The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-21


THEY DEEouzcE sUcH PAYMENTS
As 4 .'cunsE AID Bf1eHT."
In recent speech in the House, Gen.
eral Patterson, Of Tennesser, gave the
following reasons why be thinks the
payment Of Union pensions .scurse and
. blight to the South:
II do say that the enormous sum paid
in tho way Of pensions is double hard
ship on the people Of the South. It lisa
hardship because it is drawn not from
the wealth or property Of the country,
but from its consumers. And II il
hardship because that part paid By them
Is transferred from the South to the
homes Of these soldiers, thereby depict
ing from year to year the money in
circulation. From all these causes L
results that there is . dearth Of money
south Of the Ohio River"
General Patterson claims that he was
Ii command Of the last regiment In the
rebel army to surrender At the close Of
the war and his associates all agree thai
he was man Of courage. Even now be
finds it impossible to follow the cowardly
policies OF the Northern Democrats and
falsely pretend to be friend Of the
Union soldier when the real desire il to
cut down pensions and put in the pockets
Of ex-Confederates money which is now
going to loyal veterans. Since PattersoB
displayed the courage of his convictions
and plainly avowed his hostility to thu
payment Of pensions to Union soldier
other ex-Confederates 10 Congress arr
inspired to equally plain talk and are DO
coming insolent and threatening in theif
opposition, notwithstanding the frantic
efforts Of their Northern associates to
keep them quiet. 1t is becoming very
plain what they will do if they once get
control of the law-making power Of the
Government.
s'The saddest thing in life to me-,
said Congressman John 81. Bankhead, of
Alabama, in his speech in the House,
March %, 1892, sis to see poor Con-
federate veteran as he drags himself from
his cabin to the field of labor, to earn
bread for his wife and children, and to
realize that one-twelfth Of all he makes
must be taken from him to pension some
camp follower or bounty jumper"
Mr.. Bankhead's great sympathy for
ex-C onfederates may be accounted for by
the fact that he himself served four
years in the rebel army and was wounded
as be claims three times, and doubtless
by men whom he now styles ''camp fol-
lowers" or .sbounty jumpers" Mr..
Bankhead said also:
..But do not care to pursue this
question for fear may let my feelings
get the better of my judgment and say
something that had better be left I'M
said.s
That is, he feared he might disclose
his real desires and intentions instead of
keeping them in the dark as the good OF
the Democratic party demands-at least
until after the election in November.
As reason for his hostility to pensions
to Union veterans Mr.. Bankhead said:
"This Congress has passed bill ap-
propriating $40, 900, 900 for the pay
ment Of pensions. This large amount
must first be collected from the people.
It is cash transaction, not credit, not
checks or drafts, but cash. The amount
is more than 90 per capita, or mere than
$4,000, 900 for the State Of Alabama, or
nearly twice the amount collected for
State and county taxes in that State; or,
to put it more plainly, each family of
five are taxed .more than $40 for pen.
sions. This money, the representative
of one months labor for the head of the
family on the farm, or one-twelfth the
years return for labor goes into the
pocket Of some pensioner, many Of whom
are rich men and women. A very small
per cent. goes back to Alabama, for we
have but few pensioners, and those we
do have are not as rule entitled to the
money they receive"
Notwithstanding his fervent prayer
that his feelings might not get away with
him while discussing pensions, tina. was
just what happened when little further
along in his speech Mr.. Bankhead
warmed up to the point Of declaring that
the South would not long submit to the
tariff and the payment Of pensions to
Union veterans, but would destroy the
Government if these exactions were not
stopped. He said:
'.When the people can no longer stand
the oppression, when they can no longer
remain silent, when the time comes, as
believe it will if they are not given re-
lief, that the masses in this country rise
up and demand justice at the hands Of
the law makers, trust that may be
found on the side OF the people and fight
ing with them for what / believe to be
just.
"The essence Of my Democracy is my
sublime confidence in the people. They
will do right when the right is under
stood by them. This is their Government
and they will control its destiny. When
it becomes oppressive they win try to
reform it. When it becomes unbearable
they will destroy it and build upon the
ruins another, fashioned with their own
hands. ! warn you, gentlemen, not to
tempt them too far. Iremind you that
it is unwise to treat the sufferings CT the