The National tribune., 1890-01-23
INSULTING OUR FRIENDS.

broadcast through the country by means of
the Associated Press:
The only veterans who are Of right entitled TO
pensions are those whose pecuuiary circumstances
are unfortunate as 10 Justify them in burdening
thecountry with their support, and who 10y wounds
disability incurred in the service the country
as camhaiants prevented from earning living
IN their respective callings, they might have
done had such wounds or disabilities not been in
Cured And
Thstit is apparent to this Post that the action of
some Government officials, and the ill-considered
talk of some popuarity-sc Legislators (notaby
Senator Ingalls,, of Kausas,) in regard 10 the pen
sion laws calculated TO do serious injury TO the
hardly-won reputation of good soldiers and the
Grand Army And
That any old soldier who applies for or accepts n
pension, except under the conditions above set
forth Is, in the opinion OF this Post guilty of
duct calculated 90 iHjurc the good men who were
and are willing 10 give their blood and their lives
for the country, without any award beyond the
approval of their own conscicnces and that honor
able name which is dear To every patriot.
The indignation of the comrades every
where over this manifesto was intense, and
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE was deluged with
letters denunciatOry of the Posts action.
We firmly hoped that it would develop, as
has been the case in other instances, that the
Post had been put in false position, by
few designing members, who took advan-
tage of thinly-attended meeting, and that
full meeting afterward would set the Post
right 10y repudiating the former unworthy
action into which it had been entrapped.
We suggested this in an editorial, about the
time, but the Post has adhered to its action,
at least so far as to not publicly reverse it.
This stubbornness in perversity makes
appropriate comment by us a duty which
we owe to our comrades and their cause.
To not characterize it as it deserves would
be derelction on our part.
The opening paragraph is a fragrant
assault upon the fundamental theory of
pensions, rs entertained by the mass of
comrades, and constantly and emphatically
affirmed by the National Encampment. 1t
is n reiteration of the odious "pauper" idea
If there is anything connected with pen
sions that the Grand Army of the Republic
is solidly unified upon, it is the doctrine
that a pension for wounds, injuries or dis
eases incurred in the military service of the
United States is not almsgiving, but the
payment of a just debt The pecuniary
circumstances of the pensioner have no
more to do with the payment Of this debt
than with the payment Of any other. The
Government owes the pension, and should
pay il, whether the recipient be rich or poor.
With rare exceptions, the Government has,
ever since its foundation, acted strictly on
this theory. The doctrine laid down by
Farnham Post would degrade every man
and woman who receives a pension to the
level of a beggar receiving a dole of aims.
1t is an impeachment of the almost uniform
practice of the Government, an accusation
against nine-tenths Of the comrades who are
now receiving pensions, and rebellion
against the National Encampment, the SUI
preme authority in the Order.
The second paragraph is an expression Of
blacklist ingratitude. There is no baser sin
than ingratitude, and it is particularly base
when It's victim is 80 steadfast and valuable
friend Of the veterans as Senator John ].
Ingalls,. They have been fortunate in hay
ipy many S.-ar,a ODD rol;.t,ia 49,; -. - 4
friends in both Houses of Congress, but to
no man living do they owe such a mountain
Of gratitude as to the senior Senator from
Kansas, whose II years of service in the
United States Senate have been that many
years Of earnest, untiring unselfsh service
for the men who saved the Nation. He has
never waited to be urged TO do anything for
them; ms only questions have always been,
What can do?n and Is there any other
way that can possibly help?" And what
magnificent help he has given. All his in
defatigable energy, all his dauntless agrees
iTeness, all his wonderful parliamentary
knowledge, all his superb rhetoric were at
the command Of the veterans, without ask
ing for the support of anything that they
wished. To him, more than any other man,
they are indebted for the passage of the
arrears act, which distributed more than
200,0O0000 TO the veterans of the country
The good this did the country was meal
culable. Aside from its honesty and Justice
it was Of enormous service in aiding the
soldiers Of the West to remove the incubus
Of mortgages from their little homesteads,
and ten millions of the money were devoted
TO this purpose. We have the high tcsti-
mony of Senator Sherman, and other emf
nent fnanciers, that nothing was of greater
service in aiding the country 10 resume
specie payments.
He worked for this measure of Justice with
vehement energy that scoIned obstacles.
and would not acknowledge defeat, and its
passage was his personal triumph. lie has
since worked as indefatigably for the re-
peal Of the iniquitous Limitation clause
and when this is finally accomplished it
1t will be largely on account of his persist
ent and unceasing efforts. TO have such a