The National tribune., 1886-03-04
THE 18TH CONGRESS,
Lively Debate in the House on
Pensions.
THE PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL.

| THE PENSION APPROPRIATION ELL.
! On Thursday there was sultry atmosphere
| in the House, caused by an exciting debate on
| the pension appropriation bill. The amount is
$75.0O0,0 900 for pensions and about $3.50, 900 for
| incidental expenses-an increase over last year
Of S15, ,S2s, 900. Mr.. Townshend (Ill), who was in
charge of the bill, made q long speech advocating
| the fullest measure Of justice and lberality in
! dealing with the soldiers, their widows and
orphans. He said:
The best use that can be made of the vast surplus
in the Treasury will he 10 pay it out upon meri-
torious claims for pensions aud other just dues to
| the soldier. Who can doubt the justice of their
claims upon the liberaity of the Nation or estimate
| the value of their services The Mexican veterans
endowed this Republic with larger domain and
more wealth than resulted from the war of any
other country in any age. California Nevada:
Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, with all
their wealth, were purchased with the blood and
sutlerngs of the Mexican soldiers and yet when in
their poverty end old age they appeal for but
! pittance of the incaicuable wealth they have
bestowed upon their country. and at a time when
its Treasury is filled with millions IL cannot use.
regarded.
What has been done for the Union soldier for his
suffering and sacrifices during the late war: Only
! one-tenth of the number who enlisted have been
allowed pension. The equalization of bountics
and their claims for arrears OF pension remain un-
settled Not an acre of land has YET been given TO
him out of the public domain. although more than
| 20 years have elapsed since the close of the war.
Sir, some insist that danger to financial stand
ing Is threatened by the prospect Tor payment OF
sich claims OF the soldiers. L do not believe It,
The financial soundness of no man or nation can
be injured by provisions for the payment of just
debts. On the contrary such a course strengthens
financial stability and increases substantial pros
perity. The money paid on the claims of soldiers
is not lost to the country. We simply take it out
OF the Treasury, where 1t can do no good aud put
| it Ia circulation where il Is greatly needed.
One of the measures against which the loudest
| outcry is and the strongest preudiccs
sought 10 be made against all pension laws-s that
|
arrears OF pensions in claims filed since July 1850.
The opposition to that measure is most intense and
unrelenting from the moneyed classes who received
the richest benefits from the results of the late
| insist that the measure clamorously assailed
| can be maintained upon the soundest principles OF
| Justice anu ITS enactment Is demanded by good
faith and patriotism What is the nature and effect
ofthat measure? If adopted it will SHINY place Rp-
| plicants for pensions who have filed their claims
since July 1850, upon the same footing with those
who applied before that date, and i'll all cases W hen
the claim is allowed 1t grants arrears from the date
| of discharge. Why should such q discrimination
| be made? Why should he who filed his claim
June 60 1880 and before receive arrears of pay
| tending back to the date of discharge, while pen
sions allowed in equally meritorious cases filed
next day and since shall only commence from date
OF ailovancey Sir, the answer Is irresistible that
the claims of nj pensioners TO arrears IS just and
that the Government has, by the act of 1879, al
| ready committed itself TO the policy of paying
| them.
After thorough consideration of the data found In
| the Departments the highest estimate placed upon
the aggregate cost OF arrears OF pension under the
laws Oh the statute-books and that proposed in
the bills pending does not exceed four hundred
and eighty three millions. Now, sir ifyou should
add this the cost of equalZing the bounes OF the
| Union soldiers. the whole sum would not exceed
the bounty granted to the bondholders by the law
OF 1869.
There were two classes who were directly in
strunentai in the preservation of the Union during
| the late war: The bondholder and the soldier.
| Cnpidiiy WAS the motive of many of the former;
patriotism was the motive of the latter. The first
class loaned their money to the Government; the
latter class loaned their lives. The bondhoider has
not only been made whole by repayment of every
dollar of the principal, but he has received enor-
nous usury bounty, If you please We can
never make the soldier whole. We never
! pay him for his loan and sacrifices. The manly
form which LETT the side of loving wife and the
of dependent children, and who fell defending
that fa, the battlefield never be restored to
| the desolate home he left behind him. Can we
ever restore the crippled limbs and shattered health
OF those who escaped death in the hospital
/ the field? MOI And yet when measures are pro-
posed to pay what was promised the soldier al the
| time his help called for. those who advocate
such measures are denounced rs demagogs. The
/ young soldier whose bones whiien Southern bat
| tlefeid can never be restored to n heart-brohen
widowed mother who dependent Oil him for
Sir, the advocates of popular rights have in all
countries and in al! ages been denounced by the
pressor demagogs. Every noble name which
this country has added TO the roll of fame has been
denounced as demagog. 1t Is a word which,
when unjustiy applied. has ceased to be a stigma.
| Call n,e demagog if you please, but do not call
! me unjust or ungratefu The charge OF demagog-
ism, if true should visit condemnation on him who
is guilty of it; but, sir, lie is whte-robed angel
compared with the exccrablc demon OF private or
public ingratude.
Mr. Henderson Iowa) made an eloquent and
! impassioned appeal for the soldiers, which
! evoked frequent applause. lie was often inter-
rupted by political opponents. whom he Sc
verely criticised, and there was some very
| lively sparring. He very warmly defended
! ex-Commissioner Dudley from the charge that
under his administration the Pension Bureau
| was made political machine for the benefit of
party. Referring to the recent vote on the
bill to increase the pensions Of widows and de-
| pendent relatives, he said
! Mr.. Chairman, the total noes were 66. The total
Democratic noes were 66. Applause on the Re
publican sidel The total Republican noes were
| none. lRenewed applause.l The total noes South
were Ga the total noes North were two.
| pause here to say that have not failed TO note
! the names Of those South who voted in the affirm
| ative and note some of those who have been on
| opposing battlefieids from me. / wish, sir. that
| there had been more of them in order TO feed the
tendency of my mind for fraternity.
There were two votes in the negative from the
North, one Mr.. Hewitt of New York which does
not disturb me much, because he is not a standing
| authority any great question. Laughter. There
is not scrap-book an economic scrap book in the
land. but has him as the leading authority on both
sides OF ahe tarn u. question. Laughter II tiat
eloquent alusion of my distinguished friend from
| Illinois tAir. Townshendl in charge Of this bill,
when he referred to hostties coming from the
| money power OF the country, may possibly touch
| his cnse.
| As for my friend from Wisconsin TMr Braggl the
i am in a little deeper trouble. Still his speech
! that question showed that he-one of the leading
Democratic chieftains of the West, and recognized
| as such-was unwilling to recognize widow for
| the purpose of a pension unless she was married
TO the fellow before lie go. hurt killed. But,
sir. he will not go very far Northern authority,
for the reason that man who would make fight
| against widow and at the same time make his
| leading effort in this Congress to restore to the
| enormous pay and position that he has been
stored to in this House, Fitz-John Porter, is not
| high authority at least in some parts OF the coun-
] try. iAppinuse on the Republican side
| Mr. Tilman rs. Co.:
Considering that the Cotton States, rather what
| are known Confederate States. pay about one
| third Of the amount derived by the Federal Gov
| ernmeat from taxation-being based on consump-
| ton Oh imported goods and whisky and tobacco
i say considering that the taxation Of the Federal
| Government is based upon consumption and not
| upon property and, therefore. while the South.
| the ex-CoHfederate States. pay about one-thrd of
| the total amount paid by the Federal Government
| for pensions Of which they do not get back three
| cents considering also that So month from the
foundation of the Government to the present time
has been deemed a sufficient pension TO q widow,
| can the gentleman blame the Southern members
for trying restrain the necessarily large expendi
| lures for pensions within the rule that has pre-
I vailed heretofore?
Mr.. Henderson (1owa):
| lneyer more grateful for an interruption. /
arraign gentleman on this floor for his vote; but
say this IN reply to the gentleman that there is
section of this country that before God, is under
| deeper and more profound obligation to nav this