The National tribune., 1891-07-23
ANnruER sLANnERER.


though he does not give his regiment has
written an editorial in Frank Loslic's Illus
tratcd NaeYYc. attacking the Grand
Army Of the Republic and the pension
system. IL is a sadly disjointed affair, and
mainly made up Of wanton assertions and
ISLANDERS, which be does not support with a
7ciuulia Of proof lie starts Of 10y saying:
] believe that a great part Of the pension
expenditures are ifaudulontly obtained 10y
cNaggeration, prgton,e, and perjury Tins
IS simply a bald assertion, 10 support which
he does not oler a particle OF evidence
Nor can he The whole horde Of pension
ha:eTs who have been talking that way
with wild yohgmerce, have been constantly
challenged TO produce proof Of what they
say, bat have declined TO do so in a single
instance. If there are any extensive frauds
being practiced nothing would be easier
than TO expose them. Every man who
served in the army rendered his service in
the light of day. lie was not hidden under
bushel at any time. Everything that be
did was in The presence Of a cloud Of wit
nesses Many OF these are living to-day.
They are quite ready to give their adverse
testimony in any matter OF pretense or
fraud. II there are great numbers Of
fraudulent pensioners, they must be living
in some community, and in those commu-
mites are always soldier-hating papers, who
would only be too glad 10 find out those
frauds and expose them. Does il not strike
somebody as singular that this is never
cone? The pension-hating papers VIII adj
nit that the pensioners in their immediate
nrighborhood, with whose merits they are
familiar, are entirely deserving. Indeed,
their local columns frequently contain re-
ports Of great hardships TO men who have
deserved everything Of their country, and
yet have been unable to obtain more than
mere dole, if anything. The editorials
never allude to these, but inycigh all the
time against some mythical, undeserying
frauds, living in some mysterious, unmen-
toned locality, who are draining the Treas
ury dry.
Mr. Van Bibber follows with another
cratuitous assertion; u believe that at
least 100000 men who enlisted during the
late war received from their fellow-citizens
at the time all they were worth, and in many
cases-perhaps ihrce-fourths Of that million
far more than they were worth" We
shall have to draw some statistics Oh this
impudent fellow. in the first place, there
were not more ihan 100000 different in
diyiduals who enlisted during the war. IL
is true that there were 1853 1872 different
enlistmenis, but then nearly everybody en-
/ listed at least twice, and vast number Of
/ the best troops enlisted three times-once
/ in the first three-monihs' service once for
i three years, and once as veterans. Ii was
possible for men to serve ont i've enlist
ments. Hundreds Of thousands who were
discharged Tor wounds OF disability re-en-
listed. We thlnk That we are "iihin the
truth when we say mat not more man
4 2.oO0OOO different IndlYiduais served IN ile
Union army. oi these fully 'oo,o'o were
killed or died during The war inns would
leave, according TO Mr. Van Bihbei's calcula'
ton, only 100000 more to do al the terrible
/ lighting Of chat four years Of war This j,
preposierous on It's face. And in the ma.
iority Of battles" continues Mr. Van Bibbpr
'' from one-fourth to one-half Of those pres
cnt were not engaged at all, or very
slightly" This il a gross exaggeration
How about shiloh where one-third Of thos'
present were killed, wounded, OF takeI
prisoners? Or Prairie Grove, where one il
every six on the field was killed OF hadl,
wounded? Or Stone River aud Chicka
manga. where one man cut Of every fw
uuon the field was struck bv the enemy
missiles? Or Gettysburg, where one-fourtl
Of Tie army was lostg It's true that in al
bgttles some regiments or bripades escapes
81, a., .-, -.