The National tribune., 1891-11-05
WHAT 1T MUST MEAN.


papers do not necessarily harp upon one
theme, all the orators do not constantly fulmi-
nate from the stump without having def
nitely-settled plan Of campaign and being
urged on by a regularly Orgauized scheme TO
break down pensions. If there were only
occasional sporadic Outhursts against pen
sions and soldiers, we could safely attribute
them TO the lingering venom Of the war and
could afford to disregard them. But If we
mistake OF underate the malignant earnest
! ness Of the present raid against MS, we do so
\ at grave peril to our interests. IL IS a deadly
4 campaign against us-as determined in ITS
/ objects as Lees campaign into Pennsylya-
MIA, and even more carefully organized and
prepared for its work than his army was
We must meet il as strongly and resolutely
as we met his flushed and confident army on
the hills around Gettysburg, and beat IL
back il we hope to preserve the pension sys-
tenn for the benefit Of ourselves, and the
widows, orphans, and dependent fathers and
mothers OF our comrades.
The rank and lile of the army arrayed
against rs is made mp Of the unrepentant
rebels Of the South and the malignant
Copperhcads Of the North, reinforced by all
the selfish Free Traders who hope TO profit
by the breaking down Of the manufacturing
industries and agricultural interests built
up by our protective system. The rebels
and the Copperheads have enlisted in the
army because they hate every man who wore
the blue aud did much or little toward
saving the Nation and defeating their war
against it. The Free Traders have rallied
around the black banners because they feel
that if they can break down the pension
system they can take away one Of the main
reasons FOR maintaining duties upon imports.
The English merchants and manufacturers,
who have seen, with such bitter chagrin, so
much Of their valuable trade taken away
aud transferred TO this country, are willing
TO contribute any amount Of money TO carry
on the fight to success, just as they were
willing 10 buy Confederate bonds 10y the
million dollars aud supply endless quaint
ties Of Enfield rifles and Armstrong guns in
order 10 make the rebellion a success. il
the pension system can be broken down it
viii be a much more profitable venture for
them than when they fitted out the Alabama
and other pirates to destroy our merchant
marine, and throw the carrying trade Of the
world into their hands. The same men, OF
the SONS and Successors Of the same men,
who fought rs at the front. OF maligned ms
and plotted against MS in the rear from 1851
TO 1865, are now arrayed against ms. The
abuse they shower upon all who receive
pensions, or are instrumental in getting
them for others, is an echo OF that which
descended upon the head Of every man who
so much as lifted his hand TO preserve The
Union. They did not surrender at Apo.
mattox; they only recognized that they
were forced TO carry on the struggle in 8
different way, and they hope that the tim,
has now come for them 10 win victory
which will offset chat crushing defeat
This means a fght-a bitter, unrelenting
fight from now until they or we are utterly
defeated. There can be no compromises-nt
halfway yictoTies-any more than Their,
was IN putting down the rebellion. Eithe
the pension system must be maintained a
il now il, and still farther liberalized, or /
must be destroyed altogether We can an,
viii accept nothing less. They will be salts
fed with nothing less All the talk Of ere
, forming the pension system" Of "lop
ping OF abuses etc, is mere sham an
pretense. They want no reform" whic
viii not destroy the pension system, roo
aud branch. The abuses" they woul
"lop Of are all payments TO men and We
men for military services performed fror
a 1861 TO 1865. On the other hand, the con
e rades iceland most rightfully-that I'll
e pension laws as they stand fall far short
u what the Nation owes It's sayiors They in
o sist on more liberality, instead Of less, an
e their insistence is eminendy just Cons
$ quenuy there can be no middle course
D must be a fight 10 a finish, aud the veteran
+ must rouse themselves 10 the determiuatio
II that that finish must be in their favor.
a The supreme necessity, therefore, for We
c, Grams is organization and determinatio
If They must stand resolutely by each 9th,
ze and their friends They must regard ever
IT assault upon the pension system or tho
a. connected with pension-getiing as direct,
against themselves. Their enemies are en-
ningly trying 10 divide and weaken the
by singing out certain individuals AT
- officials as objects Of attack TO break the
down. This is merely the war tactics
coBquering by detail. The veterans mu
- take as their motto that an assault upon o.
honest soldier is an assault upon all.
:" They eau win the fight II they will stal