The National tribune., 1890-04-24

that the average we have given is very low
1t then follows that every one Of these 1920
272 three years men made money donation
TO the Nation, in wages which he would
have earned, of the difference between
81, $50 - and s., 100 or 81 ,O69.25 Let us call
it 81 900 for convenience. Multiplying this
by 2,32O,27 we have the astounding sum of
$S9.:ss0. = s.010 as the aggregate gift
to the Nation Of the men who fought its
battles and saved its imperilcd existence.
As the entire amount loaned the Govern
ment by the money-lenders was $2,381 ,53O-
59i, it will be seen that the soldiers gave
the Nation fully as much rs the money
lenders loaned it, While the money-lenders
have for more than quarter of century
been receiving high interest in gold upon
their loan and rs the fruit Of the valor and
fortitude of the soldiers, have had the prnci-
pal made worth three times the money they
loaned, the soldiers have received no con-
sideration whatever for the immense sum
which they donated TO the country's saliva
ton. The $1,0OO0OO,0OO which has been
paid for pensions is in no sense an offset to
this. The pensions have been for lives lost
and disabilities incurred and have no relation
whatever TO the monetary sacrifices made by
| the young men who left their homes and
pleasant employments, with the prospects
| of acquiring q competence, in order TO save
| the country from destruction. The men who
staid ut home, made money and loaned il to
the Government, have received in principal
and interest over 5000, ZOO, OOO-or
more than half the entire value of all
the farms in the United States, and the
fences, buildings and other improvements
upon them, according to the census
of 1880. The soldiers, on the other hand
without whose services and sacrifices
not a dollar of this immense sum
would have been paid, have received abso-
lutely no consideration for the amount
which they surrendered for the country 8
benefit This alone is much more than n
sufficient reason for liberal service pension.
With their greatly -diminished numbers, and
much-shortened lives, the most liberal serv-
ice pension bill proposed would give TO these
men but very small fraction of the i'm
mense amount they surrendered TO the Ma
ton. II would take the enormous amount
of $l00O00,Go0 a year for over % years TO
repay the principal, to say nothing of the
interest, now running for more than quar-
ter of century.
There is another startling fact which has
recently been brought TO your attention by
Gen Raum, tho Commissioner of Pensions
which we would like TO have you consider in
the purely financial light that We have pre-
scented the foregoing considerations. II ID
that the veterans Of the war had their lives
shortened an average Of II years by their
service. The humane and sentimental
phase of this statement will at once occur
to you. We want you now 10 look at it in
the cold, pecuniary light. As the ayerag,
productive period Of a mans life is 81
years, it is al once apparent that the vet
Grams have been robbed Of over one-third o
their productive years by the exigencies o
. war and the hardships of their service Thi
has added beyond all calculation to tn,
debt due them from the Nation they saved a
such frightfnl expense TO themselves. Still
' farther, every man who served in the Unior
Army, and underwent the trials hardship
{ and privations Of camp, MARCH and BATH
y had, as Commissioner Raums figures as l.
n reduced vitality show, his wage earnin
c powers greatly reduced. None has made q
!. good a living for himself and family or ha
e acquired the property that he would hav
e done had not his powers been Slapped an
e diminished by that awful strain of war
10 Placed on this purely cash basis aud W
10 challenge any man TO show why this shout
sr notbe dOne-it must be admitted that all thu
10 the veterans have asked for in the warrior
ID bills recommended by the GAR, Nations
IN Pension Committee, is but meager repal
ment of direct peeuniary debt owed by IL
It. Government TO The veterans and their repr
a sentatiyes, which debt is as definite and di
bt tinct as that owed the bondholdcrs.
n. A just service pension bill is in no sen
Il,