Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-07
CUTTING DOWN PENSIONS.

IL Aeai Nly oSNIilo SlIdiloOlI ~ oo
great nation as this to let aged
and worthy pensioners who lave
been tried in the balances of mill
tary decipline, and who have
passed honorably through all of
the red tape examinations required
by a government whose paid
officials ranked among the most
honored men in America to be cut
off now. If they have once borne
the test Of judicial examination,
and been placed on the roll of
pensioners either from disabilities
of their own, Or from being a de-
pendent, no after Legislation should
change it. Old soldiers are not
growing better able to bear the
pangs Of hunger, or pains Of sick
ness by increased age. Many Of
the pensioners cut off from receiv-
ing the stipend that they have de-
pended on, will have no alternative
but to 60 to the poorhouse. or &C
cept along with the disgrace and
disappointment of being cut off as
an unworthy pensioner, the bitter
bread of charity provided for by
relatives Or neighbors.
If an occasional pension has
benefited the families of soldiers
whose lives were laid down in
heroic self-sacrifice before the de-
pendent ones had been provided
for, and that circle of dependent
ones have received the nations
mite, while it might have been di-
verted from them to the Golfers of
the government, let 1t Still be paid
them unless it can be shown there
is actual fraud being practiced. 1t
is certainly not to be desired that
pensions shall be bestowed I'M
worthily, but it is rather late in the
day to begin to retrench by sacri-
hcing the poor, the aged, the help
less Or unprovided for veterans
or their dependents. Grave charges
of injustice are made, and suffer
ing and want are accusers Better
retrench on those whose pensions
are sufficient to buy fat offices, and a
following that cuts a figure in poll
tics. We have number of cases
i'll our midst where it certainly
looks as if an ungrateful nation ig-
nored its obligations. One widow
of an old soldier after caring for
the aged, blind veteran until death
released him, has ever since work
ed as a servant, nurse, or house
keeper, from place to place to earn
a scanty sustenance and though
aged, poor, and homeless this
soldiers widow, who was known
and recognized as such and a
worthy honest woman, is still put
off, and still denied pension, be-
cause unable to satisfy the red tape
examinations necessary. A few
more years Of toll, and worry and
disappointment and the aged
soldiers widow will need no pen
sion and the nation, saved through
the lives Of her soldiers will be
richer by one poor widows pension.
One little family have been kept
from hunger, cold and the break
ing up of the family by friends and
neighbors for months and years al
though the soldier husband drew
his regular pension unquestioned.
Why this delay? 1t certainly
seems as If there was beams
that needed to be looked after be-
fore much time is spent consider
ing the notes of imaginary evils.
1t is we'll that the dropping of
old soldiers from the pension rolls
is to be looked into by courts of
law, and the right of poverty
stricken veterans, and needy de-
pendents looked into. We have
no fault to find with the withdraw
ing Of pensions of bankers wealthy
business men, legislators and pro-
fessional men who have gotten
their pensions through favoritism,
the bribery of political influence or
like helps, but the widows mite, or
scanty dole that aged poverty re-
ceives let it be forever sacred.