South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-06-07

oUR PEH-ioNs AND STANDING ARurEs.-The
Appropriation for pensions in The year end.
ing June 80. 1889, was $8S, 400. 600. and n
question with the comm ysioner of pen
sions wnether the amount expended will not
reach Sl05, 900. 600. Adding 10 th 10 Sss. =
Sos,o0e appropriated for past services the
Sos,60O, 900 wepay for the services of the
$500 men constituting our present army
snd navy, we 6nd our total annual militia.
ry and naval burden is STAT, 900. 600. This
Is vast expenditure for peace times. aud
,he country is not the better pleased with
" wnen II reflects that most Oft ia monev
thrown away. II exceeds, it mast b, con-
IessedJ the military eI2en ditures of the
much Piued monarchies OF Eirope. Our
exp enditure for pensions alone exceeds the
cost OF TOE most powerful standing armies of
n's age OF oioated ornaments. Germany,
iof instance, spends but S55. 600. O0O 70
maintain her efficient standing army of 44S.
ooo men. The 1880 men in the German
navy represent an expenditure of but 30
600, 600 more. The amount. therefore ".
are likely to spend this year would main.
lam the army and navy OF the most power.
iol empire on the con inent Germauy's an.
nas' outlay for pensions is but SIS, 100.
OoV. though Germany has carried On two
gree; wars since our last in lssi.e5 Evi.
oentiys We are very much OVERRIDING thu
pension business. England maintains her
expensive st.nding army Of 2lo, OOs men on
from 3d., 900, 600 to 100000. GEO a wear
her magnificent navy, with it's complement
OF fe.zoo men, COTS her but SS3. 600.
goo year. Our present expenditure Of
Sl4I ,Ooo,0 900 for pensions and Q diminutiye
stmy and nary would, therefore, about suf.
nee 10 maintain the entire force with which
England holds worldwide empire. With
an annual expenditure Of but Sl32 soo o0o
france supports an army Of 523,2sO men
her navy, which is second to that Of Rnu.
land, costs her but $3s, 0oo, 0oJ. Austria.
hungary has an army of 266, 600 men, tina,
costs the empire $40. $50, 900 A veal, and
her navy. which numbers IL 500 men coats
out - 500 900 more. We are accus,omed
20 lament The condition Of the populations
OF EUROPE on account Of the burdens thew
, ooa ihey are ground down, we say, with
hxes 10 support 'bloa ted armamenis th.
object OF which Is to main tain the nr;v;,.aoS
cissse, IN possession of their i'll gotten gains
but 10 not our case worse? We NOT onIv
pay more In taxes for pensions than ALI 9th.
er countries in the civilized world mt 10.
ge'her, but what we pay for this ohiec, eY,
eeeds the annual cost Of Germany's standing
force, in army and navy, of I6l. $50 men 7,
And we pay it, not chiefly for the beneft Of
our 10000 pensioners, but in order that a
privileged class OF manufacturers mav
thrive Back of all our present ne,s;o1
legislation is the purpose or the pro,ectio nst
manufacturers 10 prevent the reduction of
tsxes. This 10 shown in q thousand ways
Inc animns OF the present administration
as indicated by the rulings of the pens ion
bureau, 10 to prevent any apparent necessity
Tor reduction OF taxes by increasing M.
pension list without regard TO the merits Of
elaimsuo The country is being debauched
py such a policy. We cannot too soon on,
stop TO loose views as to pensions which
are dissipsting the means Of the peools