less concerned about max
ing provision for old age and sickness
than if he had nothing whatever to de-
pend upon. A few days ago the state
ment was published in leading Republi-
can paper of New York that in little
village Of Illinois there was as many as a
dozen families who depended wholly
upon their pensions for support. They
would have perhaps more of the comforts
of life if they were forced to depend en-
tirely upon themselves for a living.
IL IL mt faat wall vvO1.fh raf,,I aoy,
sideratiOn that there is not as much pow
erty and actual want among the ex.Con-
federate as among the ex-Union soldiers?
In what Southern State is there to be
found 700 ex-Confederates in the poor
houses?
1t is true that very larger majority
OF the ex-Confederate soldiers are very
poor, but they are earning their own liv-
ing. They began TO do that as soon as
they returned to Their ruined homes,
and they have been doing it very bravely
ever since. Throughout the South there
is poverty, but there is a remarkable
freedom from pauperism. The paupers
are mainly negroes, and the tramps are
furnished by the North. The courage and
endurance which the ex-Contederates
showed throughout the war, they are now
showing in their efforts to make a living
for themselves and families. Is 1t not
question deserving the thoughtful con-
sideration of Congress, whether the
liberality Of the government in
the matter Of pensions is not hurttul
rather than helpful to the ex-Union
soldiars2