The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-14
a THREATENED FLOOD.
CareIessness of Two Senators Who De-
sire to stand Well with the "SoIdier
Element,


CarrIessness of Two Senators Who De-
sire to stand Well with the "SoIdier
| Element.
Nearly all the old pension projects
of the Forty-eighth Congress have al
ready been introduced into its sue
cessor, while some new ones seem to
Guido in extravaganza anything hith-
eTto proposed.
Two Senators we're so anxious to
lead in this rivalry that each brought
I forward the same measure. 1t grants
I pensions to every soldier and sailor of
/ the Mexican war, and every soldier
, and sailor of the war of the rebellion,
! who served even fourteen days in the
/ army or navy. 1t gives pensions also
/ to the surviving widows of such soldiers
and sailors. provided they have not re-
married. Then it raises certain pen
sions to the maximum of twenty-four
/ dollars per month, prescribes that
every eight-dollar pension now paid to
widows or minor children shall be
made twelve dollars and dates all the
civil war pensions back to the death or
discharge.
During the war there were furnished
to the Union armies, under the various
calls of President Lincoln, 2,772. 403
men. Probably 10000 men enlisted in
the regular army besides those who
were credited to the States. The
States, too, with few exceptions, re-
ceived no credit on their quotas for
men furnished for less than ninety
days service. Yet there were many sixty
days and thirty days men. In the
summer Of 1868 many militia volun-
teered for thirty days, the State of New
York alone furnishing 1928 officers
and men. According to the careful es-
innate of Colonel Phisterer, it is per-
fectly safe to say that the total number
of men furnished by the States and
Territories for the armies of the United
States, after deducting those credited
with service in the navy, will exceed
$3.50, 900. In Prof. Solcy's Blockade
and the Cruisers" we find the state
mcnt that when the war ended there
were 81 800 men in the Naval Service.
OF course there had been many others
who served only part of the war, and
many no doubt were discharged for
disability. In round numbers we NAV
say that about three million men re-
spOnded to the various. calls, on land
and sea, in the regular and volunteer
services.
1t is clear, therefore, that the bills
just spoken of propose to pension an
enormous number of men. 1t may be
said that those who rc-enlisted are count
Cd -,
is true; and it is not possible, without
degree of labor perhaps never likely
to be undertaken, TO know Just how
many individual soldiers and sailors
served. But it is worth while obsprv-
inc that if the aggregate of PIP, 4O2
men credited to the States and Terri
tories under the various calls is brought
10 a three years standard, il still rep
rcsentS =, 800, 272, Thus it will be seen
that the number of shOrt-term troops
was comparatively very small. 1t is
often urged in behalf of those univer-
sal pension projects which provide a
pension at the rate of Il certain liked
sum per month, according to the
amount of service rendered, that the
great number of short terms will much
i''hII AilC slillOhilG " w paul. III It.
atty there were comparatively few who
served less than a year. In 1861, for
example, 9I.Sl6 men were furnished
for three months, but 657, 1858 men for
three years.
Schemes for pensiOning everybody,
rich or poor, who ever bore arms dur
ing the Mexican war and the civil war.
even for 4 fortnight, DO not take proper
account of the expense which would be
incurred in carrying them into effect.
In fact, they hardly take account of the
character of the service performed,
since it is well known that militia who
performed duty in Northern forts for
a few weeks, until regular forces could ,
be supplied. We're mustered into the |
service. Under such bills IS have been !
into Congress. even these !
soldiers would now be entitled 10 pen !
sionS, though never within hundreds of |
miles OF the actual scene of war.-N |
I. SUg.