The National tribune., 1891-07-02
UNwARRANTAnLE ASSERTIONS.
The Chicago ddrance, speaking Of the
" Bllioa-dollar appropriations, says:

''iiii- lh"Nnea lailed TO ErnSp ihe lhcl AAat lhe
/ money dumped into shallow creeks or spent la
Congressional dj-ics 10 secure the reelection 81
/ the sitting Memher, or given iud-oriminaloy TO
the uncez, auHts cousins aud Hi-tors-in-lsw o. an
un-ihcu Hus. Of patriots, came out oi their own
pno6cts d would be q cold dead soul who would
r'iHsh proper support 10 a worthy and needy de-
Fender of The Uaion; but The only explanation ~
the fact that pension Legislation has been permit
TED % throw the Good gates wide open Go fraudu-
leHi aud cZtrnyHgau claims - every kind, md TO
run up bin n expenses greater than that Of the
Standing unIics Of Europe Is TIE failure Of the p"o-
/ pie 20 understand that they pay every dollar Of
/ thc enormous amount Bot it j. 70 Zoe hoped that
the public protest VIII he loud enough 60 prevent
I ihe next Congress from following ia The cNtraya-
SAINT way Of iis predecessor.
This sort Of loose writing is entirely I'M
worthy Of paper Of the Adrmcc's ability
aud standing. While it is probably true
that some money was appropriated TO creeks
and rivers that had no National Importance,
we believe THAI there was much less Of this
sort Of thing in the last River and Harbor
Bin than in any previous one. The great
majority Of the appropriations were for
meritorious and much-needed improvements
Il is lamcntably true that in every Congress
there are found men who viii not vote for
The most urgently necessary Improvements,
unless they can pet an appropriation for
some one Of doubtful value in their own
Districts. As votes are necessary to pass
these bills, they too frequently gain their
points, but the proportion Of these men gets
smaller in every succeeding Congress, under
The severe caasure they receive. We hope
to soon hear the last Of this practice
But when the 1draace talks Of giving
pensions Unfortunately to the unclcs,
Cousins, and sisters-in-law Of 10 unsifted
host Of patriots" il becomes surprisingly
reckless. If it has any knowledge Of pen
sion legislation, it must know that this
is not even approximately true rs a figure Of
speech. The only relatives Of a veteran who
can possibly get a pension are, first, his
widow il be leaves one, and she must have
been married to him prior 10 the passage Of
the law; next, his orphans, under 10; next,
II he leave no widow. his aged mother, if
she was dependent upon him for support,
and is now in needy circumstances Then,
if he has LETT neither widow nor dependent
mother his father may come in, if he is needy
and helpless. 10 one VIII attempt to deny
the justice Of these provisions. They are
recognized features Of every country's pen
sion laws. Before any relative can get the
benefit Of these provisions they must estab-
fish their relation and dependence in the
most absolute manner
Quite as reckless is the ldUance's talk
about throwing the food gates wide open
TO fraudulent aud extrayagant claims Of ev-
cry kind" This is simply and grossly un-
true. We do not believe for moment
that the Aaraace is, ike the soldier-hating
papers stating what il knows TO be untrue.
IT has meiely been carried away by The con-
tinual din Of certain malignant journals,
and has not stopt to give the matter
the attention and investigation il deserves
Should it do this, il would not take
long TO end out how entirely it has
been mistaken. As we believe the AdCJace
TO be an entirely fair-minded paper,
we earnestly urge it to send a representative
10 Washington 20 probe this matter to the
bottom. We promise 10 give such repre-
sentative every assistance in the power of
THE HAT0SAL TRIBUNE in the way Of
arriving at the exact truth in regard 10
pensions. We can promise him that the
Secretary Of the Interior, Assistant Secretary
Bussey aud Pension Commissioner Raun
wiil afford him every facility for inyes,iga-
ton. There is not a single detail Of the
workings Of the pension SYSTEM but what
be can fully inform himself about; there is
moi n claim bat what be can have access 10
all the papers and facts
We Wish, for the sake Of the veterans and
for that Of the country, that the Adroace
would do this. We are so certain that any
paper, not blinded by partisan maliguance,
will incline to the cause Of the veterans the
more il examines into al the facts concern
ing pensions, that we are anxious for any
and all Of them 10 make the most rigid
scrutiny Of every phase and detail Of Tie
pension system. The more thorough ihey
make such a scrutiny the stronger viii Dc
their conviction that instead Of the veterans
being pampered aud spoiled they have
really been treated with a prrdging parsi.
mony, entirely unworthy Of the great Gov.
eminent they saved al untold cost 10 them.
selves
N-
COLoRED oIFICEES.