The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-22
WHAT WILL THEY DOT

are ali their old-time enemies flushed with
| victory and more aggressive and menacing
than ever, but the hostile forces have been
augmented by large accessions from those
who have hitherto been Indifferent, OF merely
lukewarm.
The long continued warfare waged against
pensions and pensioners has had its natural
effect of poisoning the public mind and
drawing into active opposition large por-
tion of the community which has heretofore
taken little interest in the matter, or even
given pensions a mild approval. By dint OF
constant iteration of the same old malignant
lies they have been brought to believe that
the pension-roll is harbOr for the worst
element in the community. which fattens
there on taxes wrung from honest labor.
1t is hard to-day to find paper, except
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, which actually
repels these calumnies and insists upon the
truth of history and the worthiness of pen
sioners as class.
Many influential papers, which have hith-
erto protested friendship for the veterans
and sought circulation on that ground, are
now either actually gone over TO the enemy
or are doing as more harm than if they had
done So by more or less open attacks upon
pensions and the pension system.
What the outcome of all this will be it is
hard to say. 1t is almost certain that the
pension system viii have to endure most
savage onslaught either during this session
or the first one of the coming Congress. Ii
an extra session is called, the attack will be
made then. The form Of the attack is as
yet uncertain, but every one so far urged
means an immense amount of wrong to
pensioners and those who seek to be placed
on the roll.
Whether it be to cut off certain class OF
pensioners; whether it be general reduc-
ton of pension rates; whether it be gen.
eral revision of the pension roll, with
compulsion on every pensioner to prove
anew his or her right TO place upon it
at the rate now granted; or whether it be
a combination of all these, it means I'M
speakable injustice to hundreds of thou-
sands of the most deserving men and women
in the Nation.
When veterans think calmly upon this
subject, they must remember that the pres
ent pension system is the result Of long
years of discussion and consideration.
Though they may find faults in it, yet it is
the best fruit Of more than quarter of
century of earnest discussion by the COM
rades themselves in soldier gatherings, in
Post meetings, in Department and National
Encampments; of years of debate and con-
sideration in both Houses of Congress. It
is the result of repeated formal declarations
in the platforms of all the political parties.
Never in the history of the country has any
body of laws received such long and
thorough consideration by so many of our
citizens, legislators, and public men.
That If might be better we all admit, but
we must also admit that it is the best that
could be secured up to the present time.
The main complaint is that it does net 60
far enough in the direction Of justice
a.. oTI-al on1diar ,,ronoce 70
undo all that has been gained by years of
constant effort. They would rob the vet
Grams and their dependent ones of very
much if not all that has been secured to
them.
The only way that they can be prevented
from doing this is by the veterans awaken
ing to the dangers that menace them, and
making q firm, united stand in defense Of
their rights. No time must be lost in doing
this. There must be no halfheartedness-
no division in council or In effort. The vet
Grams must rally on the center, and speak
with million Iesolute voices in condemna-
ton Of the raid against them. They must
make it clearly understood that the injury
of some is the injury of all, the wrong of all,
and will be resented by all. Their enemies
viii seek to divide In order to overthrow
them This must be guarded against and
prevented The raid is just as much against
all as against one class, and all must present
solid front in opposition to it.