Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-07-10
The Harrison CrOss-Roads.

| President Harrison has now reached
the crossroads which present to him
the choice between party and country;
between success and party.
The new pension bill has passed
both branches of Congress and now
wants only the approval of the Presi-
dent to make it a law. Will he ap-
prove it? Ifso, he deliberately loads
upon the nation an expenditure of not
less than $50 100000 more than the
revenues, aud that after all parties
have been pledging the country re-
ductiou Of taxes and revenues.
If General Grant were President to-
day, no such pension bill would have
passed Congress-; or, If passed by Con-
gress, it would be promptly returned
with Il veto that the country would ac-
cept as unanswerable. But General
| Grant is not President, and General
| Harrison is not General Grant. They
are alike i'm the fact that both were
true soldiers, differing greatly in dis
| tinction, although none the less alike
in courage and patriotism; but Grant
| was a leader aud we fear that Harrt-
son is follower.
President Harrison must now choose
between the road that leads to honest
national expenditure and the road that
IGEu5 W IopCICsE UdUkTuDtCV,
Which will he choose? He knows that
his approval Of the new pension bill
must bankrupt the treasury fully $5O,-
900, 900 next year; possibly from $75,.
000 900 to 100000, 900, and that there
must be increased taxes imposed upon
the people the extent of from $50 ,00O,-
600 to 500 ,000, 900 year to pay the
pensions which will be obtained under
the loose provisions of the measure.
This is no mere easpeculation. The
cross roads which now confront the
President have uDmistakable finger
boards on them pointing to inevitable
and hopeless bankruptcy or to honest
expenditure with honest pensions. In
no way can he hope to escape an APP
palling Treasury deficit next year If
the pension bill now in his hands shall
be given his approval. aud what ex-
cuse can president give for such
fatal error whe n the hunger-cry of tho
people in every section is for reduced
taxes?
In vain will President Harrison veto
or defeat River and Harbor bills, or
veto an occasional public building.
These are but drippings from the spig-
OF while the pension bin knocks the
whole end out of the Treasury barrel.
When the head is cut off there is little
use in worrying about wounds on fing-
ers ard toes, aud il the President shall
approve the pension bill, with its more
than 81 900, 900 900 to BE- paid in taxes
by the present generation, he need not
bother about u $40 900 public building
or a few millions in River and Har-
Dor bill.
There are two conclusive objections
to the pending peuslon bill, each of
which should prevent It's approval.
First, must it bankrupt the Treasury
and impose from $50 900 900 to $780,
600 600 additional taxes upon the peo-
pie; and, second, the provisions Of the
bill are SO loose that they are an open
invitation to bewildering fraud. None
doubt that $l00,000,000 honestly dis
irihuted among our soldiers In pen
sions, would literally pay every one
who merits pension, and the country
would gladly pay $780, 600 for pei-
sions for Vars yet; but the people Will
not pay 5000, 600, 900, nor will they sub
NIT to $l00 700, 900 increased taxation
to pay pensions, and if such wrong
shall be consummated, there will be a
revolt against pensions that cannot be
halted on the lines OF justice,
The Harrison crossroads have been
reached, and the President must decide
whether he shall bankrupt the Treas
ury and gravtly endanger our whole
pension system, or whether he will be
heroic in peace as he w8s in war, and
halt the prof1igates and destructives
who would sink the administration in
disgrace and give the people increased
taxes instead of the promised relief
from needless oppression. Which will
he choose?-P tphia Times.