The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-03
The Pension Issue.

In a strong article in the current number
of the Forum, entitled "Wbat MIR. Cleve-
land Stands For" Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams points out what be regards as the
leading issues OF the campaign. Among
them is the pension system.
There is no doubt that the pension issue Is
one which the people are seriously consider
ing. The pension burden has become an
enormous one, and it is steadily growing
larger. It has not been m any years since it
was believed by leading public men that it
would never exceed S3O,O0O,0 900 a year. 1t
will soon amount to $3.50, 900, 900 year, if,
in fact, 1t does not amount to that sum now.
When Mr.. Cleveland was President he
took a firm stand against the reckless ex-
travaganco of congress in the matter Of pen
sions He vetoed the dependent pension
bill, and in every other way he could he
tried to impress upon the country that the
pension burden Threatened to become
heavier than the people could bear without
serious inconvenience. He was viciously
assailed by those who fatten upon the reve-
nues they draw from pensions, aud the re-
publicans endeavored to make political cap
ital out of his persistent hostility TO pension
abuses
But he was right and the people are be-
ginning to see that he was The better ele-
ment OF the union veterans are ready to ap-
plaud him for the stand he took against ex-
travagant pension legislation. They are
now admitting that tens Of thousands OF
persons are being taken care Of at the ex-
~ ont m nj
claim upon public bounty.
Mr. Adams was a soldier In the civil war,
and held an important command. In his
article in the Forum he gives his own ex-
perience and that Of others with those who
became the most persistent in their demand
for pensions and bounties. He says:
We had seen every dead beat and
maligner, every hummer, bounty jumper,
ard suspected deserter we had ever known
or heard Of rush to the front as the greedy
claimant of public bounty. If there was
any man whose army record had been other
wise than creditable to him, we soon heard
of him as the claimant Of back pension Of
many hundreds of dollars or as being in
the regular receipt OF his monthly stipend.
On the other hand, those good and faithful
soldiers who in the day of trial had
been found in the front rank in
presence OF the enemy-thOSe men had,
since the flags we're furled away developed
as a rule the same characteristics as citizens
which had distinguished them as soldiers :;
self-respecting and self-sustaining. they
were reluctant to trade on the patriotism of
their younger and better days as on a beg
gar's claim. They had supported the brunt
of battle then, and they were able to sup
port themselves now. Thus there were of
us those who felt that this wretched idrgess
business, this trading Of political hucksters
on patriotic selt-sacrifice, had gone quite
fe- enough. We therefore felt keen sense
Of relief when, In February, 1887, President
Cleveland sent in his veto OF that dependent
pension bill, which put a premium on self
Assessment and perjury.
The foregoing states the situation fairly
end clearly. Those who have been most
active in creating the enormous pension
charge are not those who bore themselves
well and bravely during the war, but those
who Jagged in the rear, and they have had
the enthusiastic support of politicians, who
voted for pensions with the hope of secur-
ing votes, and the pension sharks.
Mr.. Cleveland's record with respect to
pensions is such that the pension issue is
bound to be an important one In the cams
psign. He favors giving pensions to those
who deserve them, and he opposes increes-
ing the pension burden to give pensions to
those who have no good ground for de-
manding them. There is no doubt that the
people approve his view of the pension sys-
tenn