The National tribune., 1890-09-11
WHO MADE THE FIRST PLEAq
The Portland Oregonidn, Republican

| III has been supposed that patriotism was wont tC
| make moving appeal 90 men when their country
| required thcir services aud That n sense Of duty
constrained them 10 take up arms in her defense
upon occasion. According TO the modern code o
pension ethics as formulated by soldiers organiza
tions and ratified by Congress, patriotism and duty
are rated Mt much per month during the period
Of the natural life OF those who hold these to he
merchsntahle quantity. Excuse Il ns its advocates
may IL is plain that the true pension iden-that oi
caring FOR the soldier manned or rendered helpless
in the service Of the Naionhas been lost TO sight
in Tho enactment the pension laws OF the present
! Congress- aud that through them unjus, systcm
Of class legislation. In opposition TO the very spirit
OF our institutions has found favor with tho law
makcrs Of tho Nation.
We should like TO ask the 0regonian who
made the first plea of povertyP Who was
it, 30 years ago, that begged for assistance
II was the Government of the United States.
Then it virtually went hat in hand TO the
men who rallied TO its support and said, in
effect:
Il cannot pay you men anything like
what you are earning at home. ! am poor
and almost bankrupt-you must make sac
rifces for me, you must take very meager
sum for your service and to send home to
support the loved ones you have left with
out support, and I cannot even pay you that
in good money. You viii have to accept
my promissory notes for your pay, and l
grieve to say that, owing to my troubles,
these are heavily discounted"
Even taking tie low view of the case that
the Orcgonidn does, is il as humiliating TO
have a veteran ask for a pension rs 1t was
for the Government TO beg from the class of
all others least able to make such dona-
ton, gift of their wages, of their little
means OF support for themselves and fami-
lies2 If it had demanded sacrifices from all
it's citizens alike, the case would have been
very different But 1t did not. 1T only
took from those who had little, and were
already giving everything. 1t actually
Sponged out of the men who fought its
battles between tloo aud three billion dollars.
II begged them to make this sacrifice TO it
in the name of patriotism. 1t asked no one
else TO make any such sacrifice II did not
asi, the men who sold il mules or mess-pork,
or shoddy, TO sacrifice dollar No indeed.
Ii paid splendid profits to those prudent
patriots. 1t did not ask the men who bought
its bonds or lent it money TO make any pairi-
otic sacrifice No, indeed. II has given
back nearly 81 for every dollars value that
it received.
The Orcgoniaa talks about class legisla-
ton" What worse class legislation could
there he than the one it in effect advocates
that which puts all the cost Of saving the
Nations life, all the dangers, bardships,
wounds, disabilities and pecuniary sacrifices
on one class, and gives all the advantages
and profits or the yictory to another class?
Considered purely as business PROPOSE
ton, why should the men who lent the Gov
eminent 1881 ,00O,O00 in deprecated cur
rency be repaid 5000 100000 in gold, with
the approval Of every body, while the men
who, in addition to lighting the country's
hattles, donated to it nearly 81 900, 100000 in
sacrificed wages, be bitterly begrudged the
81 100000 they have received in pen-
sions?
We wish the Oregoainn could be induced
to calm itself down to common-sense in
yestigation Of plain facts connected with
pensions.
VETERAN oFFICEEs FOR SOLDIERS
HOMES.
II would seem hardly necessary for the
National Encampmcnt to take the action it
felt compelled 10 in favor Of the appointment
Of none but veterans TO official positions in
the Soldiers Homes, Certainly, If veterans
should be preferred anywhere it should be
for those appointments, and equally Ger
taiHly there is no place where a political
striker is more Objectionable. He does not
hA4faNlEt tfaiAI tlAG fttA4dio WIN NuDiu Ht ilab
to deal, aud is almost certain not 10 be even
reasonably efficient in such a place. The
veterans do not like him, they do not be-
ieye in him, and will not get along with
him as well as with one who was comrade
in the field with them. There is something
more than usually repugnant in making
these places the reward Of political instead
Of patriotic service.
Yetpoliticians are rayenous, and they want
everything in sight that has a salary attached
70 it, and very many glaringIy unfit appoint
ments have been made Of mere STRIKERS "
to places about these institutions.
Where State Homes are concerned tie
remedy must be besoughtfo IN the Legislature,
and the comrades should insist upon the
passage Of laws which viii prohibit tho ap-
| poinunent Of civilians to any Office in or
about the Homes. similar law should
! he passed by Congress for the government OF
the National Homes, and in all cases the
laws should provide for the removal of any
civilians now employed. and their replace
ment by veterans.