Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-12
Our Pension-List.

The United States Government does not
Keep up an immense military establishment
like those Of the vSrious European coun-
tries, bat we have pensiop-list which goes
20 prove that temporary armies or volunteer
soldiers such as UNCLE SAN employed during
The war betweed the States may cost more IN
the end than regular standing armies. Ger
many, for example, keeps up irregular army
Of over 400, 900. besides n million OF men on
n war footing, at a cost OF about hundred
millions Of dollars year, while Corporal
TANNER. the head Of the United States PEN
tion BureSu, PAYS out annually not far from
the same amount In pensi0nsl
The length Of UNCLE SANS pension list
proves also that JOHNNY RIB must have been
an expert msrksman from 1861 to 1865. The
number OF the men slain IN battle by Con-
federa,o bullets is not involved ia the
figures we are about TO give. though this
number is an exceedingly large one. What
we have to do with at present IA the Inst OF
men who twenty.four years after the war
between the states ended still draw pensions.
We obtain the figures from an Official docu-
ment-nsmsly, "Statistical Abstract OF the
United States. 1888 Eleventh Number.
Prepared by the Bureau Of Statistics under
the Secretary oftbe Treasury" The figures
we give refer only to pensions granted on ac-
count Of services rendered in putting down
Che "rebellion."
The number Of army invalid pensioners Ia
$4,000. Two or three times as many men ss
General LEE ever commanded sre named on
That pensiOn-list. The number OF army
widows pensioned IS 9O,sS2. Here we have
represented more chan 100000 Federal SOL
Gliersl Where were they sl wounded or so
Injured as 10 entiue them TO be on the PEN
zion listf What mast have been the num-
Der 81 men who were TO the Federal armies,
81 now, twenty.foUr years after the war
ended, there are more than 100000 OF the
"inyahds" Of those armies entitled to draw
pensions! supposipg that bali OF the elm
vallds" have died, we must set 1t down that
the mere "iuyalds" left from the war OF the
"rebellion " numbered nearly q million Of
men. Tha. was something Of a rebellion
furely.
Another fact Is worthy OF mention-Dame- !
". that the number Of invalid army pension.
ers increased by 2s, $40 during the year which |
ended June 30. 1SSS-mOre than twenty |
gears after the close OF the war In which they |
were rendered "iuvalids."
What DO these figures Sguiiyf Wen, the |
first inference which a foreign statesman
would draw would probably be that an i'm |
,nense number Of persons must be taxed TO |
lay these pensions who live in States |
wherein none Of the money so lavlshly be. |
slowed upon the soldiers Is dsbursed or ex-
pended. In other words, the "rebels are |
taxed 10 pay soldiers living in the North, |
ahus impoyerisbng the South and enrichtng |
1he North. The more money expended In
pensions the poorer the South and the richer |
efbe North.
But we shall be told that the southern
people brought this tax upon themselves,
and ought to expect TO be taxed in this be.
half. N0.doubtt the northern people look at
4he matter in this light, and are thus render
ed Indifferent as TO the amount OF money
paid outfor pensions. But all the same 1t is
"a most unfortunate condition OF things. 1t
IS exceedingly hard upon people who lost
thousands OF millions Of dollars in uphold.
fng what they honestly and conscientiously
believed TO be righteous cause.