davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1888-08-18

49,
A grand excursion from Washington
10 New Iberia and return will come off
on Sunday, August 10th, leaving Wash
ington &c 8 o'clock a. M. returning
leaves New Iberia at r b. m, fare for
round trip oil so from Washington and
Opalousas $I.25 from Grand Coteau
and Carencro $I.00 from Lafayette.
Excursionists will have the opportunity
Of attending the races at tie Park
Grounds, and also of visiting the Salt
Mines.
Louisiana State Fair and Shreveport
Exposition third annual fair takes
place at Shreveport: La, November 5th
70 10th inclusive. $25, 600 In premiums
and purses will be awarded. Liberal
premiums for parish exhibits. The
only fully equipped fair grounds Id the
State. Interesting programmes each
day. Some of tile finest race horses 10
the United States have already been en-
tered. Fer premium lists and general
information, address
II. Il ScoyELL, Secretary.
Shreveport, La.
The Opelousas courier., 1888-08-18

VICTOR BRUNEI,
Fashionable Boot de- Shoe Maker.
Main Street, adjoining Palord's, Opelousas
Ladies', Gents and Misses Boots and Sboes
made to order. Repair work a specially.
Elegance, ttyle and Durability
guaranteed. Prices reasonable. A share of
the public patronage respectfully solicited.
. e persons requiring work done will please
leave their orders one week in advance. m3lt
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
ONLY THE BEGINNING.

A comrade has written to us complaining
that we are not in sympathy with the Ar
rears Bill, because we do not burst out in
fervid praise of Col. Matson for having in
trOduced it.
1t is worthy of remark that only one in
our several hundred thousand readers is SO
beguiled by transparent device as to take
this view.
The rest of them understand that it is
one thing to introduce bill and quite an
other to pass it. There is also wide differ
ence between introducing bill and putting
forth earnest effort, after it is introduced, to
promote its passage.
In introducing an arrears Of pension bill
Col. Matson has simply done what has re-
peatedly been done in both Houses by other
gentlemen. He is entitled to no more credit
for the act than a score of others whom we
could name. He is not entitled to as much
SO far as Senator ingalls, and some others
who, after introducing the bill, did all that
lay in their power to have it passed.
Possibly Col. Matson intends to put forth
vigorous effort to have this bill passed, and
when he does so no one will praise him
more heartily than THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE. But we propose to reserve our praise
until he actually makes the effort, which so
far he has not done. While he allows it
to sleep quietly on the calendar he is enti-
tied to no commentator, and he will not
get it.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
THE WISDOM OF JUSTICE.

The supreme reason why the Nation should
do justice to its veterans is because itisrigAt.
This is the best reason that can be offered
for doing anything
But in addition to being eminently right,
the act Of justice is at this juncture the
highest wisdom. We have now in the Trea-
sury a very large sum of money, for which
there is no present employment or use, since
the Secretary OF the Treasury viii not do his
plain duty in paying off the public debt. It
has lain there idle for considerable time,
and Its volume Is growing by continual ad-
ditions Several millions Of dollars are re-
ceived every month more than is necessary
for the actual running expenses Of the Gov
eminent The problem before our public
men is some equitable and practicable
method for returning this money directly to
the people, and restoring it as soon as posi-
bic to Its legitimate functions as life-blood
in the arteries Of industry and trade OF the
numerous plans that are proposed there are
none that can compare in practicability and
widespread benefit, with paying it TO the
veterans in satisfaction of their just claims
against the Government they rescued from
destruction. To pay TIE money to the sol
diers and dependent ones to whom it is due.
is to take inconceivably the shortest and
quickest method Of distributing it equally
among the whole people. The recipients are
scattered over the whole land. They form
a not incOnsiderable proportion of substan.
tally every community.
In one way or another they are customers
and patrons of every store, every shop, every
farmer, every business and professional mar
in the whole country. This is true Of them
in larger sense than Of any other class o
our citizens that can be named Every dol
Lar that they get is at once paid out agail
in payment TO their fellow-citizens for til,
necessaries Of life-for food, fuel, clothing
shelter and professional service. To pa,
| 100000, or 100000, or S1OO,OOe,O0O t,
them is to pay it more quickly and direct,
into the pockets Of the farmers generally
the business and professional men, the treas
uries Of the railroads, and the tills of th
retailers than can be done by any and all tn
other plans devised.
II, for example, the Arrears Of Pension Bill
were to-day law, and the $70,000,0 90
which is honestly due the soldiers under i
were discussed to the soldiers next week
it would not be 80 days before 50 out q
every $40 Of it would be distributed anon
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
AN INCOME TAX.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issue Of
the 18th uIt in the editorial on THE Pension
Haters' Plot" you say of the re-enactment Of the
ineome-tax law that it is the most inquisitoral,
obnoxious and corruption producing form of tax
ation.'
do not dissent from the proposition, but as
there are occasional advocates of it. what are your
reasons for the above strong statement? Please
cay in editorial, even at the risk of repetition
j. c. MAGEE, Corporal, Co. D. 9Th Iowa, Albion,
Iowa.
Theoretically, an income tax is the fairest
and most just tax that can be imposed. 1t
is something that everybody believes in if
it could be equitably adjusted and collected,
but here we are confronted with practical
experience. In order to get at mans in
come it is necessary to keep up an espionage
that is extremely distasteful to people at
large. The honest man will pay his tax
when it is due. The dishonest man will
dodge and avoid it, and it is impossible to
bring him to time. 1t is especially so in
this country, where our business methods are
so free and varying In Europe it is easier
than it is here, for the reason that every
thing is settled and well defined there. A
man has so many acres of land, so many
buildings, and he gets so much rent from
them. This remains substantially the same
from year to year, and there can be no CON
cealment about the amount. Then, everybody
over there is under much more careful super
vision than he can be in this country The
officials keep a strict account of wide range
of things pertaining to a mans way of living
and his business, which would be regarded
as insufferably impairment here.
For instance, the officials have record OF
just how many servants every man keeps
and what wages he pays them; how many
horses he has in his stables, and how many
wheels on his carriages; whether he uses
crest on his letter paper, and a host OF
similar things.
Even with this careful spying the income
tax is avoided and dishonest men succeed in
escaping their share of the burdens of the
Government. We all know how successfully
men in this country avoid taxation which is
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21

closed, those who had been supported by it
turned to agricultural pursuits. Land was
plentiful everywhere, and exceedingly cheap.
Anyone with two strong hands could make
living.
Now fully one-fourth of our productive
population is engaged in manufacturing. Of
the 100000 of our men and women who
arc supporting themselves and others
by their labor, 100000 are at work in
shops, factories and mines There is no
land for these men and women to 90 to if the
factories are shut up as there was in 1916.
They must work at their present occupation
or become paupers.
The Mills Bill is a conspiracy against
every one of these, and full of dire evil to
them.
No bin tampering ,oith orr reUeanes should
be passed until the Nation has paid its debts to
tie Ueterans and to the JondholderB.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
1NExpL1CABLE INACTIVITY.

insignificant and unsatisfactory as is the
relief offered the veterans by Matson's man
Cling amendments to the Disability Bill, he
does nothing whatever to have even it actu-
ally given. o.
He reported his amendments to the House
April IA, which is now more than two
months ago. They, were ordered to be
printed, and there the matter rests.
In the 10 weeks which have passed since
April Ia he has literally not lifted a finger
to promote the passage of the bill. He has
not asked the House to set apart day or
an hour-not even the fraction of an hour
for its considerations
Other Members of the House have made
repeated and strenuous efforts to secure
time for the consideration of pension leQis-
lation, but none of these have had the CO.
operation of the Chairman of the Committee
on Invalid Pensions, or indeed any mani
festation of his sympathy.
Certainly the comrades had at least reason
to expect some activity in behalf of his own
bill
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21

the farmers, doctors, grocers, dry-goods deal
ers, shoemakers, druggists, house-owners,
etc, from Maine to California, and every
business interest would respond to its
quickening influence as the grass and flowers
do to warm rain in April The S7O,000,000
would do the good work Of at least $780,
000,000, for every dollar sent out in this way
would do the work of 10 in a few weeks.
Every veteran would pay it at once to the
dealer or other business man whom he trad
ed with; he would in turn pay his bills
with it, and so on, until within very short
time at least $40 of Indebtedness would be
discharged by it.
This is not fancy picture. 1t is sober,
business reality, which every common-sense
man realizes. Senator Sherman says-and
all who studied the situation cordially agree
with him-that nothing did so much toward
making the resumption of specie payments
splendid success as the passage of the
Arrears Bill. 1t put at once into the pockets
of the great body of the people a vast sum
of money, which they used to pay their
debts, and burden of obligations equal to
90 or 80 times its amount was in very
short time discharged by it.
Of course, what is true of the Arrears of
Pension would be equally true-only in less
degree-of the Equalization of Bounties, the
Disability Pension, and other acts of justice
to the veterans.
Leaving out entirely the question of JUS
tice and considering it simply in the selfish
light of pecuniary benefit to the entire
country, inconceivably the best thing the
Government can do for the people is to dis
burse with the least possible delay
$100,0OO,0OO of the money in the Treasury
among the veterans.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21

Iron manufacturing responds promptly
70 the depressing influence Of the Mills Rev
enue Tinkering. The weekly output has
fallen of from 1854 tons, which was the
average at this time last year, TO 10, o69 tons,
8 falling of Of $4,000 tons a week. The
average price Of iron is SD ton, and as rs
per cent. Of this goes to the labor employed
in the production, this means that the work
ingmen engaged in this branch Of manufac-
ture are getting about SIS, 900 a year
less this year than last year. The country
can afford to do almost anything else better
than take away the wages Of workingmen.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
One Dollar per Year,

ESTABLISHED 1879

HONEY sent as oiIerUise dus' By registered letter.
postal 'RORey order, or dTajf GA AfU
kIork sriII Be cf The risk Of the sender.
zGEETs-We employ no ogeats. TEE NATIONAL
TRTBUEE has many v0lunteer canUassers, and they
s1re generally honest aud faithful bat persons 'eIo
cozdc their subscriptions 10 dIcl mast be their olTn
Fudges q their responsibility. The paper tDt4 be SEM
orlg on receipt Of The subscription prizes.
ADDRESSES REEETALS. Eic.-Lddresses sria
Dc changed as often as desired, BAT each subscriber
Ehodi ia ere case gre The Old tUeU as HeiC address.
IN Tenetciig subscribers should be careful to send as The
gabsl on he last paper Tooeued, and specify any cor
ections o. changes leg desire made IA name or adj
dress
CORRESPOEDENCE.-C Correspondence Is solicited
from euery section 5a regard 10 Grand Army, Pen
sion BfIacrF Agricultural Industrial and Household
Enetes and IcisrS to The Editor s0u Arrays receive
s5roBls,i o,teatiou Write on ONE SIDE Of he paper
onIu We do not return Communications or TRasiu-
scripts llnlsss Hcy are accompanied by Request to
taat effect ond the necessary postage, and URde- so
circumstances guarantee their publication az Gag
special dats.
address al communications 70
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
Washington, ID. @,
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE 81 1855,
AN UNUSUAL OFFER.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE FOR
THREE MONTHS FOR % CENTS.

So many veterans desire THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE during the remainder of the ses-
sion Of Congress, and so many more are de-
string to secure sample copies Of the paper,
that we have been constrained to make an
unusual offer to accommodate them. ne
sviu send the paper FOR THREE MOETHS
FOB 25 CENTS to al srIio send IN their names
before he Isl Of July nert.
So far we have uniformly declined to take
subscriptions for shorter period than six
months, and then only at an advance on the
usual yearly price, but now we are con-
strained to depart from that policy in order
that TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, with its full
reports Of the proceedings of Congress, and
the debates on pension legislation and other
matters Of interest to veterans, shall be
within reach Of every veteran in the length
and breadth Of the land.
During these three months the paper viii
be kept at the highest standard Of interest
In addition to fuller reports Of all Congress
sional proceedings, and ether matters relat-
ing 70 pensions and veterans, than any other
paper viii have, it viii have an immense
variety Of original, valuable and instructive
matter. such as can be found in no other
psper.
We ask all our readers to take advantage
Of this opportunity to place the paper in the
hands ofevery veteran acquaintance oftheirs
who is interested in it, but does not take IT.
They are all willing to pay . cents for so
good a paper for three months, and if the
matter is brought to their attention, viii be
ready at oEce with their money and their
names. We hope that every man and wom-
an now on our list, win at once send Us in
club Of names Of their acquaintance. Let
rs have 100000 additional subscribers before
July ], and ii VIII have the best possible
effect IN promoting pension legislation by
Congress for then we VIII speak in the name
Of quarter Of million veterans, and our
words Will be vastly stronger power than
ever in demanding soldiers rights.
Lei eUay subscriber send in at least oae
name
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
TIE TWO PENSION BILLS.

Tx TWO PENSION BILLS,
THENATIoNAL TRIBUNE Service-Pension
BID is not intended TO supersede the Disa-
bility Bill urged by the Grand Army of the
Republic, but is supplementary to it. What
is desired is that the Disability Bill be
passed first, and THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
Bill next.
The original idea of the Disability Bill
remains in full force. Its passage will take
out Of the poorhouses and other charitable
institutions and bring relief to tens of thou
sands of our comrades who are disabled and
needy, and who, for lack of evidence, are
unable to establish their claims for pensions.
All such win receive under ii S12 a month.
1t gives a pension to the widows Of such
as shall die, without imposing the necessity
Of proving that the death was due to their
service. 1t raises the pension of orphans
from s. month to So.
Having thus taken care of the actually
disabled and needy comrades, THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE Service-Pension Bill pro-
poses that all men who served in the army
for period of so days or more, and were
honorably discharged, shall receive a pen
sion, without reference to disability, at the
rate of one cent per month for every day
served, but no pension is to be less than So.
1t next provides that all widows Of such
soldiers shall be pensioned from the date of
their husbands decease, at the rate of S12 a
month.
Next it has the most practical provision
yet suggested in connection with any pen
sion bin. In order that the prospective pen
sioners msy have immediate benefit from
the bill it prescribes that the clerical force
in the Pension Bureau, the Adjutant-
Generals Office, and the Offices of the
Pension Agents shall be at once increased to
such an extent as to enable them to dispose
Of the whole volume of business arising
under the law within two years from the
! date of its passage. 1t does not even stop
there, but appropriates the money for the
payment Of this increased clerical force, and
thus places it beyond any possibility of in
reference that the work of allowing and
paying the claims viii begin Immediately
upon the passage Of the bill, and continue
without interruption until every man who
served in the Union army shall receive his
pension before the end of two years. This
is exceedingly businesslike and practical,
and viii Go away at once with the weary
waiting until the soul sickens, which has
characterized the operation of all previous
pension legislation.
The two bills taken together make the
most complete, far-reaching equable and
generally satisfactory pension system yet
devised or urged upon Congress.
They form comprehensive platform upon
which every veteran and relative and friend
Of the veterans can stand. They form a def
mite, practical plan Of operations upon which
they can unite all their energies with rea-
sonable hope Of speedy success, and we trust
that there viii not be dissenting voice
bit that all viii put their shoulders to the
wheel and summon their whole strength fol
a concerted effort.
TIE bills can be made into laws if we all
unite in demanding their passage.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
DUTY OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY.

TREASURY.
There is no mystery about the public debt
and its management Any plain, everyday
man can understand it thoroughly and COM
prehend the duty of the Secretary of the
Treasury, with hundreds of millions of idle
money at his disposal.
The first fact is that there are 1922, 100000
of bonds which bear Al per cent. interest,
and which are due and must be paid Sept 1,
1891.
Every thinking man will say that he
ought to apply every dollar of this idle
money to the purchase of these bonds, and
the stoppage of the interest upon them. In
private life he would be regarded as poor
business man indeed who would go on fill
ing up his safe with money that earned him
nothing, instead Of using it to take up the
notes against him upon which he was paying
heavy interest
But some claim that if the Secretary of
the Treasury pushes the purchase of the
bonds, syndicates and combinations viii run
the price up on him, and he viii have to pay
more than they are worth, and so the people
be feeced.
Let US see how little there is in this talk
The bonds, we have said, are due Sept. 1,
1891. That is three years and two months
from the first of next month They bear d
per cent. interest. Consequently the total
amount Of interest which the holders will
receive, if they retain the bonds until ma
turity, is 14l cents on the dollar. Any
school-boy can figure this out on his slate in
a couple of minutes.
1t viii be readily perceived that no posi-
BILE combination or syndicate can push the
premium on the bonds above lat cents, be-
cause that would involve an actual and
inevitable loss of money If the Secretary
could not get the bonds now for less than
the total amount of interest due till matu-
rity, it would still be the best policy for him
to call them in and liberate the idle money
in the Treasury. The bonds have to be paid
at that time, and also whatever interest is
not released viii have to be paid, and he will
make nothing for the people by postpOning
the payment three years, and keeping the
money for the purchase lying idle.
But this is not necessary. The holders of
the bonds are good business men, and con-
sequently they know that it would be de-
cidedIy to their advantage to take about
half the total interest now and have the use
of their money for the next three years and
two months. In that time they can make
much more out of it than the u per CENT
but little over per cent. per annum,-which
they surrender.
Therefore, the clear duty of the Secretary
of the Treasury is to make use Of the power
given him by law-and its possession has
recently been reaf1irmed by Congressman
take up the entire amount of the Al per cent
bonds as rapidly as possible This will re-
Iieye the country of a heavy burden of inter
est, reduce the National debt over fourth
dispose of the surplus problem, and set q
vast amount of idle money actively TO work
in the industries and business of the country
As we said in the beginning, this is SC
clear that any plain, everyday man can SEE
it at first glance.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
THE AVERAGE NEW YORKER.

THE AVERAGE NEW YORKER.
Why should the average resident of New
York city have any interest in veterans,
pensions, protective tariff, development of
the country, or any other purely American
ideaP
The chances are that his birth, education,
associations and business interests are for
eign, alien, and antagonistic
Three out of five of these chances are that
he was born abroad, and came to this eoun-
try after his education and habits of thought
were fixed, and only because he could better
his condition. However long he has lived
in the city bis thoughts, affections and as
pirations are all essentially foreign and I'M
American.
1t would have been different if he had
gone out beyond the city into the interior of
the country. Then by intimate mingling
with our people he would have become part
of our National life, sharing with Us cur
thoughts and aspirations, and becoming as
truly American, as much interested in all
that is of Importance to the country as if
born here.
Instead of this he has staid in New York,
| associated mainly with his own countrymen,
| cherished with them the love of his native
land, maintaining a deeper sentimental in
terest for all that concerns it on account of
his absence from it, and has regarded this
country only as something out of which to
make money. His feeling is likely to be very
much that which the men who went to Cali
fornia in 1849, or to Australia, or the South
| African diamond fields, had for those coun-
tries They cared so little for their future
that they could not be induced to throw a
spadeful of earth to make a necessary public
road
Wen only use the roads few times and
manage to get over them somehow" they
would say. eff any body else wants to i'm
| plOfO tlICLh lOC thCHI w Abs NC HOn - We *
here on other business"
The average New Yorker is only resi-.
dent of New York because he can make more
money there than he can in London, Paris
Cork, Berlin, Vienna, or Naples. He has not
patriotic sentiment or utilization which
would hinder his striking his tent tomorrow
and emigrating to Rio de Janeiro, or Val
paraiso, or Constantinople if he felt assured
his pecuniary interests would be benefited.
Consequently, he is utterly Indifferent as tC
what the country has been-or will be-aftel
he has made his fortune. All that he cares
for is what it is at present and what it il
likely to be while he has need of it for hii
own purposes. II, by breaking down thu
tariff, he could fill his pockets from the enor
nous importations fer three years he would
do it, though he were perfectly certain tina
the ruin of the country would follow at the
end of the three years. He would expect Il
be out of harms way By that time.