The National tribune., 1889-08-01
ONLY REprsrRrnurEp.

One would think from the walls of the
sOldier-hsting press that every dollar paid
veteran was so much money torn from the
shrieking taxpayer and utterly destroyed,
just the same as if it had been burned up
or squandered in riotous living in Paris or
London, by some tourist dude.
This is not true for moment Nothing
to-day contributes more to the healthy
movement in all the channels of trade than
the money which is distributed among our
people through the Pension Bureau. Every
three months $2OO0O,0OO, which have been
gathered up in pursuance of our policy of
protecting and developing our manufactures
and agricultural industries, are scattered
again all over the land, going into the pock-
cts of people in every town and village In
the whole Nation, and by them paid out at
once to grocers, drygoods and clothing
dealers, real estate men, doctors and drug
gists, butchers and bakers, ministers and
school-teachers A more perfect system for
redistributing the money could not be de-
vised, for it diffuses the money everywhere,
like gentle Summer rain, which quickens
and enlivens every spot upon which the
drops fall.
To distribute the money in the Treasury
by any other plan which has been suggested
would be to lump il up in few favored
localities, leaving the great body of the
country to be only remotely benefited.
There is a well-defned fear in the minds
of many leading business men that we are
approaching commercial crisis next month
when the annual strain takes place in the
demand for money TO move the crops ii
such stringency is averted, rs we all SIM
cerely hope it win be, it will be largely be-
cause of the millions of dollars which have
been distributed all over the country by the
benefcent operations of the pension policy
Anyone can see this, who has the most
moderate capacity for thinking. About
$4,000, 900 have gone out in the past year for
pensions. Suppose that this had not gone
ont, and was still in the Treasury. A panic
would be inevitable. The gamblers in Wall
street knowing that so much money was
locked up out OF reach, would immedi-
ately combine to control what is now accu-
INFLATED in the banks of New York, and bust
ness houses factories and firms would &c
down with q crash from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. The knowledge that this $50, 0O0,-
coo has been scattered over the country re
strains them, just as the knowledge that 6
large portion Of the wheat cropis in the hands
Of the farmers restraints them from corncrinf
wheat. This S90,0O0,0OO is now in tht
pockets Of the people ali over the country, IL
the tills of The merchants, the safes of The
business men, the vaults Of the smallei
banks. It is available for all the purpose:
ofbusiness, and out Of the reach Of the con
spirators and gamblers who would manipu
late it for their own purposes and the in
jury Of the whole people.
II would be blessing TO every person il
the land If the whole Of the S70O,0O0,0o0 II
the Treasury, which was recently counted an'
transferred from one Treasurer TO another
could be distributed at once 10 the entir
country by the hands OF the men who save
the Nation from destruction. That woul'
c put TO flight all thoughts Of panic.