Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-05-14
The Grave Dangers OF Excessive Pensions.

The facts brought forward By Represer-
tatiye Stone, of Missouri, in his recent
speech in the House in opposition to reck-
less pension legislation are worthy of the
careful study of the masses al tie people,
who suffer most in the end sroT. waste of
the public revenue. Mr.. Stone fiyors lib
eral pension laws. 81 believe" no says,
Tit would be public shame if TIE govern
ment refused or neglected to provide with
reasonable hberality for she support Of those
ygho suffered permanent and serious injury
in it's military service. or for the needy do
pendsnts of those who persisted ia its de-
fanse" How far the government should
90 in the bestowal of gratuities is 2 matter
Of opinion. Pension attorneys, sentiment
alists and demagogues intent upon their
respective purposes, recognize no limit, as
sertiug that the entire assets of the nation
belong of right to the ex soldier. In Dir.
stones opinion the government has already
gone far enough, possibly too far. La the
bounties, pay, rations, etc, given 10 the
soldier during the civil var. and in the lib
eral laws passed to cover all imaginable
pensiolable disabilities, Congress, he says,
has flied the measure of its obligations.
'FFhat there are minor inequalities" he
adds, lin the existing Laws which should
he adjusted, have no doubt; bat [ am Ger
tain that we should call sharp. AID per
emptory halt on the galloping gait at which
we have been riding this pension horse in
recent years. Personal patriotism, national
pride and decent regard for the telling
masses who bear this enormous burden,
without sharing its benefits, require OF us
not TO make noble charity an excuse for
public plumber" Pensions are now proyid-
ed by law for all soldiers who suffer dis
ability while living and for their widows
and minor children, and for the dependent
parents, brothers and sisters of mon who
fell in battle or died during or since the war
Of wounds or disease contracted while on
daily. And the law is liberal and has been
construed 10 many cases with soandalous
laxity in the interest OF claimants. Add to
this that existing laws give ex soldiers pr f.
erence over other citizens in appointments
to the civil service, and also give them, with
their widows and miner orphans, great ad-
vantages over others in entering homesteads
upon tho public lands. These are solid
benefits that go to a limited class. Yet the
CRY is for more. The Grand Army of the
Republic, says Mr.. Store, has been turned
from its original social and benevolent pur-
poses, and in the interest of the class bene-
fitsd by high tariff taxes has been convert
ed into an organic atiOn whose chief object
nov seems to be to eztort pensions from
the government. "Tha plutccrat has join
ed hands" as he puts it, "with tho preto-
risn." The presidency, it is asserted, was
bought from one set of poor voters with
promises of unlimited pension, and from
another set with cash raised By the tariff
lords These promises were in the shape Of
engagements to pass certain pension bills,
one of which will add $666, 900 to the au-
nual outgo; another, S3,768, 600; another,
$35. $40, 600; another, $144, 000, 600, while a
fifth calls for an immediate outlay of SAL
0000 GOO. At preseni 440, 097 ex-soldiers and
263, 392 widows, &c.. receive pensions.
From careful calculation Of the number
of wounded, diseased, Sc, among the g.
514670 in the Federal service during the
civil war, Mr.. Stone concludes tha5 the
703, 4S9 e1-eoldiers and widows mentioned
above 90 now On the list are about all that
arc Justly entitled to be placed on it under
existing laws. The proposed new laws af-
ford prospect of new business for the PEN
son attorneys and new brides and rewards
for political support. Can We bear the
beaver burden proposed? The aggregate
expenditure for pensions by Great Britain,
France, Germany, Austria and Belgium.
according to Spofford's Almanac for 1879,
is $31 002 050. La all Europe it can hardly
exceed $50, 600 600. We are paying now in
pensions about twice as much as all the rest
of tho world combined. Oar military bur
den is heavier then that Of any other coun-
try, SO that we have no room to pride oar.
selves upon our happy position. Our an-
nual outlay on our regular army is P38 522,
1856, which, added TO our outlay il pensions,
brings he annual cast Of our military es-
tablshaonb. exclusive Of the naVT, up to
over $135. COO coo. Ruesa's standing army
of 871, 764 men costs her but $131, $40, $50.
France pays bat Sill, $50, 400 former stand.
ing army OF 541. 473 men. These ara the
largest armies in the world, but We pay
pore--fog nothing, unless it be to keep Ger
tain demagoguas in power. In vi8w OF facts
like these Mr. Stone asks the soldier els-
nlan5 TO como to the rescue. 81 appeal" he
sage. "to them TO sse to it that the splend0r
CT their achievements shall not be dimmed
By the iguoble vice of scrdid solfshness -
Bet. Sua