The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-13
PUBLISH THE PENSION ROLL.

1884 it is believed the annual appropriation
will decrease with considerable rapidity.
There are $4,000 names on the pension
roll, or 10000 more than year ago. and
the payments have already risen to nearly
$50, 100000.
There is a strong probability that this
enormous pension roll includes consid-
demand from the leading papers of both
parties for the publication of the PEN
sion rolls. This publication would serve
one good purpose, if no other; it
would inform the country how many
are drawing large pensions who have
Black, Cleveland's commissioner of PEN
sions, drew large pension for general
disability" during his term of Office. to
which was attached a $4,000 government
salary. Of course, q man competent to
earn $4,000 year has no moral right to
general disability" pension. Corporal
Tanner, who, like Gen. Black, draws 500
month general disability" pension. has
made large fortune as Washington City
Claim agent; Col. Dudley, when pension
commissioner, drew, besides his salary of
81, 900. his general disability" pension of
500 month. United States Senator
Henderson, a rich man, draws large
pension for disability" Gen. John A.
Logan, who was wounded five times, never
applied for pension, and died leaving but
very moderate estate-hls house in
Washington City and the copyrights of
his books.
In every state there are hundreds of
men of ample independent income who
are drawing disability pensions" A
millionaire congressman-eIectfro from Massa-
chusetts lis it Gen. Draper y draws large
pension for his military service. All these
men have legal right to pensions, but in
moral equity they all know that they have
no right to thus abuse the intent of PEN
sion which is not bounty, but is intended
to tighten the burdens of veterans who cam
not decently shoulder them themselves
because of infirmity and narrow pecuniary
circumstances. Then there must be
number OF men on the pension roll who
have been placed there by hard swearing
on their own part and on the part of their
friends and agents.
The publication of the pension roll is
but just to the worthy and deserving vet
Grams, who We feel sure do not look with
favor upon men who take pension money
to swell their ample private wealth, or
upon men who have sworn falsely and OBJ
tanned pensions to which they were not
entitled. Thousands of the worst Offend
ers against public decency will be found
among the benefciaries of the Mexican
war pension act. All of the Mexican war
veterans received land warrants tor 100
acres of government land at time when
Its location in the public domain of the
Middle West made many of them rich.
Hundreds of the Mexican war veterans
never reached the seat of war; hundreds
OF them never left even the recruiting de-
pots. 1t is impossible that nearly thirty
years after the civil war and forty-five
years after the Mexican war we can
have nearly million of legitimate PEN
sioners. There must be thousands of
fraudulent or unworthy pensioners on the
rolls. The pensions when the cases are
deserving are none too large, but the roll
badly needs purging.
There was total of about 1900, o0O
OF men who were in the Union army dur
ing the war: there were about /, 700. 900
living at the close of the war. Making a
liberal allowance tor deaths, one far ex-
ceeding that of able-bodied adults in any
part OF the Union, there cannot be left of
the survivors OF the army and navy more
than 10000 and yet We have nearly
900 900 on the pension rolls. Making due
allowance for thousands of men who have
never applied Tor n pension. and tor those
whose claims have been rejected, 10 cannot
be possible that our present pension roll
IS an honest list. There is no hardship.
no injustice, in allowing the Fraudulent
army rubbish to take care of himself. to
play tramp or TO lounge TO and fro be-
tween the almshouse and the workhouse.
These are the proper places where the
pension fraud should survey his empire
and behold his home. and public opinion
ought TO be strong enough TO shame the
opuent pensiouer into the surrender of
his pension.
The states who have established soldiers
homes find that the number of cases of
pauper veterans who are not already the
/ recipients of pension relief is very small.
Every needy, sick soldier should be cared
for by the nation. but the dependent pen.
sion act ought not to he perverted for the
benefit OF rich veterans or frauds. Let us
continue 10 vote millions for the sick. in.
Iirm, pauperized. worthy, dependent vet.
Grams OF the Union, but in moral equity
and honor not cent is fairly due those OF
us VINO gave our services rs free gift "a
the nation without hope or thought of re-
ward and are yet simply able to hoe our
own way in the world without help.
The line should be sharply drawn he
/ tween indiscriminate larcess to every man
who can prove enlistment aud generous
! aid 10 every man who incurred infirmitv
! in service or has. since been reduced 10 a
! condition that forbids se!f-support. If the
/ dependent pension act will bear the con
/ struction that though a veteran be pos
/ sessed Of an ample independent income
/ or may be able with his brains 10 earn 8
! good income, yet If he is unable 10 earn
| his support by manual labor, he IS entitled
! 49,, L.. 80. -