St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-10-24
Gbe Californian.
written for the CALIFORNIAN
PENSIONS AND THE GRAND ARMY.


ent. Gen. Ide, appear to need COM
ment His honesty is not doubted,
and his ability shows for itself; but
in some things we reach different
conclusions, possibly from different
standpoint, or different experience.
1t is true, as he explains, that
large majority of the Grand Army
are republicans, and that its ritual
forbids meddling in politics; but for
obvious reasons its powers and lnfiu-
ence are potent factors IN sustaining
the republican party There is a
widespread belief, persIstently fos-
tered among the army men, that
their rights, if not their liberties,
would be unsafe if in other than re-
publican hands. But this feeling IS
less acute than the well-grounded
fear that their claims for services
rendered would be in peril if party
acceptable to the South should be in
power For it could not be expected
that a conquered people, who expect
nothing from the public treasury for
their own losses, should feel over gen
erous toward those who caused their
losses. And so by appeals to preJu-
dice and self interest the Grand Army
in spite of its ritual has become q
vast, compact body whose support IN
politics is given where most expect
ed in return. 1t may be different else
where, but here it is recognized as
party in politics i'll everything but
distinctive party nominations, which
are unnecessary, as there are two
powerful reasons which will compel
the republicans to grant its demands
One Is that their ascendancy depends
upon the Grand Army, and the other
is the necessity of dispOslng OF the sur
plus revenue without disturbing the
tariff And the present outlook IS
favorable to those who are in the
army for the similar reason that
Texas Flanagan was in Chicago.
The mutual fellowship and protec-
ton of the old soldiers for which the
Grand Army was first organized are
now minor considerations to those
whose objective point is the United
States treasury And Tanner, Dal-
zell and Tracy tell us what the fate
will be of those who stand in their
way. And it is useless to say these
are not representative men. BraS-
carts as they may be they did not
manufacture the ammunition which
they fired off with their mouths. 1t
is the common property OF the order
as a body, and has its approval. Its
members say they will dig Harrison S
grave if he hesitateS to follow the
path they have marked out for him.
Tanner and his methods are APPROX
ed bv its chosen delegates in national
convention, and while he has been
removed for preaching rather than
practicing, it is but justice to him to
remember that some OF the worst
methods of the pension department
were not of his creation, and their
authors are not disturbed. And the
re-rated and much Over-rated Man
derson intends to know when Con
press meets, why the man who put
$1,000 in his senatorial pocket was
removed. And SO long as loose re-
rating prevails and those who are
injured i'll personal quarrels, those
who never had an honorable dis
charge, which may include all bum
mers and bounty-iumpers who enlist
ed under the stimulus of the draft
and large bounties, and SO long as
thousands of claims are made special
either in the department or rushed
through Congress by pension agents
for contingent fees, which no leg1sla-
ton can etfectually reach or prevent
any more than it can prevent the
L
claims which your correspondent sc
forcibIv describes, there will be nc
need of explanation from any depart
ment to fOrctell w hat the end will be-
But however much the army may
receive from the party in power, there
is a large following which is neve1
likely to be fully satisfied. And they
state their case in this way: 1--WE
saved the nation. Without us thu
North would have been conquered
provinces, ruled by merclless task
masters and cursed with slavery for
ever. We fought and won i'll desper
ate undertaking; we r1sked health
liberty and life itself, end in Just1c
we should have as much as an attOr
ney who wins desperate case on ;
contingent fee of half the amount re
covered.
Gen. Idle should not be suspected @
such a belief, nor those of that nObl
band who went out like him from
the green hills of my native state t.
save nation from its peril. But t.
magnify the Importance of service
rendered is a common weakness c
frail humanity. And to believe or de
feud such a notion is as reasonabl
as muItitudes of those in private an
public service who believe in thei
souls that the ruin of that servic
would follow their retirement.
Gen. Ide believes that the numbe
of fraudulent claims allowed is sma
as there must be sworn affidavit:
and the facts in the case OF each az
plicant are known to all his neigh
bors. who, if he be unworthy, ca
spoil his little game. An army {
special agents travel the country an
learn all about him from his neigh
bors. Then there is n surgical exam
nation and various bars too nume1
Gus to mention These bars al
usually effective in country place
where the history of each is know
to all. but in cities this condition
things is practically reversed, wher
a man may never know the name c
occupation of his next neighbOrs. {
the multitude of substitutes who Ell
listed in the cities when the calls wei
loud and rapid for 300, 900 more, fe
were known even to those who:
money they received No one care
for their history, the important pOir