The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-12-11
SPICI,Iry FAIsrUoODS.

] -NtAl year, Mhen the lncnpacty ana Dependent
Pension bills fully in operation, the sums that
viii be expended under them will easily reach
more than slO0O00000. and We may confidently
look forward TO the time when the annual appro-
priaiions for pensions win exceed S2O0. 100000.
The lnrger part Of this vast sum is pure robbery.
IL does not SO to old and deserving soldiers. to
the worthy widows aud orphans OF men who have
done their duty 10 their country. II is corruption
fund, deliberately taken from the people 10y Repub-
lieln politicians and expended Tor the maintenance
of their party's power The enormous burden thus
put upon the people has not therefore the Of
good purpose. The country is unjustly taxed that
the war ended quarter of a century ago may be
| profitable 10 selfish politicians
such pension legislation is criminal.-HeW York
HOrld.
This is a mild specimen Of the misrepre-
sensations which are being published to
prejudice the public against the pension
system.
The World and every other soldier
hating paper knows perfectly well that the
Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of
the Interior and The Commissioner Of Pen
sions have all made careful estimates from
the best data available. From the very
nature Of things they must have possession
of knowledge that is inaccessible TO these
sensatiOnalists. 1t is incOnceiyable that any
man outside Of the Treasury and Interior
Departments can have fuller or as full
knowledge of the present aud future require
ments Of the Pension Bills as the officers we
have named. Another thing, they must
stand by what they say. They are not like
the editors Of the World and Herald, who
trust TO the forgetfulness of the public not
TO remember this week the lies told last
week. What these high officers of the Gov
eminent say goes upon the record TO be read
Of all men and commented upon, not only
this year, but next year, and for generations
20 come, even after the reckless editors are
dead and forgotten. These officials estimate
that it will take this fiscal year from $780,
100000 10 S3jOO00OO TO carry out the pro-
visions Of the Disability Bill, so that the
World, in the face of these reports, has de-
liberately trebled the amount likely TO be
necessary.
Secretary Window, as careful and con-
seryative a fnancier as there is in the
country, estimates that Sl33,OOO,OOO will
he required for pensions for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1891. This will be made
up Of about 81, 100000 the aggregate
annual value Of pensions allowed under the
old law-and about $330OO,OOO for arrears Of
pensions which have been accommodating
from two TO % years, leaving S25,OOO,OOO for
expenditures under the Disability Bill. For
the next fiscal year-that ending June 30,
ls92,-Secretary Window estimates that
Sl35, 2G3i0S5 will be required for pensions.
This will be divided in about the same pro-
protion among the pensioners under the old
law, the payment Of long accumulating
arrears, and the pensioners under the Dis
ability Bill, who will probably receive from
$4,000, 600 10 S35,OOO,OOO
The World says:
The larger part Of this vast sum Is pure robbery
il does not 20 20 old and deserving soldiers nor 10
the worthy widows ard orphans Of men who have
done their duty 10 their country.
This is peculiarly wanton and gratuit-
Gus lalsehood. If it were true in any de-
gree-were there anywhere men OF women
who arc getting pensions 10 which they are
not entitled, the country would ring with
the exposure. II, in their present ferOcious
hunt for matter with which 10 assaiI the
pension system, these papers could discover
any fraudulent pensioners, the country
would resound with the discovery. II
would be the most effective weapon with
which TO assault the whole system. No
better evidence can be furnished Of the
Worlds malignant mendacity than this.
If there was the slightest basis Of truth
in the W'orId's charge il would be very easy
10 demonstrate it. The records Of the Pen
sion Bureau are open 10 all men and especi-
ally TO all newspaper men. One Of the easiest
ways that an enterprisng newspaper could
take would be TO send its reporters 10 any
Pension Office On pension days and inyesti-
gate the men and women who receive the
money. If they were mainly frauds and
imposters, how easy il would DE TO detect
them, and upheaye the whole pension system
by their exposure. is anybody stupid
enough TO not understand that this wosld
be done at once, if the World or the Herald
had the slightest confidence in the truth Of
! their own statements?
IT was an unpleasant dose, and Germany
made many WY faces over il, but she has at
last gulped il down, and formally acknowl-
edged the Republic of Brazil. Undoubtedly
it would have given Germany much pleas
urc TO have sent her navy TO assist in the
restoration OF Dom Pedro TO his throne, had
such a course been practicable but il be-
came quite clear that the Brazilians were
entirely done with monarchy, and that any
movement for its restoration would have
feeble support among them. This, and the