The National tribune., 1892-02-11

adequate and just estimate Of the capacity and
adaptations Of other men 10 thOaffars Of every
day life, 10 is the man whose knowledge and ex-
perience has been limited 10 aad dwarfed and
circumscTibed within the four narrow walls Of
n college or any other so-called institution Of
learning Notwithstanding the great blessings
which the labor and investigations of this CE.ss
have brought 10 society. in all those matters
that most engage the minds, ympathies and
the best energies Of the practical men and
women Of the world their theories are generally
the most impracticable aud their judgment
the most unreliable. Those who, in the Ian
guage Of the great NapOloOD. Judge Of men
by a book, and Of the world BY chart"
As plain citizen. living In the mount
aims of the Northwest, IL is no disrespect
10 the writer OH Pensions and Socialism
10 say that Of him ! know nothing save
only in his scholarly contributions which APP
pear from time 10 time in the CeaiuTg. Judg-
ing from these, and in view Of all the facts.
may be parioned for presuming 10 wTito his
name with those found in the class described
by the First Consul Of the French Revolution.
Mr.. Sloane in his "Tejonder" TO Comrade
Bell says, " IL is not true that the soldier who
returned from the war IN good health was
handicapped in the race, and cites in sub
sanitation of this the statement Of Mr.. Bell
who WAS shot through tho lungs at Antietam
and lost n leg AZ Gettysburg) that he not only
-
Government That a man lived at all after
having been mutilated as Comrade Bell was ut
Antietam and Gettysburg. is undoubtedly evil
dence of good health at the time of receiving
those injuries but there are few anywhere, not
even among the most learned of the CtHtarys
Sociological group" would claim that a soldier
who had been shot through the lungs and
came out Of the war minus leg would not be
more or less handicapped" in any sort of q
race"
True. rs claimed, the eomrade receives n
salary, but il is not denied that he earns it, aud
honors are easy with the Government on that
score, and his salary consequently cannot be
considered in the light Of sentimental gift
But how many soldiers is it presumed there
are who are thus paid salary by the Govern
mcnty Shall we say a thoHSandI ! have not
the figures at hand. but probably not moro than
5000. AT the outside limit, who are earning a
livelihood under that munihcent system that
prefers tho old soldier (Oiher things being
equal in tho matter of employment in the civil
service. Then what becomes Of the remaining
1895, 900, out f 100000 who still survive :?
True, rs we are told. aud as have already adj
mitted, " the training Of the soldier made him
more adaptable for all uses than other men,"
but il is equally we'll demonstrated that the
training was most disastrous TO his physical
capabilities, and where today there is one who
has defed the Tavagcs OF tine and the blight Of
disease consequent upon that training, there
are a thousand who, returning in apparent
health. and with high hopes, are now compelled
10 abandon every ambition, and being denied
by that Government which their valor has
helped to make great and rich and powerful,
only look for relief at the sound Of the bugle
that calls them TO join tue "bivOuac Of the
dead"
But il remains for one Of the foremost writers
Of so able and influential magazine as the
Century to tell u.s. THE old soldier Is neither
legally or morally right in demanding pen
sion for disability, much less for service and
that the entire system is demoralizing. because
ii places few worthy soldiers on a footing with
those who have obtained pensions by false
swearing and other fraudulent means. To this
] WOald reply that in the course Of my life
have known a man, near nsighbor. 10 be tried
and convicted OF high crime. but did not real
iZe that my good name in the community had
been clouded by this act; for The reason that |
did not believe there rested upon me the slight
est suspicion Of completely in the crime. Crime
in Itself is demOraliZing, and every community
is more or less affected by IL; but that some
other man is receiving pension by reason Of
/ fraud IN no way inyaidates my claim upon the
! Government or lowers me in the estimation Of
my neighbOrs. In obtaining a pension / did
not swear falsely, and ] am both proud aud
grateful for the little receive AZ the hands OF
my tONetuintAl. - LOT lis feEhl aspect, L SEQ
nothing in the Constitution that fofbids the
! paying Of pension 10 such as me. The statute
| books provide for such payment; justice aud
humanity seem TO demand il the public in the
main pay the taxes willingly; and therefore 10
me, plain, plodding man OF the world, the re-
cciying Of such payment seems 10 be just and
/ proper, aud, on the whole so long as the Gov
1 eminent sends me the blanks ! shall continue
1 10 make out the vouchers for my quarterly
I dividend.
will not undertake 10 harrow with details
/ the minds Of any who may chance to read this
Il but in brief will say that all the money that
! ever passed through the vaults Of the National
/ Treasury would be 10 nduccment for me 70
undertake again what ! bave been compelled
+ 10 suffer since the close OF the war; rs result
! of disease and injuries received while fighting
/ for my country's flag. In the course OF my
l limited experience / have known some hun.
dreds Of comrades similarly situated, save only
in the fact that they are still without aid.
/ have neighbOrs Of this kind around me to-day
/ These certainly are demonstrated facts, that Nc
fne-spuu, hair-splitting theories can wipe out
and in my humble judgment. based upon these
facts, IL is far better that the Government pay
millions TO those who may be base enough e
swear falsely than that one worthy soldier b,
allowed 10 suffer for any Of the necessaries Of
comforts Of life, that money can buy, for a sin
gle day or hour.-JAMEs NJ. WELLS, Captain
9Th Mich. Cav, Boise City Idaho.
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