The National tribune., 1892-12-15
The Fate of the Union Soldier.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: During the
recent political canvass there were presented
to the American voters three very important
radical questions for them to emphatically ex-
press their wishes upon, and they spoke almost
rs of ono voice-a voice which the party which
will come into power on the 4th of March, 1875,
will hardly dare fail to heed.
These questions were--free trade, State or
wildcat" banking, and a reduction or re-
modelling of the distribution or granting OF
pensions to the Union soldiers.
Since those who have opposed the Union SOL
diers since 1861 have carried the election by an
overwhelming majority, wildcat banking Is
"craw fishing" and even froe trade is being
modified by that party's leaders to mean
nearer if possible, just tariff; but there has
been no diminution, South or North, for
grand change regarding pensions. UP to ana
for some days after election the Republican
press insisted that the Nation had not yet done
enough for the saviors of the Republic, but
now those papers, like the cringing ours too
many of them have ever been, are joining the
ranks of the foe, and have begun to howl for
pension reform The St. Louis Globe Democrat,
one of the recognized leading papers OF that
party, in its issue of Nov. % 1892, editorialiy
says: Secretary Charles Foster thinks the
pension expenditure will soon reach S2o0,OUo.-
| 0G0 year. Twenty years ago nobody supposed
il would ever reach $50,O0O,O0O year. 1T as
gone too far in this pension business" italicize
the last sentence, as that is the al.important
part of the article. 1t is as much rs any reeel
or copperhead paper could say. Undoubtedly
now all tho little ours will begin the same
howl, may We not expect to find the Con-
gress of 1898 almost unit for o reduction OF
pensions?
am not pensioner nor an applicant for q
pension, nor do | want TO become one, so can
have but one feeling prompting in this mat
ter. That there have beensome pensions obtained
that were really fraudulent is possible. but II
such exist they can he readily discovered and
8nnulcd but. from my acquaintance with the
old soldiers, there are very few to-day who
are not entitled TO n pension according to the
tenor of the disability act. The question u.s.
Can Congress- or viii it. revoke the laws now
in existence and pass new ones limiting PEN
sions to those MANNED in the war? There is
now no use for the soldiers to prepare their
vetoes." That time ended Nov. g. We are now
at the mercy of our foes. and it looks very
much IS if the day is near at hand when if
Union soldier secures crumb from the Gov
eminent be will get it only by begging it from
a Confederate.
There seems no use of urging the comrades to
action. They have been so urged for years,
and especially SO during the last campaign,
which ended, as one comrade says, in Calf
Run" the sequel to the two Bull Runs. All
that appears to remain now to the old Union
citizen soldier is 10 float aloug with the tide,
keep as much in the dark as possible, to avoid
the dersion of the public, and accept with
profoundest thanks any pittamce which the Ma
ton he saved may condescend TO give him in
aims. pension, if one he allowed, is not to
be one of honor" as our foes have Elibly
said it should be; but is to be, from the
present outlook, aims Of the most degrading
nature.
And onr children. What shall we teach to
them2 We have taught them all we can, and 80
has the public, and in so many cases are they
found in the vast majority against us. Does
the sun yet shine for the Union savior? If so,
comrades, tell me Where's. i. DoLToN, 10
South Main street, ST. Louis, No.