The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-22
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Such the Designation Applied to the Old
Soldiers Who Ask for Pensions.
An Article Worthy the Attention Of Soldiers
"A Democratic Organ Denounces Them as
Beggars, Dead-Beats and Coffee Coolers.

The following article appeared in the Chicago
Times, a Democrats paper, as an editorial,
March 2. 1887:
DEFEAT OF THE GRAND ARMY OF BEeGARs.
Thank God! the claim-sgents, the dems-
goguss, the dead-beats, and pordioseros. and de-
serters, and coffee-coolers. and bounty-jumpers.
composing our great standing army of volunteer
mendicants, have been defeated
But the maintenance of the Presidents right
eous veto of the pauper pensions iniquity 10 not
the end of the war upon the national treasury,
which has been prosecuted by that army Of in
satiabls cormorants ever since the war upon the
national autonomy closed. The President or
dered O halt and the order has been sustained,
but the army OF cormorants and claim-agents,
and bounty-jumpers, and professional mendi-
cants only have been checked, not conquered.
In fact, it is their first repulse since the crusade
OF the noble army OF psnsion-beEgars began.
Their leaders, the claim-agents and the party
demagogues, will endeayor to rally their blood
sucking host aud renew the war or meudicancy
against industry Is is necessary. therefore,
to follow up the advantage that has been
gained, and give the hostile horde OF thieves and
beggars no rest until they shall have abandoned
eminent for support and gone to work TO sup
port both themselves and government.
The Times repeats. therefore, now that the
veto OF the pauDer pension stead has been eus-
tdloC9, tuluk tuat IL ulDtEtQ LutI0
seemed to be great danger that congressional
representatives OF the claim-sgepts and bounty
jumpers would override At Not merely that
most seapdalous measure that has ever been
sent to q President for his signature is the OBJ
ject that invites continued an incorporating
condemnation. but the principle which it was
sought In that iniquitous measure to apply, the
theory and doctrine on which it was projected.
and the whole vicious fabric Of sophistry. cant,
hypocrisy and humbug that patriotic rascality
raised for it's support.
1t is o p~ostulate Of clsim-sgents that the grand
army of pension-beggars saved the country"
etc. That postulate 10 absolutely false. No
country. no nation, political constitution system,
or establishment, has ever been saved by, or
been able to depend for it's salvation upon citi-
Zens that ars cot in the habit Of depending on
themselves or that would not Indignantly spurn
the idea of being or pecomin either dependents
or beneficiaries of the government. Nay, the
truth is broader than this. Nor In all tue his
tory of the world can a political society be found
that, becoming permeated with the idea that a
government il an establishment for the support
OF citizeus, instead OF an agency for the execu-
ton of justice among them, did not speedily Der
ieh. No, this Republic has not been saved by
any army OF pension-beggars, nor has any
pension-beeRar nor any advocate or
arologist of pension-beggary, the least
basis of q claim to be enrolled among its saviors-
On the contrary, pension begears, pension-bse-
gary, and the notions OF government that they
imply, are more dangerous enemies Of the ma
tion than undisguised rebels.
A Southern writer who stood among the IN
pensioued rebels has objected. in q tone of great
bitterness, TO this crusade Of the pension-beg-
gars on the ground Of alleged injustice TO thu
citizens that fought On the wrong side. There
10 nothing left Of the war, he says, excepting
the annual tax THAT isl wrested from the i'm
poverished South to pay pensions to the soldiers
of the rich and prosperous North
Not a Southern cripple receives ; dollar OF these
taxes. Nota Southern home for . soldier gets
w. FL
erty. etc. 'It the South is q vasssl, let US
know il, and cease this mockery of equality
This mode of writing is very foolifh, and
serves only 10 reveal the bitterness that still
fingers in the liver OF the confederate briRadier
on account of the 'iost cause" Politically.
there is no South, nor North, nor East, nor
West. If there is a South that is more than az
underlined geographical section of the country,
it is a surviving number OF citizens that were
soldiers of the rebellion, but that. fortunately
for themselves and their geographical section.
have not been encouraged to become mendicant
DEFENDANTS on the bounty or en- unwise pster-
nal government. 1.-THE exrebel soldiers said
Mr.. Bragg. 'are toiling day by day. and exhib-
never was expected Of them" Why 10
thisi e is because the exrebel sol
der has not been entced, tempted and
encouraged by pension bills, designed by dema-
Rogues to buy his vote, to become q professional
mendicant. On the other hand. the exsoldier
OF the North, instead OF thriving By dependence
upon his own energy and industry. is in the
almshouse, according 10 Mr.. Warner. or, &C
cordipg to other claim-sgert statesmen, will
soon be there unless papa government grants
him . pauper pension. Why is thisf 1t is be-
cause papa government has indoctrinated him
with the pestilent notion that IL is becoming tn
asavionr of his country to fulfill the character
or q dependent upon Its bounty, or a mendicant.
Of q losfer. of a pauper without character or self
respect, who has gained the blessed right TO LAY
down anj open his mouth for a teat 10 suck.
Which Of these citizens-she ex-rabel soldier
who is supporting himself and contributing 10
the support of the government By depending on
his own industry and energy, or the ex-savior of
his country who is lying down az the door of a
poor house unless the bidders for his vote lie.
opening his mouth and yelling for a teat to suck
lis the worthier member and the more cspabl.
supporter and defender OF the commonwealth
The Times says without hesitation: The ex-
rebel, the man who is supporting the govern
ment as we'll az himself by his industry. energy
and thrift is incomparably a better citizen and n
stronger pillar of the state than the exsavior
OF his country who is begging the government
to put a premium on pauperism and improvi-
dence by giving him support from the earnings
ofthe more Industrious and worthy.
Unfortun ateiy, however, all the ex-rebels are
not Of this manly class. a., fortunately, all the
ex-saviors are not OF this class Of DeDsion-beg-
esrs-thoueh il the utterances OF their so-callsd
Grand Army societies are indicative OF the fact,
the majority OF them plainly are of the mendi-
cant order. The Mexican war pension bill was
a sop thrown by Northern demsgogism 10 the
mendicapt sentiment among ex-volunteer'
heroes in the Southern part of the country. IL
was a measure of the same vicious character as
the paper pension bill. and ought to have re-
ceived at the executive mansion the same treat
ment. Yet it is not recalled that a single
Southern statesman. press or writer emitted q
word of objection TO that vicious measure.
The truth is, as the Times has observed be-
fore in this discussion. there 10 in the nature of
the volunteer hero something that inclines him
to the profession of mendicancy; something
| that tends to divest HIM of the manly character
and selfrespeet of the independent citizen. and
to degrade him to the status Of a serviIe de-
pendent or an incapable pauper. That this Is
the degrading tendency, also, OF the so-called
Grand Army mutual self glorifcation societies
there appears ample evidence. The Times is.
therefore, in agreement with its correspondent
who says: st will be a happy day for the Re
public when the last beggar of the Grand Army
k.,ahun 81 aa,.. ni.n+.d y