Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-05
ATTACK ON PENSIONS.
An Exhibition OF the Confederate
Spirit Regarding Bounty to
Union Soldiers.
& Tennessee Man Thinks Them a
Curse and Blight to the
South
Another Speaks Of the Matte n s De
tenders az Camp Followers
and Bounty Jumpers

ID MS recent speech IN the house OF
representatives., General Patterson, OF
tennessee, gave the following reasons
why he thinks the payment of union
pensions ''curse and a blight to the
south:
| do say that the enormous sum paid
in the way Of pensions is double hard
ship on the people OF the south 1t is a
hardship because it is drawn, not from
the wealth or property of the country,
but from its consumers And it is a
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 cir
culation. From all these causes it re-
suits that there is dearth of money
south of the Ohio river.
1.-THE saddest thing in life to me-" said
Congressman John FL. B4nkhead, Of
Alabama, in his speech in the house.
March %, 1892, ''is to see q poor conFed-
crate veteran as he drags himself from
his cabin to the field to labor, to earn
bread for his wife and children, and to
realize that one twelfth of all he makes
must he taken from him to pension some
camp follower or bounty jumper"
Mr.. Bankhe- d'sgreat sympathy for eX
confederates may be accounted for by
the tact that he himself served four years
10 the rebel armyand was wounded as he
claims three times, and doubtless by
men whom be now styles "camp-follow-
ers" or bounty jumpers Mr.. Bank
head said also:
"Bat | do not care to pursue this ques
ton Tor fear may let my feelings get
the better of my judgment and say some
thing that had better be left unsaid'
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 Novem-
Der. AS a reason for his hostility to
pensions to union veterans Mr.. Bank
head said:
This congress has passed DILL appro-
priatiDg S14000O,0O0 for the payment of
pensions. This large amount must first
be collected from the people 1t is a
cash transaction not credit, not checks
or drafts, but cash. The amount is more
than - per capita, or more than $1,000
600 for the state of Alabama, or nearly
twice the amount collected for state and
county taxes in that state: to put it more
plainly, each family of five are taxed
more than so for pensions This
months labor for the head of the family
on the farm, or ono-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 0ack to Alabama /, for we have but
few pensioners, and those we do have are
not as rule entitled to the money they
receive"
- l. 4 Z (
That bis feelings might not get away
witn him while discussing pensions,
that was just what happened when a
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 exac.
tions were not stopped. He said:
When the people can no longer stand
the operation, 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, I trust that
/ may be found on the side OF the
people and fighting with them for what
l 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 10y them This is their Govern
ment and they will control its destiny
When it becomes oppressive they will
try TO reform it. When it becomes I'M
bearable they will destroy it and build
upon the ruins another, fashioned with
their own hands warren you, gentle
men, not to tempt them too far. [ re
mind you that it is unwise to treat the
sufferings of the people lightly.
This is precisely the kind of talk that
was heard in congress in 1861, but be-
fore Mr.. Bankhead INDUCES it any
further he would do we'll to pause and
reflect that as the three tailors of Tooley
street were not "the people, neither are
the ex-confederates for whom he speaks
nor any other class at the south that is
opposed to the payment of pensions to
union veterans