The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-29
WHAT WE FIRMLY BELIEvE.

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE firmly believes
that this country cannot do too much for
the men who saved it from destruction. All
talk of "lavishness," extravaganza" etc, in
pensions and allowances is rank nonsense.
Ife7ery plan which has been urged upon
Congress were adopted to the fullest and
widest extent contemplated by its most san
guine promoters, and millions of dollars paid
out every year where there are now thou
sands, even then the total payment would
not represent the pecuniary sacrifices alone
made by the men who gave up everything
in the way of worldly prospects in order to
rush to the defense of their imperiled coun-
try. 1t would not equal their loss in wages,
in business profits, in progress toward seour-
ing competence and the comforts their
families and dependent ones would have en-
jOyed
1t would be still farther from equaling the
loss to the country if they had not sacrificed
themselves as freely as they did.
If the Nation should equaIize every
bounty, pay up every arrears of pension on
the most liberal basis, make the pay received
during the war equal to gold, make hand
some allowance to every prisoner of war,
place every disabled veteran above the need
of earning his daily bread, properly provide
for every helpless soldier and the widows,
orphans, and dependent parents, give every
veteran fine homestead out of the choicest
parts of the National domain, and then
make comfortable monthly allowances to
each man, to be increased as his age adj
vances, it still would not begin to do as much
measured by money standards-as these
men have done for it.
It would not even pay as much to the sol
diers as their work put directly into the
pockets of the bondholders and the money
lenders of the country.
This is without taking into consideration
the physical impairment suffered by the men
who fought through that terrible four years
of war.
Believing thus, that, do what it will, the
Government cannot begin to pay the debt il
owes the veteran, we are, and always have
been, in favor of every measure likely to
benefit him.
The only questions have been as to where
was the greatest need of relief, whose wants
were the sorest, what measure, taking al
things into consideration, was most likely
to be gotten through, and what course was
likely to be most speedily helpful to the
greatest number Of deserving men.
The plan followed by the GAR. National
Pension Committee, under the instructions
Of the National Encampment, has unques-
tionably been the wisest and best. There
can be no doubt of the supreme wisdom O.
first concentrating every effort upon getting
through such indisputably just legislation a:
was urged in the Committees recommends
tons. No one ever thought for moment
that these represented the sum of what j!
due the soldiers They are only the pre-
liminary items in the account The plan il
to get them disposed Of and then proceed
with the same concentration Of effort to Sc
cure whatever else can be gotten. BY al
uniting On few things at time the Hkeli
hood Of eventually getting everything il
immensely increased.
This is the policy that we have earnestly
advocated and shall continue to advocate.