The National tribune., 1889-08-08
"wHO PAY THE PENSIONERS"
Under this csption the New York Times

says editorially:
The pension policy of the Government is often
discussed IL the millions OF money distributed to
the soldiers every year did not come cut OF ths
pockets of the people. II seems to be assumed
that the Governments has independents resources,
derived from some profitable business Of It's own,
which IL may dispose Of il peases without cost
Ing anybody else anything When tho President
told Commissioner Tanner to be 'lberal with the
boys" hc not only assumed that his action was not
strictly regulated by law, but seemed unconscious
of the fact tat the money In the Treasury belonged
TO anybody but those intrusted with It's disburse-
ment. IL Is proverbiafy easy To be liberal" with
other peoples money, but IL IL not always honest.
The confusion of ideas on this subject is largely
due to our system OF national taxation, which, as
the President said during the canvass of last year,
draws taxes from the people without their know
ing when and how they nay them.
But the people gradually acquiring knowl-
edge the subject of tariff taxes. They
learning that all taxes, under whatever guise con-
eesled, paid out of the proceeds Of their In
dustry. They finding out that when they pay
high prices for what they buy in consequence Of
duties which not only enhance the cost of imported
articles but of those made In this country weli
they contributing tn the profits Of combinations
Of capital In protected industries and paying out
Of their earnings the money that goes into the
more that is distributed In pensions comes out of
the people, and IL b. not drawn from thens In pro-
portion To- their ability tn pay, either. The poor,
whose entire earnings spent for the support OF
themselves and their families, pay n good deal
more than their fair SHARE.
In the rare intervals when the Times tenn
porarily quits downright lying for pre-
tense Of rational discussion, we are pleased
to enter the arena of debate with it.
This question of who pays the pensions is
one that we are always eager to discuss,
however, with anyone. It is MATES which
we are anxious to have the people of the
country examine thoroughly, for the more
they know of it the better will the matter
Of pensions stand.
The Tfmess argument rests upon the false
assumption that the money from which PEN
sions are paid is drawn from the people for
the express purpose of paying pensions.
This is not true in any degree. The people
themselves have demanded the imposition
Of the customs duties and internal revenue
taxes faS economic and other purposes, with
ont any reference to pensions.
Fer example, there was 1854, ITO raised
from oleomargarine last year. This was
enough to pay the entire pensions of $4,000
pensioners on the list who received from ST
a month up to 1915. The Times viii surely
not say that the oleomargarine tar was inn
posed to pay pensions, or that The needs Of
the veterans had the slightest connection
with It. 1t was laid as the urgent demand
of the farmers OF the country for the pro-
lection of their dairy products. They in
sisted on the tax being laid and rigidly col
lected. What was done with the money so
raised was matter of little Importance to
them. As . rule they would prefer It's being
used 10 pay the Nations debt TO its savierA
The same is true in vastly larger degree
of the tax on wool and wealen manufactures,
which last year realized So, sf3f 21, or
nearly fourth of the annual value of the
invalid pension roll. The sheep growers,
carpet and cloth weavers, and others inter-
ested in this important product demanded
that the tax should be imposed and carefully
collected They are urging that 1t shall be
made still higher, and thu iustice OF their
claim is so palpable that both the great par
ties psy respectful attention to il
For the protection Of the FAX and hemp
growers Sic, 500 COS was collected last year.
Our rapidly growing and profitable barley
production was protected to the extent of
81 ,0s2,069. Tho orange and lemon growers
Of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas
received 5000, 600 of protection The sor-
ghum and cane fields were protected TO the
extent Of So 100000. The tobacco planters
got 50, 734, 9s7. So we could go on through
the entire list
Not dollar of this is imposed or MAIN
tanned to pay pensions Every tax Is the
result of public demand for II, entirely in
dependent Of the use of the proceeds for the
payment of pensions, or for any other
National purpose.
Nor is it true that this Is drain upon the
pockets Of the consumers of the country
Except sugar, every article taxed has been
rapidly cheapened to the consumer since
the imposition of the protection, and the
process ia still going on with undiminished
celebrity. This is simply undeniahle. The
whsle country Is vastly richer than it would
have been but for this protection, and every
man, woman and child shares in the benefits.
THE logan MONUMENT FUND.
The following additions to the Logan
II ~ q