The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-08-21

Eut IN i.,oU. tne year before the war
began. the total white male population
Of the military age OF all the states and
territories was estimated BY the eighth
census II only s.62s.o6a Deducting the
fighting population Of Alabama, Avkan-
sas. Florida. Georgia, Louisiana. Missis'
sippi, North Carolina. South CarolinA,
| Texas and Virginia. and half the fight
| ing population Of the border states, Del
aware. Kentucky. Mary Wand. Missouri
and Tennessee. the entire military pop
ulation available for the union cause Al
the beginning Of the conflict would be
<.s6a. 40. Even this apportionment az
between north aud south leaves "a the
latter section only 1881 sos men 20
draw upon, and supposcs numerical
superiority on the part Of the north Of
nearly four 10 one.
The deaths in the army from all
causes during the period between 1850
and 1865 have been stated by Adit
Gen Drum ms $685. This may be
below the truth. but the point we wish
to make Is that the deaths during that
period were enough. or nearly enough.
to balance the normal increase in the
population OF military age, SO that at
the end Of the war. or at any time
during the war. the northern popula-
ton available for military purposes
was not greatly in excess Of the eighth
census figures for 1860 The fact is
that in 1870. after five years OF peace.
this element Of the population. csti-
mated upon the same basis, had in
creased only from 1852. 470 to ). 34l l6O
The deduction Is obvious and II is
very striking. II Gen. Eaum does not
exaggerate the number of union sol
diers who bore arms in the great con
dict. then il is true that Of the entire
northern population fit for military
service one man out Of every two men
was at the front Does any sane per-
5 IN believe that such was the case?
1t is reasonable to assume that there
is nothing excessive in the pension
commissioners estimate that about q
million men who served in the union
armies either persisted during the war
or have died during the quarter Of .
century since the war. 1t would not
suit the purpose Of the pension spend
thrifts to exaggerate the mum Der Of
union soldiers who are outside the
reach of any pension. The object is
rather TO swell the total of survivors
and thus To enlarge the apparent field
for governmental bounty.
But even assuming that there are
now alive 1.20s.,07 union soldiers. and
leaving out Of sight the general prin-
ciple that those most deserving OF pen
sions as rule are not those who sur
vived the war by twenty-six years, we
reach some startling conclusions from
Raum's own statistics.
OF the alleged number OF surviving
veterans, 47s,356 are actually on the
rolls and in receipt of pensions. Near
~ forty per cent Of the northern sur
vivors Of the war are partly or wholly
supported 1T government cost.
There are now pending in Gen.
Raum's bureau claims for pensions q
follows, leaving out Of consideration
Al widowu' cloima. and al claims for
increase q pension = those already
o. the rolls;
Original ss!ns usesr old laws. u. !. 80. isasss
Original claims under disability bill -. .lss2i&
Total new claims ~. ....... ....... 80. 3t8 is9
Add total already pensioned =. . 49,. <7s 80
m'4s
This amounts TO saying that mere
than two-thirds Of all the surviving
union veterans are now either in re-
ceipt of pensions or are applicants for
pensions. The applicants are getting
provided with pensions, as the commits
sioner informs US, at the rate OF $4,000
month, or 100000 year. New APP
plications are pouring in at . rate
which we can only conjecture. New
laws extending the scope Of the gov
ernments expenditure are in process
Of incubation. How long will il be. IL
the present game OF grab continues.
before each ~ the LOS. TOT who Raum
says served In the northern armies and
are still alive will be : pcnsioner
on the rolls?-N. Y. Sun.