The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-07
PENSION REFORM.

Much hos been and Is being said about iarin
Reform. This Is undoubtedly the great
issue between the two parties, and WI 30 re-
main until reform is accomplished. Buttnere
is one scarcely secondary to It IN importance
and that is Pension Reform.
In brief article in The TINES OF thursday
il was shown that II will take the interest on
the almost inconceivably enormous sum OF
FIVE billion dollars at per cent. to raise the
two hundr ed million dollars per annum which
under existing laws. it is estimated Is required
10 pay the pensions which have been inflicted
upon the country by the billion-dollar Con-
gress Just think of IT, The people OF tho
country are taxed at least two hundred MIL
lion dollars every year. in addition to the taxa
ton needed to meet the public debt obliga-
ton. solely for pensions.
This is burden which no people in the
world except those of the United States would
quietly bear even il it were iustifable, but IN
this case il is absolutely without any pretext
of justice. Nothing could more plainly and
strikingly prove this than the fact that
already over 100000 pension certificates for
disability alone have been issued. IL the
Confederate army disabled 100000 Federal
soldiers now living, besides the army OF those
disabled who have died in the last quarter
OF a century and the hundreds OF thousanuS
killed in battle. it certainly did greater exc
cution than was ever accomplished by any
army since the creation. At that rate every
individual man and boy who ever served In
the Southern army must have averaged at
least one victim among their opponents.
Such a record, as shown by the official figures
of the Government at Washington, Il une1am-
pied in the heroic annals of the world.
But while the Confederates are conceded 70
have played terrible havoc in the ranks Of
their enemies. such showing is manifestly
absurd and only proves the tremendous i'm
position which has been practiced upon the
country in the name of pensions. Colonel
John c. Tarsney, the Democratic successor III
Congress to William Warner. Missouri
Republican. has been the first toannounce his
intention to vigorously attack the pension
monster. and it is hoped his example will be
promptly followed by the other Democratic
congressman. He declares that the pension
roll will never be thoroughly cleared of fraud
ulent cases until general law is passed sus-
pending all pensions until those in interest
appear before a United States officer and
prove anew their right to be on that roll.
He thinks that such measure carried out
under the auspices of the War Department
might purify the pension roll. II would also
reduce it by one-haf. for he has no shadow
of doubt that over so per cent. of the pen
sions now paid are based on fraud. collision
and perjury. Says he very truthfuliy:
The pension roll was once roll Of honor
What genuine Union soldier with any self
respect wants to be on that roll to-day As
soldier and one of several brothers who
fought all through the war for the Union ]
am Disguised at this degradation OF the pen
sion roll. To load it down with an army OF
bummers and perjurers who have done al
their fighting since the war closed IS an insult
to the real soldiers OF the war, who. with their
dependent relatives, have alone the right to be
there"
The trouble with the Democratic party is
that it has always acted in the most coward
ly manner in this matter of pensions. They
have been so afraid of the senseess and ut
terly foolish cry of being a "disloyal" party,
in sympathy with "the rebellion" that they
have failed to do their duty in properly de-
Tending the people against pension sharks and
impostors. No one objects to the Federal
soldier who fought gallantly in the war be
ing rewarded with pension for the faithful
discharge Of his duty. especially if in doing
that duty he unfortunately stopped Confed-
crate bullet But this scheme TO heavily tax
the whole people of the country, so that few
Republican politicians might make political
capital. and that an immense army of frauds
might be supported at the public expense, is
most nefarious and should no longer be coun-
tenanced.