New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-08
GRAND ARMY BUGLE NOTES.
AN ABLE Defence OF THE PENSION
SYSTEM.
DEPARTMENT coMMANpER CHARLES H. FREE
MANS RECENT CIRCULAR.

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER CHARLES IL. fHEE-
MANS RECENT CIRCULAR.
The system Of pensions for disabled and mpover-
shed defenders OF the country has able and gallant
champion In the present Department Commander,
Charles II. Freeman It had also in his predecessor
Colonel GARRISON. In recent circular letter General
Freeman refers to the false and hurtfu statements
touching pension matters appearing in the columns Of
both daily and weekly newspapers, and believes that
he could do no better service than by presenting
counter statement Higher considerations than mcro
spirit of controversy him In this matter. 1ho
efforts to dscredit pension SYSTEM he feels go
deeper than the pocket Were the question one only
of dollars and cents it might be left to run It's course
But these persistent attacks strike 1t at the very rOo1
of patriotism. To seek to mpeach the good name Of
one who has served his country In the hour OF dan
ger, and served II WELL to impugn his motives ana De
little his services can have other effect than 10
blunt the warm patriotic sentiment essential to the
highest good Of the country.
The Department Commander then refers to the
means by which the purpose is sought to DO accom-
plished which are despicabe he argues, than the
purpose itself The false and malicious methods used
he briefly outlines:
l. The actual cost Of pensions is constantly and
o o ots tSs Seng R actually Il
2. Tho estimated cost Of future expenditures is Is
the Imagination. Official data and estimates arc is
nored. a.,,.,a
j.. length
and reckless expenditure Of the public money must
continue is extended many years beyond its possible
duration. . -
A. The veterans are attacked not personally there
would be some scmblance OF manllness In tatl Dnt
en- masse They are characerlzed a ecSsu1 ds when
their applications granted
The purpose of all this, II is not difficult to see the
effect Is equally apparent The appeal to the grosscr
sentiment. IL costs money. In view Of the YER.
grave considerations involved, the Department Com
mander cannot but believe that n concise statement
Of the important facts involved Will be OF interest
and profit, both 10 the veteran and his fellow Citizen
The figures herewith submitted from the last official
report Of the Commissioner OF Pensions or from other
Official
And first touching the amount actually expended,
$780, 493 800 10 represents the total expenditure
account of pensions during the last fiscal year. This
includes every item Of expense, pensions to widows Of
Revolutionary soldiers, soldiers Of the war OF lol2
and their widows OF the Mexican and their widows
Veterans Of the OF the Rebellion and their widows
and children Navy pensions and pensions for disabled
soldiers of the Regular Army lights fuel clerk hire
salaries Of special examiners, attorneys, and pension
agents fees fees Of examining surgeons, and printing
the pensions OF disabled veterans who receive Sl2
per year, and the widows Of general officers who
receive $4,000 per year. Included in this estimate
The difference between this amount and S15OOCOOOO
$3.50 100000 represents the extent to which the
inscriptions falsfcatiOns above alluded TO have gone
II we deduct from the sum above given the cost OF
administration, and the amount OF first payments or
accrued PENSIONS find that the total amount prop
ery chargeable the last fiscal year to be but 2052
143 40.
While ii Is not the purpose Of the Department Com
mander to 90 extensively into this question Of cost,
still there IS significant fact that should be pre-
scented. The total average yearly payments on &C
OF pensions since the first year of the war; have
been but $50. 623,743 44-lttle more than so cents
yearly for each cittDen-.0O00 per cent on the
total average valuation Of property. In sense can
this tax be said be buenSOme the manner Of it's
collection Is such to exempt, almost absolutely the
citizen of limited means. While the amount con
trbuted individually Is SMALL 1t may be stated also
that the amount received by the pensioners
is also of limited proportions, being but Sc cents per
day and this includes the pensOner who receives but
S12 per year and the pensloner at s. 600.
Estimates made by the Secretary Of the Interior
from the best data obtanabe place the probable ex
pendtures for the present year at Sl26,0O0000 Wild
predictions touching the probable cost Of pensions in
years to come, may we'll be left to the lmagnations
that breed them. They destitute of every attribute
Of substantiality-wild guesses, nothing more. No
answer to them is possible.
The death rate during the past year among the
veterans assuming the accuracy Of the Commissioners
estimate to the number living, was 1900
"A whole army corps wiped OUTCOME to return no
more forever Speaking Of the expenditure account
Of interest and pensions since 1867 the Secretary
Of the Treasury :" Since the last mentioned
period the population Of the country has nearly doubled
that the burden borne by each individual taxpayer
from these two sources. which may be set down the
great burden OF the war; about one-half what IL was
when the ended"
That the veteran has not rushed In hot haste to
sion Bureau has not been recklcssy administered in
HIS interest, IS best shown in the fact that Of the
1,702060 soldiers who survived the war, but 537 944
less than 81 per cent by the Commissioners last
report, the pension rolls. And this too, than
twentynlne years after the first gun fired Less thar
80 per cent OF those who fought the than ,0O0
battles of the war have not much presented
their claims. To the charge of Treasury lOOting we
can only present these facts. But they con-
elusive.
The reckless manner in which fraud is charged upon
the is evidence Of the INSCRIPTIONS character
of those who make 1t. paper published in of our
Westesn cities, few days since, said this: "Our
pensions FOR 1892 will cost the enormous sum Of
$3.50, 100000 and Of this at least 800. 100000 will
go for making paupers and periurers, supported as
parasites the labor Of the country" Even more
far reaching Is the language of Of Eastern
publications "The larger part Of this vast sum is
pure robbery"
II Is difficult to answer this charge Of fraud because
of the lack Of specifications Fraud IS charged not
against this veteran that veteran but against the
veterans class Ii is safer far tue accuser
is concerned but infinitely more despcable.
This may be taken as incOntrOvcrtblc: One who
knows Of the existence Of fraud of the character
charged and does not expose II, thereby becomes him
self, I'm a moral sense. party to the crime: while
who charges fraud without such knowledge presents,
in his person, the very best exponent of all his
accusation asserts or implies.
THE PROPOSED Rifle AND GRIY RFVVnON