Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-09-20
MIR. MASON ON PENSIONS.

Mr.. John w. Mason, Commissioner
of Internal Revenue, was the princi-
pal speaker at q reunion of Maulsby's
battery at Palatine, this State, last
Saturday. AS is usual with Republi-
can orators ON such occasions, he de-
voted himself to the pension question,
and of course he advocated great lib
eraIity in this respect Mr.. Mason
declared himself in favor of a service
pension for every honorably dis
charged soldier, and said:
1T is estimated that the dependent
pension bill would add about $4,000
600 to the pension list, which would
make the total list a little less than
Ss4. 900, 600 But supposing it to be
800, 900. 900. the S100,000,00 would
paw all the pensions proper, and there
would be on the retired list only such
soldiers as were more than sixty years
old. and not on the regular pension
list. which would make the retired
list comparatively small. With the
immense and increasing revenues OF
this country, these sums could be met
without imposing upon the people
anv onerous burden OF taxation. IL
will be remembered that the govern
ment has a daily income OF more than
a million dollars, including Sundays.
This sum is paid largely by Importers
distillers and brewers.
Mr.. Mason's figures are not al
together right. The statistics show
that for the year ending July l. 1889,
the sum of SSS.275,1 13 was paid out
for pensions. And the five millions
he estimates the dependent pension
bill would add TO the expenditures is
hardly a fraction of the real increase
that would result. In the discussions
i'm Congress concerning this bill, mem
bers who had thoroughly studied the
question estimated that it would add
not less than forty million dollars an
nually TO the pension expenditures.
Few put it at less than twenty mil
lions. In truth, there is no telling
how high the figures would go. When
the pension arrears bill was first pass
ed it was thought 100000 900 would
meet the claims. In reality it has ia
ken S4OO, 100000
The speaker did not state, though
he might have done so with truth,
that one-third of the money used to
carry on the government is paid out
TO pensioners, and that $50, 900, 600
more was spent last year by the Pen
sion Department than was expended
eleven years ago. The pension pay
ments are now three times as great as
in 1S7S-is not that increase enough?
One thing is certain-the thought
full people of the country will have to
rise up and stem this tide of pension
profigacy, irrespective of politics.
No one whose opinion is worth any
thing begrudges the worthy veteran
his honest pension. But the fraudu-
lent and unworthy claimants should
be weeded out and the demagogues
who advocate extravaganza i'll order
to gain votes should be sharply headed
off.
Mr.. Mason's statement that the i'm
porters, brewers and distillers pay
the bills is very shallow. The people
of this country foot the bills. The
tariff of 40 per cent. is the thing that
raises the money, and if there is
single individual who can escape pay
ing his proportion of this onerous bur-
den, let him stand up and be counted.
The pension profligacy is already
having its effect. a year ago the
public debt was decreased monthly
by about $4,000, 900. Last month it
was increased nearly $7,OOO,OO0. What
will be the result if the politicians are
allowed to go on unchecked?