The Forrest City times., 1893-06-09
THE PENSION PROBLEM.

IT. '. Roynton-Thc Ferpicxttie- oi 'i'e
 Prohlcm-In Order that it should be
 What 1t Purports to be, a Roll or Honor
 the Frauds Must be Hunted Out ana
 Dropped.
 WASHINGTON. June 4.-Gen. II. V. Bovnton. over his own signature. speaks at length of pension reform Tn the Post. The following are extracts from his communication
 By the action of the highest officials of the G. A. R.. quite as much as by the recent orders of the new democratic secretary of the interior and the com missioner of pensions, the country has been brought face to face with the gravities and the serious perplexities of the pension problem.
 "The discussion has been precipitated none too soon for the honor of honest and deserving pensioners; for the good name and fame of the Grand Army itself; for setting mp distinction be- tween that patriotism which is as pure as any flag ever led to victory and that humiliation of patriotism which IS found in the hot quest for undeserved pensions, and for relieving the country from such portion of the vast and fast growing pecuniary burden as may be proved unjust.
 "While. in it's essence, the pension question is non-partisan, 1t is such an easy one to conjure with for the demo- crats, that the moment one of this par ty undertakes to correct the abuses which every fair man sees and admits, iS uf a that the democrats are at last weak ing their spite and their vengeance on the old soldiers. No oEe stops to think that very large proportion of these old soldiers who went to war in 1861, when the question of pen- sions was not in the remotest thoughts of any of them, were democrats. Even democrats themselves forgot to make answer that a great company of the leading captains of the Union hosts Grant, sherman, Buell., George H. Thomas. Mcclellan, Logan, Butler, Rosecrans, Franklin, Sickles, Slocum- an amending column of such men and their followers were democrats. And ever since the pension question became prominent both parties have nursed it and juggled with it to SC cure political advantage. And now, when it has become burden which can not be ignored, and should not if it could; since pension expendi- lures are growing, and now nearly equal all the other ordinary appropria- tions together, it should not be treated as partisan affair.
 That the pension question has as. sumed magnitude and an importance which compels attention from any administration which takes proper cognizance of the public interests is too clear to need argument. Not to give it careful and vigorous attention would be grave neglect of executive duty.
 The examination ordered by the sec- retary of the interior strikes at the root of the trouble. It probably af lords the most practicable way of test ing the real condition of the pension roll. It will be time enough to con. demn it when the hand of the govern ment, as result of this proceeding, is unjustly laid upon single deserving pensioner. No administration, and, above all, no democratic ad. ministration can withstand the shock that will come to it If any veteran, disa bled by wounds or disease in the service. is dropped from the pension roll which he honors. On the other hand, every deserving veteran suffers if unworthy pensioners are not dropped from what should be an uncon- taminated roll of honor.
 'The reputation and honor of the Grand Army of the Republic are at stake in this matter. By the action of its highest officers it has been committed to the remarkable proposition that Grand Army posts shall not openly discuss and uphold pension reform. Ii is idle to make an. swer to this charge by pleading tech. nicalities. The Grand Army now owes it to itself to support searching ex. animation of the pension rolls. When this is done not only the Grand Army but the whole country can be relied upon to insist that none but unworthy eases shall be dropped from the rolls of honor.
 Under the present widespread be- lief the pension roll can not be fully re-established as roll of honor until such investigation has been thoroughly and honestly made; and when the coun- try is satisfied that the roll is worthy one, and not until then, will the feel ing pass away that pension expenditure Ss in considerable part an unjust bur den. Republicans, especially repub- lican veterans, have a high duty to perform in this matter. To neg lect it will be a reflection upon their patriot ism