Evening journal., 1890-04-16
BAD MORALS OR BAD JUDGMENT

BAD MORALS OR BAD JUDeMENTY
The ready facility with which our
contemporaries can veer from one side Of
a question to the other, is more creditable
to their morals than to their judgment
But it is discreditable to one or the
other and perhaps to both.
The campaign of 1888 was made on
the promises Of liberal pensions to the
old soldiers. Tanner and other dema.
gogues less noisy, but equally foolish
went through the states making promises,
which caught the votes Of the greedy
soldiers en- masse. President Harrison
promised, sententiously, that pensions
should not be measured in an apothecary s
scales. Every means possible were used
TO make the vulgar and dishonest PEN
sion-claimant believe that his cause was
decent and just and should have the i'm
mediate and favorable attention Of the
government.
Those shameful promises caught the
attention and captured the votes of the
members of the Grand Army, almost to
a man. "They voted as they shot'-for
money.
Tanner was put at the paying tellers
window and recognized every moral Grip.
pie who manufactured lie and demanded
a pension. The greater the cripple, and
more intense the lie. the larger and
quicker the pension. Even the men who
had voted for this in theory, re
volted at the disgusting spectacle in
practice and called for the removal Of
Tanner. President Harrison parted
with Tanner reluctantly and regretfully,
fearing its effect on his candidacy for a
second term, and because the purchasable
old soldier element in the doubtful states
is absolutely necessary to success
In this state Of affairs, when the Re-
publican Legislators in Congress propose
to redeem their campaign promises, the
newspapers feebly object. The Morning
News says;
The pension fad has run riot In Con
gress, and It is hard to tell where 1t viii
stop. There is no reason for the reckles
appropriations and proposed appropria
tions Of money for old soldiers and thei
heirs.
The Philadelphia Telegraph says:
In the present disposition Of the ma
iority in the House with regard to thi
matter, and considering the loud de
mands being made, it will be fortunat'
for the Government II the extra drain Of
the Treasury is limited to this Servic
Pension Bill. $3.50. COO. 600 or theresbout
per year to be paid out IN this way vii
prevent any further trouble over a sur
plus The surplus viii be busted" j
, the best Of Tannerian style
II is too late now These papers wen
through q campaign Of promises to th
dishonest and dishonoreble Of the soldie
class without having judgment, honest
or candor enough to condemn either Il
T, dishonest psnsion.seeker OF the dishonei
7 pension promiser
The News and the Telegraph eithI
@ knew that campaign among the pension
? grabbers was wrong and lacked the ner'
g to condemn It, or they did not know
y was wrong and lacked the ordinary knoV
ledge OF any intelligent man.
They come to the rescue too late no.
= They condemned Cleveland for vetoir
:, dishonest pensions and elected Harl
i son to approve them.
These papers cannot escape {
10 dilemma Of lacking judgment a
y knowledge, then, or lacking In homes
rs now. They did not know or care wi
lie they recommended then or they are !
y honest in their condemnation now.
These two papers owe It to themselv
Is and to their readers, to explain how IL
~ made such an egregious mistake
U they should condemn now what Il
advocated heretofore2
ny Either their morals or their judgm
ue is defective.