The National tribune., 1890-07-24

ana interest In gold to the bondholder5'
Then much over one-half of the revenues of
the Government were paid to an infinitely
smaller proportion of our people than APP
pear on the pension-rolIs to-day.
In 1867, for example, when the men who
fought the war through constituted the
great bulk of the wealth producers and tax
payers of the country, there was raised by
taxation $490,00O,0OO. This came directly
out of the pockets of the people of the
North, for the South paid an insignificant
portion; and it was paid by the "plain,
everyday people," in taxes on matches,
medicines, coal-oil, ready made clothing,
boots and shoes, etc, etc. Ont of that
S490,000,000 the money-lenders got S144,-
100000 rs interest and $93,000,000 rs prin-
cipal, or $244, 100000 in all, in gold
AS most of the revenues were paid in
greenbacEs, worth that year, on an average,
y cents, it will be seen that that year the
money lenders got nearly two-thirds of the
total receipts.
In 1865 the total receipts were S405,000,-
600, of which the money-lenders got S207,-
100000 in gold again, considerably more
than one-half of the revenues, TO pay which
the people of the North were enduring a
taxation such as the present generation has
no conception of. Such taxation nova
days would yield more than billion dol
lars of revenue.
The succeeding years showed similar
favoritism to the money-lendcrs, until they
were simply glutted with money wruDg
directly from the taxpayers, and not as now,
raised by indirect contribution for other
purposes
We believe that it was right to impose the
taxes and pay what was due the bondholders
under the letter of their contract, but we
think thai their organs and champions, like
the New York Tribune, should acquiesce in
paying the Nations debt to the veterans in
the same honorable manner.
The Tribune concludes:
The Tribune thinks 1t time to say that this is
going too far The measure OF proper expenditure
Tor this purpose has been reached il indeed Il has
not been passed already. There Is no active de.
mnnd, on ibo part OF the veterans of the Union for
sums exceeding those already appropriated, aud
those veterans are sensible enough to know that
appropriations exceeding half the entire revenue
OF the Government to- the benefit Of small Traction
oi the people, might quickly cause the collapse Of
The whole system for lack Of popular approval and
support While any part OF those " no snvod the
Nation from destruction were subject 10 want or
their widows. children or helpless parents. there
was an honorable feeling that they should be re-
memhcred by powerful md prosperous people,
even though IN the attempt 10 do avenues should
unavoidahly he opened for extensive frauds Bat
The people viii certainly stop somewhere md then
appropriations for tiiis object seem 10 them or
cessiye or frauds too numerous there may be fiat
refusal TO continue the appropriations already
made. He - not the true friend Of the soldier In
The deliberate Judgment of the Tribune who now
asks for further appropriations IN his behalf
The youngest OF those who served I'm the Union
army m'tst to-day be about q years Of age. Only
oneeighth Of those living ~ any time exceed that
age, so that Of the 1000 oO0 male adults who were
living when the war closed not more than 900.
600 are living now. and over a .hifd OF these are ]
S"ulherners voting population OF u oag 0o0 win
not long consent 10 pay more than half the entire
revenues Of the Government TO a tu enieth Of their
number Further appropriations for IenAions can.
not be asked without impetiling the continuance
Of all grants for that object.
In other words, the Tribune In making
pretexts TO justify its deserving the soldiers
and going over to the money lords, who hate
all pensions, because they distribute money
among the people, and put it beyond the
control Of the barons of Wall street.
The 9iibune's detection will have no effect
in delaying the final result The people of
this country are iust-they are generously
appreeiatiye of the services of the men who
saved the Nation from destruction, and they
will not stop until the veterans are given
the same honorable treatment as the bond
holders A service pension is inevitable,
because the peoples sense of Justice will
stop at nothing less
TIKI COMING ESCAMPMENT.
Everything rainis In tbs .a,,;,,,. -.