Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-31
TWO GREAT DEBTS.
Major Mckinley Analyses Pen.
sion Finances in His
Memorial Grafton.
THE NATIONS OBLIGATIONS
To Creditors Compared With Its Pay
ments to Its Veterans.
THE BEST EQUIPMENT FOR WAR,
President HarriSOnS Remarks at the Phila-
delphia Celebration.
THE BEST EQUIPMENT FOR WAR.
President HarriSon'S Remarks at the Phila.
delphia Celebration.
HOW DECORATION DAY WAS OBSERVED

He began with an appropriate eulogy of the
honorable dead and impressive words to the
living who have in keeping. their sacred
memories. Coming to the policy of Amer
lea in not maintaining standing army, ht
said:
1t was reported in the public press of 6
few days ago that the Secretary of State or
March q last, thus spoke to a foreign repre-
sentative: Il do not recognize the right Of
any Government to tell the United States
what it should do. We have never received
orders from any foreign power, and will not
begin now" This has been the national
sentiment since We have been a Government
and will continue to be while the Govern
ment lasts. We are not seeking a quarrel
with any nation, but we do not permit, and
never have permitted, any nation TO dictate
to us or determine our domestic or foreign
policy We are not and never have been a
military people. We have been too busy
anG too practical to carry arms in time of
peace. War with us has always been II
means of conQuering an honorable peace
and never resorted to until everything else
short of a surrender OF principle and essen
tial rights failed to bring peace: Only l6
out OF Il period OF ll6 years, which includes
the eight years war for our independence,
have we been engaged il actual warfare,
and then only in defense of our rights and
liberties against foreign enemy, and to
preserve peace and an indivisible Union
within our own borders.
The Best Preparation for War.
Nor are We prepared for war, in the Eu-
ropean sense of having powerful army and
great navy, although within few years
we have increased our naval strength, and
are now engaged in building a number of
frst-class ships of modern design, which will
rival the best of the world But as con-
tTasted with many other nations, we are
ncaiions and coast defense. As viewed from
n strictly military standpoint, therefore, we
would be called almost defenseless on land
and sea And vet we are not defenSeless.
No nation is defenseless with such resourc IS
as We possess. Besid al! we have demon-
stTated IN every war in which we have beer
engaged our readiness and adaptation for
any cmergen cy-our inherentand almost re-
sistless strength, founded upon sincere al
fection for our country and her institutions;
and so long as ii lasts We may fear no toe
from any quarter. Our best endeavor should
be to encourage and promote this love of
country among the people, which is the
very armament OF our power in war and
peace.
Our civil war was a demonstration of what
q people dedicated to peace and the pursuits
of peace can accomplish when freedom and
country and home and love of all inspire the
masses. W 18th hearts moved by the love of
liberty, military discipline comes quickly;
with hands ready to use them, arms are
promptly Forthcoming. With the will there
and irresistible army was raised and
equipped. Within As hours from the receipt
of the telegraphic call two Ohio regiments
were on their way to save the national
capital; and many, many more were ready,
whose services were not needed.
Didn't Think of Money Then.
Coming to the subject of pensions Major
Mckinney spoke as follows:
Neither bounty or pay or pensions were
thought of when the great North offered her
best from every walk of life, that the Union
might be preserved. Native born and
adopted citizens were brothers and COM
rades in the great struggle. Men of all ma
ti0nalities mingled their blood in the COM
mon sacrifice and for the common good.
When the news of the fall of Richmond
reached Washington the people assembled
in large numbers at the residence of Mr.
Seward, Secretary of State, and, responding
to their call, the great premier said, among
other things: Il am now about writing niY
foreign dispatches. What shall / tell the
King OF Prussia?" He answered his own
question with this glowing tribute to our
German fellow citizens: Il will tell him that
the Germans have been faithful to the
standard Of the Union as his excellent Min
lister Baron GOrOlU has been constant in his
friendship TO the United States. Our adopt-
ell citizens OF every land knew in that great
contest but one 1ag, the flag of the stars"
W Aat mighty army was mustered. The
whole number OF men III the military and
naval service during the Civil War was
Z,656,5S3, of which number nearly 200, ,0o0 were
colored. About l4OO,OGO men We're in actual
service-70,e90 were killed in the field and
1S4,O00 died in hospitals and camps. More
than s50,00c Union soldiers and sailors per-
ishcd during the late war, and presumably
the same ghostly figures are required to
reckon the Confederate loss. In addition
an untold number on both sides were more
or less disabled for life. The wooden leg
armiess sleeve, badges of bravery and sacri-
flee are seer all over the land, and are grim
reminders of that fearful contest.
Patriotism in the Prisons.
Probably the most splendid illustration of
devotion to country and love for the old flag
was displayed by our prisoners of war. Dur
ing the great struggle l75,C0O of our men were /
captured and made prisoners: and when !
misery, despair and death were stalking |
through their prison pens, when starvation |
was almost overcoming their brave hearts, |
and reason was ottering-lberty was |
offered these men upon condition that they |
would swear allegiance to the Confederate |
Government and enlis5 in the cause of the |
Confedelacy. What answer made our hero /
con1aaeS? Less than Der cent OF them, less |
than 500 ont OF G5.000 were willing to accent /
their freedom upon such terms, although it /
was from starvation, idiocy, sicl1cning scenes |
and death.
Tell me that men of such 1nettle place !
pensions above patriotism. Tell me that |
men who are thus willing to Weld up their
lives FOR their country would loot the
Treasury and bankrupt the Government /
which tlcy were willing to give their life
ll-
dier before me; there is not a volunteer of
the Republic anywhere vino would exchange
his honorable record in the service of his /
country in behalf OF freedom and mankind,
fu behalf of the freest and best Government
on the face of the eaTtlE for any money con.
sideration. Their patriotism is above price
1t cannot be bought. 1t is not mercnandis.
for barter. 1tis not i'll the market. thank
God there are Sc,lne things that money cannot !
buy, and patriotism is one of them.
The Nations Two Great Debts.
When the war was over this Government |
had two great debts. One was to its credit
ors who had loaned their money in its hour
of necessity thus expressing confidence in
the ultimate victory OF the Union arms. The |
other debt was its obligation to the men who
had saved it and made ii possible to pay its
money debts. The one could be computed
the other was beyond human computation.
We were not able to pay the principal of
the public debt incurred by the war when
hOstilitics ceased. 1t had reached the enor-
NOUS sum of 5000 100000 Many thought we
never could pay it. The Government could
GO nothing more than to provide for the in !
tcreSt on that debt and extend the payment
OF the principal until it had recovered from
the waste OF war. This it did. So that the
two great items of debt at the close of the
war were the interest to the public creditor
and pensions to the soldiers. These two
items have never been so great in the aggre-
gate as they were in 1867. Let me brinl, to
yoar attention some figures which are both
in terestimg and instructive They show the
annual interest paid to bondholders and the
pnnual pensions paid to the soldiers for a Sc
I1es OF years beginning with 1857:
A Very Instructive Table.
1867. Pension roll oll.......s2 2o.936eoo
1867. Interest on public debt. 14s, ISL 200
Total. .Sl64, ,7l7 900