The National tribune., 1888-03-22
r1NoRMoUs VALUE OF TIME.


creditors of the Nation.
Congressmen-even those who are more
than half friendly to pension legislation
appear to labor under the impression that
there is no more urgency about pension
legislation than about that relating to harbor
deienses, building navy, improving rivers,
erecting public buildings or providing a
plant for making a high-power cannon. All
this can be done with the deliberation
necessary to secure absolutely the best re-
suits. If the plans proposed to one Congress
are not absolutely satisfactory, no great
harm can result from postponing the matter
over to the next one, and so on indefinitely.
The habit Of postpOning legislation that
is not pressed by private and personal in
terest Is so inveteTate with Congress that it
readily yields to it.
But this reasoning will not apply to pen
sion legislation. It is necessarily a matter
Of the highest urgency and grows still more
urgent in geometricaI ratio with the passing
Of every year. It is more pressing than any
other business that can come before Con
gress. It exceeds by far even the necessity
Of providing for the payment of principal
and interest of the public debt or for the
running expenses Of the Government. No
great harm viii be done the owner Of bond
if he does not receive his interest on the first
day ofthe quarter, nor will the oficeholder be
irTeparabIy injured if his salary is not forth
coming on the last day of the month. The
amounts due them are a very solid kind
Of assets, and their payment is speedy and
certain.
But the veteran who does not get his dues
to-day may never get them. The chances
are great, and constantly becoming greater,
that he viii not; for at his age every year
that he lives diminishes the chances that he
viii live another year, and so on. If he is
not paid before he drops into the grave he is
swindled in the most contemplate manner.
Tens CT thousands of as deserving men as
ever bore arms for any Government have
been so swindled. Every year that justpen-
sion legislation is postponed adds thousands
Of these victims of the Governments per-
fdy, and heaps up still higher the mountain
Of culpabiIity resting on those responsible
for the Nations delay in paying its Just
debts, which have now been due more than
haitian average lifetime.
1t viii not do to plead the danger that
may result from undue haste and ill-prepara-
ton Of pension legislation. The number of
uDdeserving persons likely 20 be pensioned
under such legislation has been most grossly
exaggerated. Even were it as great as has
been alleged by the most incorporate SOL
dier-bateIs, it we're still infinitely better
that every one of them receive pensions
rather than one deserving man go to his
! grave without receiving what is due him.
Tie Government has taken abundance OF
time TO examine into these cases, and if II
still cannot determine who is rightfully en-
titled to pensions, the fault is wholly its
own, and it il cruelty unjust to make de-
serving men suffer for It's incompetence in
dealing with great question of right.
Against the plea Of hasty and ill-prepared
legislation, it can be said with entire truth
that never have any measures before Con.
! gress received the protracted and careful
consideration Of those which are now before
/ IL for passage. The bills now before it have
been before it for at least five years. Dur
ing that time every provision, and most o
the phrassology, have been discussed thor
oushly-ezhaustvely eyen-in the commit
tees and on the floors Of both Houses, by tn,
press and by the veterans. Bills embody
ing these provisions have repeatedly passed
each House To talk now of need of future
consideration is simply to make a thin ant
specious pretext to defeat the speedy enact
ment of such legislation. Everybody is a
fully informed on the subject as if the con
sideration were continued 10 years longer.
Now the country demands that the mat
ter be brought to an issue, and that Congress
address itself at once to its duty of maxim
suitable provision for the payment of tn
debt due the soldiers.
The long delay has been scandalous. Sto
the scandal at once by appropriate legisla
ton before any more veterans die with tn
Nations debt to them unpaid.
"PATRIoTIsM, HEROIssT, HOPE"
In his speech in the Senate last weel
Senator Sherman said:
Even, as it was, with the interest fairly secure
by revenues collected in coin, our bonds went
ono time ia the markets Of the world at about
cents on tile dollar. Mycountrymen il r
CURED patriotism, heroism, courage and hope
take the bonds Of the United States during tn
fearful war.
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