St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-07-25
THE PENSION EVIL.

What is the Grand Army coming
to be? For a long time there has
been too much evidence that, in spite
political object, it has degenerated,
at any rate in many communities, in
to mere portion of the local pohti
cal machine. But until recently it
has maintained generally a high rep
utation for honest self-respect and
pride. 1t has not been a mere money
getting agency, such as it too often
now seems to be in some quarters.
1t has Disseminated carefully be-
tween brave and faithful soldiers,
who did their duty and the whole of
it, and the "bummers' and skullSers,
who now sometimes seem to have as
good a chance of receiving its aid as
anybody else. It's policy, or it's lead
ers, or both, appear to have been al
tered for the worse.
Two facts need to be recalled by
everybody in this connection. Oneis,
that the honor of having saved the
country cannot be mOnopolized, sis
went into the army All honor to
them! In many respects their service
was as much harder than that of
others as it was exposed to personal
danger. No patriotic or fair1ninded
person willingly would underesti-
mate their noble services in the least
degree. Yet all could not go with
them. Thousands of men equally
able, brave and patriotic, were COM
PEELED to remain at home on the nee
essary business of the nation, to raise
money for its troops, to provide food
and supplies of every sort, and, in a
word, to maintain all the great oper-
ations of national life, the failure Of
any one of which would have been
our instant ruin. The sacrifices which
many, who did not enlist, neverthe-
less made, and made cheerfully, for
their country, were as honorable, if
not also as severe, as any made by
the men who went to the front. All
these patriotic citizens were content
to let the army men have their losses
and sacrifices recognized by the be-
stowal of pensions. They do not be-
grudge a dollar thus given in any
case of real merit. They ask no cor
responding recompense for them
selves. But they-and there are
many, many thousands of them-do
demand that the giving of pensions
in unworthy, or even fraudulent cas-
es, shall be stopped.
The other fact is this. The grow
ing habit of depending largely on the
nation for support is demoralizing
the whole people. A few years ago
no veteran soldier, who had COM
Portable income of his own, would
condescend to apply for a pension.
1t was felt, and most properly, that
pensions ought to be given only to
the poor or disabled. But sorapidlv
has the hunger for the public money
spread and increased, that it is now
declared that a certain United States
senator, who has a good income
apart from his official salary, not
only has accepted pension, but ac
tually has just received an increase of
his pension, and that, too, not only
for the future, but also in the form of
back pay for the past to the amount
of $4,000. This may be an extreme
case. Certainly it is extremely dis
creditable.
1t is time for plain speech upon this
matter. The best friends of the pres
ent administration are those who are
warning it most vigorously of the
rock ahead of it in this respect. IN
less the calm, sober good sense of the
country soon discovers a change of
the present policy in regard to pen
sions, there will be a heavy reckon
ing not far in the future, and one
which this nation will long remem-
ber.- Boston Congregationalist, Adj
ministration Republican.