The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-12-13
ONE CENT.
THE PENSIONERS.


Ah" 'NNNaeNhH AhtAN M "NAA AtfpuEd Aoa -
Change.
A widow who has been striving for over
year to secure pension from the govern
ment in lieu of services rendered by her
husband during the civil war, called upon
Squire Shoemaker last week and seemed
very much distressed over some remarks a
friend had made to her, which were to the
effect that she had better hurry and get her
pension before Cleveland takes the Presi-
dental chair again, as after that tims she
would probably not be able to get it.
The justice tried to disabuse the widows
mind Of the fear and said that her informant
was probably some Republican who had beeR
displeased with the result Of the election
Without rejecting upon the intelligence
of the justice OF the merits of the widows
claim we are forced to the conclusion that
there is some ground for some present and
would-be pensioners to have fears before
the expiration Of the Cleveland term. This
New York Sun, paper voicing the senti
ments Of the Democratic party last week
published an editorial on the subject of pen
sions which leaves no doubt that as soon AZ
the party has the reins of the Government in
hand the pension list will be attacked vigor-
ously. For twenty-five years" says the
Sun, "the Republican party, for political and
partisan reasons, has been doing its best to
/ educate these veterans in the theory that
four years, or one years. OF thirty days SER
vice in the army constitutes perpetual
claim on the national treasury, and a policy
for life against all possible acci-
dents of adverse fortune. Any attempt
to reduce our colossal and obviously ex-
cessive pension expenditure already nearly
equal to the entire revenue of the Govern
ment from customs duties already thrice the
entire annual cost of Government when the
war began, is bound to be resisted by thou
sands who profit unjustly by the folly of past
I legislation. This resistance must be taken
for granted in advance. The poor pensioner
who now draws 50 much month because he
| fell from a stepladder ten years after the war
ended, and the millionaire ponsioner who
now draws so much a month on account Of =
wound actually received in service, but now
| healed as perfectly as the vaccination would
of his childhood, and with no more effect
upon his subsequent capacity to earn
fortune and manage it like other prosperous
| citizens, are sure to raise the familiar crv
about nations ingratitude to its defenders"
We can stand in Shenandoah and bv
throwing a stone can hit number of mes
whose toes are tread upon by these Demo
cratic sentiments and we can see the very ex-
preston Of their oountenanee when they re-
/ fleet that their votes helped to elect the man
who will be expected to put the sentiments
into practice. But still there is CLEAN of
hope Perhaps when Cleveland is called
upon to act he will exercise his famous veto
power. Meanwhile the pensioners must wait
until the Democratic Government officially
declares who are the worthy pensioners and
Union veterans, and who come under the
Sun classification Of "the mule kicked de-
serter and the mereenary who was never
nearer battlefield than the recruiting office
where he signed for his big bounty in '65, or
the pension sharks back office where his
claim was concocted twenty years after '65p'
Let the good work 60 on.
HgVp Won nv f,rr, ,f T1f.-.,..-.A.-