Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-21


as token of gratitude to the heroes who saved
the life of the nation. The country owed these
men debt of gratitude ii could never repay.
All that il a nation, all that il could ever
hope to be. il owed to their heroic efforts upon
land ard sea, as they fought and struggled for
all these blessings from Belmont to Appomattox.
Promises had been made by the government
promises to the men who loaned it money and
promises to the men who volunteered in its
defense. Every promise made to the men
who loaned it money had been kept. They
had been paid in full in gold. dollar for
dollar, cent for cent. The most solemn prom
ises had been made men to induce them to
enlist
HOW HAD THE NATION KEPT THESE PROMISES
and fulfilled the pledges made these heroes?
Had 1t made the widows and children of our
heroic dead the wards of the nation? Had it
properly cared for him who lost his health n
that war? Let the presence of 25,00O of these
heroes, broken in health, who lived upon the
charity of their local governments or in the aims
houses of the states, make answer Capital
pald In full and the men whose bravery upon
land and sea was the only guarantor capital
ever had or could have for the payment Of its
principal and interest had not been paid at
ALL
THE CRUEL NEGLECT
was best explained in this statement of fact:
That now, after the lapse of twenty-five years
from the close of the war, there were more
than 45a,000 unadjudcated pension claims in
the pension office. The cost of interest on the
war bonds to the end of the last fiscal year was
W 4O1 ,S07, 9o9 and yet who would stand here and
OBJECT to the payment of the interest upon the
war debt because it cost so much money. The
government had paid out in pensions to the
same date Sl,059, S47, ,S26 only, and vet gentle
men objected to service pension on account
OF its cost. This statement of
THE ACTUAL COST OF PENSIONS
and interest must be a complete answer to
every objection against service pensions upon
the question of cost The service pension bill
could become a law and the expense of invalid
and service pensions could be met without
levylng one cent of additional taxes upon the
country. The total expense of a service
pension law would not exceed S64S 900 O00
The additional pension expenses. should the
bill become a law, for the next fiscal year
would not exceed S41, ,OO0,OOO Suppose the
high-water mark of pension expenses should
reach Sl5O 200 year and continue seven
years, what then? This House and the country
must not forget if this great sum should
be demanded that great as it would be yet at
cost 500, 100000 less than interest upon the
war debt would have cost then. The country
stands face to face with
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
to redeem its pledges. Speaking for himself
he would oppose every material reduction Of
the revenues, except upon sugar, and every
material revision of the tariff and revenue
schedules until his comrades should have re-
celved the pension recognition promised them.
The fact that 1t would cost money to maintain
national honor had no weight with him. Ma
tional honor was above all cost. He would
maintain national honor regardless of expense.
lhe great mass OF the common people wanted
the law enacted. The veterans demanded it,
national honor required it, national gratitude
NnI Ilnd H.
here to formulate into law the will of those they
represented did their duty faithfully and we'll
they would promptly enact a service pension
bill into law and thus prove their gratitude
and that of the government by doing an act of
justice, though long deferred, to the brave
men to whose heroic efforts we were this day
indebted for all the blessings of American citi-
zenship.
MR.. CLEMENTS woNDERs
Mr.. Clements (Ga. said that after listening
to the speeches of gentlemen on the other side
he was inclined to wonder why Commissioner
Tanner had been requested to resign. The
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Peters,
putting upon the pension rolls those
who had rendered good service before they
lett the army without permission The gem
tleman had also justified Commissioner Tanner
IN increasing the S2 rate and in rerating pen
sions. Then why had Tanner been asked to
resign?
MIR. Morrow (CaL) said that that question
could be answered easily, but that as .he
answer would involve going into matters of
detail he would refrain from doing so at pres
eut.
Mr.. Breckinridge (Ky.) suggested that the
thirty additional medical examiners would have
the effect of increasing the number of cases
passed upon and thereby cause deficiency to
arise.
Mr.. Clements suggested further that in accord
ance with circular issued by the commissioner
of pensions the employees of the pension bureau
would be utilized in working up cases; and he
said that If this were so there would be large
increase in the amount of pensions, even under
existing laws.
MIR. CLEMENTS WANTS TO KNOW.
Mr.. Clements inquired whether the $685.
500, 900 which was carried by the bill would
be sufficient for the next fiscal year.
MIR. Morrow replied that it would be suffi-
cient to pay all pensions under the present laws.
but that if Congress passed further laws in
creasing the number or rate of pensions there
would be deficiency.
DEFICIENCY INSTEAD OF A SURPLUS
Without any new laws passed by this Con-
gress the sum of S9S, 500, 900 would be made
quate and there would be large deficiency
The present administration had criticised the
last administration for doing what it was now
DONG Itself.
While referring to the service pension ques-
ton Mr.. Clements was interrupted by Mr.
Peters (Kan.) with the question as to whether
the country was not better able today to pass
a service pension bill than it had been when it
had enacted a Mexican service pension bill.
MIR. Clements replied that he was not sure
about that He had seen in the newspapers
(Which some times told the TRUTH a letter
from the president of the Farmers alli-
ance of Kansas in relation to the matter.
that letter had stated that the fallen heroes
could afford to wait moment until the rights
Of the living heroes received some recognition
from those who had been chosen to represent
them in Congress.
He (Ir. Clements) did not oppose Just and
liberal pensions. He was not going to vote
against the pending bill His only objection
to it was that it appropriated less money than
the administration knew would be necessary to
pay the pensions for the next year.
MR. BYNUM FOR SERVICE PENSION BILL.
Mr.. Bynum Qnd) charged the republican
party with being false to Its promises to
the country in the matter of pensions. The
democratic Representatives from Indiana came
here as friends of the soldier and SO far as il
lay in their power the republicans must meet the
service pension question and no longer dodge
it and go home and deceive the soldiers The
Indiana democrats were ready to vote on the
service pension bill The democrats were de-
termined that the republicans should carry out
their pledges to the soldiers. The democrats