Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-12-02
PENSION Reform NEEDED.


When the present administration came
into power nearly four years ago it found
large surplus in the treasury. When it goes
out of power next march it will probably
leave its successor to face deficiency. In.
necessary and oppressive taxation pro-
duced the surplus, extravagant and cor.
rupt expenditure dissipated it and substi.
tutes deficiency.
The plea of President Cleveland for re-
duction OF tariff taxation was based on the
fact that more money was raised through it
than was required for the legitimate uses
of the government, and that every dollar
wrested from the people beyond that need
was extortion. He urged that greater
economy should be exercised in mourning
obligations, and taxation reduced until there
is enough income to meet the just expendi-
ture and nothing left TO encourage extrava-
gance or tempt to corruption. Unfortu
nately the warning was not needed by the
people, and the Republican party, that i'm
posed the unnecessary taxation had shown
no disposition to economic expenditures,
returned to power.
The first purpose of the restored party
was to destroy the basis Of Mr.. Cleveland's
argument for decreased taxation. "If the
surplus is a peril" they said, 1--WE will
quickly dispose of the danger" They lost
no time in carrying that design into effect
What President Cleveland had given warn.
ing of came to pass. The overlooking treas.
ury gave excuse for extravagant appropria-
tons and afforded an opportunity for cor.
ruption.
The soldier vote had been largely secured
10 the Republican party by appeals TO pas
sion and prejudice. The time for that was
fast slipping by and something else had TO be
done. 1t was determined TO confuse the
sense OF the honest and intelligent so far as
possible by Misrepresentation of the Demo
cratic attitude towards the soldiers, and
where that was not sufficient, to try what
could be done in the way of corrupting
with indiscriminate penslonng. The SOL
diers were told over and over again, until
they came to believe it, that the surplus be.
longed to them and not to the people from
whose pockets it had forcbly been taken
They were persuaded by demagogues to be-
lieve that not only the surplus, but every
thing that could be squeezed out of the PEG
pie in addition to the current expenses of
the government also belonged OF right TO
them.
"God help the surplus" was the watch
word with which Pension Commissioner
Tanner entered upon the duties Of his Office
and it was not long before il was beyond
earthly help. The Reed Congress supple
mented the work of Tanner by enacting
legislation that it was believed would put
an end to all fears of surplus for many
years to come. When that Congress came
TO an end it was openly and repeatedly
boosted that Democratic victory would be
but barren one, as the Cleveland policy of
retrenchment and REDUCED taxation could
not be carried into effect with the heavy
expenditures for pensions that could not be
evaied. What was quite as much to the
purpose was the feeling that the soldier vote
had been secured TO the Republican party
1t had been bought by reckless pension leg
islation, as the manufacturing vote had
been bought with the Mckinley bill.
II was an Improbable Investment Tor Tn c
Republican party. 10 the enormous Demo-
cratic vote which overwhelmed the Repub
lican party with unexampled defeat three
weeks ago there were thousands of hereto.
fore Republican manufacturers and bust
ness men whose interests had been injured
by the Mckinley tariff which compelled
them to pay tribute to trusts and combines.
Thousands of old soldiers, who had hitherto
placed their faith In the Republican party,
were indignant at the shameless attempt To
Luy the soldier vote with pensions.
Old soldiers, veterans who fought from
the first call to arms down to the final dis
landment Of the victorious Union army,
protested against the loose manner in which
pensions were being granted and pension
legislation enacted in the life.of the Repub
lican Congress and the reckless sway OF
Tanner and his successor Raum. Now
more Of their comrades stand aghast at the
ruinous drain upon the treasury resulting
from the pension work Of Reeds Congress.
They are calling upon the incoming Demo.
cratic administration to apply the breaks,
and to undo the vicious work where posi-.
bile, so that the veterans Of the Union army
may be held in esteem by the people in.
stead of regarded as tax eaters and burdens
on the toiling masses
They are calling for purging of the pen
sion roll, so that 1t shall again be roll ol
honor as it was at first, and not list to b.
regarded with suspicion.
Furthermore, they demand that hereafter
every pension shall be decided on its indi
vidual merit, and that pension legislation
shall not be enacted or pensions granted
with view TO the soldier vote" And 10
that demand every honest thinking patriotic
citizen will give hearty amen.