Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-13
So long as both political parties now in be-

So long as both political parties now in be-
ing depend for support directly on the veteran
vote in the large measure that they do "the
time to call halt caption Of General Henry
W. Slocum's article in the January Forum will
have no important bearing as party or &C.
onomic cry. The time to call halt on pension
legislation came some time ago so far as incon-
siderate measures giving large fees to agents or
pensions to those not entitled to them are con-
cerned. The time to call halt on pension
legislation intended and so framed as 70 secure
the benefits of national aid and reward to the
deserving will never come, because the Ameri-
can people are a grateful and patriotic people
with lively sense of right and justice. Be-
tween the demsgogue and the tax payers stand
the great body OF the old soldiers of the repub-
lie men who would not sacrifice their self-re-
spect for a bounty and this bulwark must not
be lost sight Of by those who have apprehen-
sions of the ability of the people TO meet
the levies Of those known as pension raiders
That the nation is grateful and has amply dis
played its gratitude to the veterans of the civil
war General Slocum shows by comparison
both with foreign nations and with the action
of the government in pensioning the soldiers
Of other wars. The Commissioner OF Pensions
IN his last annual report says that the bureau
will be able to carefully adjudicate and allow
35O, 900 claims for pensions during the present
6scal year. That means more than two minute
during the working hours of theyear. The mill
tary and naval pension appropriations, allow
ances rewards &c, of Great Britain for the year
ending March 81, 1891 amounted to about twenty
five million dollars; in France during the pres
emit year. little less than thirty million dollars:
in Germany about thirteen and quarter mill |
ions; in Austria, nearly twelve and quarter |
millions; in Russia QS7S-the most accessible |
figures about eighteen millions. The pension |
roll Of the United States is greater than the :
combined list Of all these great military powers.
Our Revolutionary pensions granted amounted
to % $40 of the entire number of enlistments; |
in the war Of 1872, of II lilo per cent; in the |
Mexican war, up to 1887, II, 600 out of $4,000 Of
enlisted men received pensions. Under the act
of that year the number was increased to 2, 0O0
The war for the Union has already in twenty |
six years produced more than $50. 600 pension |
ers on the rolls. or more than % per cent Of
the enlistments. and this percentage is increas-
ing at the rate of 1000 per day. There are
now pending more than 100000 claims. GEN |
eral Slocum fears a reaction in public sentiment
BY which honest ard deserving pensioners will ,
suffer with the undeserving if'the agitation for |
further legislation increasing the number and |
amount of pensions shall continue. 1t is hardly /
likely that this will be the result of change of
sentiment, but the reason assigned by this gal
LIANT soldier is entitled to serious consideration.
1t il true. as he states. thu: President Jackson
declared in 1894 his belief in tie existence of
extensive frauds under the pension laws, and
recommended that all payments under these
laws should be suspended until reports from
an investigation in every state could be re-
ceived. But this suggestion was not put into
effect and If it had been would have wrought
untold har,lships. 1t is not probable that any
such step Will be demanded at this time. Eut
the considerations urged by so many veterans
and friends of veterans to make pension legisla-
ton effective for the object in view and only that
object should have due weight with Congress.