The sun., 1892-12-14
Trying to Hide a Tremendous Fac

Trying to Hide a Tremendous Fact.
The Ncp York Press points out what it
says is an error Of fact in THE Suns recent
remarks about the magnitude OF the PEN
sion scandal: and it deals with the subject
in a manner that requires attention:
"THE Sun Friday in leading editorial attack
ing the pension system tho United States made
astonshng assertion that tho pension list at present
Constituted. includes moro names by several hundred
thousands than there soldiers in active service in
all of the armies Of the Union at any one time during
the war;"
The words we have italicized are inter-
polated by our neighbor. and we shall
make manifest tho bearing and purpose Of
this Interpolation.
Then tho Press refers to Mr. RAUM's OFF,
cial report as showing that on June 80. 1892.
tho pension list carried S76.O6s names. in
Guiding 29l75 persons drawing pensions on
account OF wars preceding the civil war.
"The total number Of pensioners" con-
tinucs the Press. "who had been enrolled
in the army of tho United States during
the rebellion was C43 4S2'
Leaving these figures. 643. .4s2. to make the
false impression on the readers mind that
they, and not the 876.OGs. minus 29.175. or
$685. constituted at the time mentioned
tho aggregate OF pensions on account Of
service in the civil war, tho Press remarks
that Mr.. BLAINE. in an appendix to the first
volume OF his Twenty Years of Congress"
gives from official data 1.OOO.5l6 as the num-
ber OF men and officers in active service on
May /, 1865. Then it goes on to say:
THE assertion that there are several hundred
thousand more pensioners than there were soldiers
any time during the civil war is Rrotssque in its
inaccuracy The requirements Of journalistic ethics
which THs Sus prdes itself on scrupulousy observing
demand that Democratic contemporary shall make
public acknowledgment ofthe gross error of statement
into which II has been inisled"
The exact language OF THE Suns state-
mcnt which the Press pronounces to be
"grotesque in its inaccuracy" and "a
gross error" was this:
"The statesmen and the journals that go pur.
fcstion OF the pension list must be prepai to face
opposition ani perhaps abuse from these various quar-
ters The main question for them to ask 10 whether
pension list which includes more names by several
hundred thousands than there soldiers In active
servre IN AL ot the armies of tho Union at any
time during the WAT. does does not need revision
now that It threatens to bankrupt the Treasury"
In this. AS in previous statements to the
same eject, The Sun had in mind not only
the army Of pensioners already enrolled up
w ouuc idSt Dtll ALSO tilt army VI peuSlou
claimants whom Mr.. RAUM is now enroll
ing at the rate of 100000 n year. II the
Pension Bureau has maintained the rate OF
last year. the six months since June have
added about one hundred thousand new
names. swelling the actual list at the pres
ent time to between lime hundred Thousand
and Il millioa. Behind these there remain,
according to M. RAUM's last report, about
$4,000 original claims, pending and wait
ing their turn for adjudication. and con-
SANITY reinforced by new claims. When
We talk about the relations of the pension
expenditure TO the Governments income
next year, OF year after next. we are talk
ing about the ension list as it is sure to be
next year. or year after next. not about the
list rs ii WIS last summer.
Nevertheless. our statement, even as in
te.picted by tho Press. is literally and ex-