The National tribune., 1893-09-21
MAKE THEM ALL SPECIAL.


They are that the war has now been over
for more than % years.
That since the war drums ceased throbbing
on the plains of Virginia and amid the
swamps of the Carolinas nearly the life time
of a generation has elapsed.
That they, who, in the glory of their young
manhood drove the rebel myriads over
thousand leagues of fiercely-disputed country
until they crushed them into submission to
the laws are now old and decrepid, travelling
painfully with staff and crutch along that
Notwithstanding path which leads only to the
grave.
justice to these men-if it proposes paying
them the sacred debt it owes them, it must
be done at once Delay means making death
an accomplice in reputation.
The records of the War Department show
that the average age of the men at enlistment
was % years As the period of enlistment
extended over four years this would make the
average age at the close of the wal over -
years. Adding % years to this brings the
average age of the volunteers to-day up TO
nearly 81 years. A few years ago Commits
sioner Raum made an official estimate that
service in the army had added a constructive
average of u years to every man S age.
Is it necessary to say that no time should
he lost in dealing with such men? What
bitter mocllery to talk of the Nations just
ice, 2" the Nations undying gratitude, " the
Nations tender care for her gallant sons, "
at some indefinite time in the future to
men who stand in hourly expectation of the
dread summons
"Can Honor's veiee provoke the silent dust
Or FIattery soOthe the dull, cold ear OF Death z"
If '@the Nations justice" be more than
mere mouth-flling phrase; if the Nations
gratitude" be anything beyond the empty
clash of sounding brass; if tender care for
of rhetorical cymbols, then the rendering of
that Justice. the exhibition of that gratitude,
the extension of that care must be immediate,
that it may reach Its objects before death
removes them.
To come from cancellations to specific
facts: Every claim before the Pension Bureau
should be made special and disposed of
in the shortest possible time. Nothing should
be allowed to interfere with its speedy settle
ment. IF the claimant is entitled TO his pen
sion it should be given him at once if he is
not. he should be so informed Certainly, %
wears after the end of the war the business
should be closed up Even official circumlo'
cution must end some time, and are not three
decades long enough for it to run?
If there is not force enough in the Pension
Bureau to do this work inside Of few months
then the force should be increased until it is.
There was no doubt or hesitation about en-
ploying sufficient clerks to settle the claims of
the bondholders on the nail. No money
lender was ever allowed to be kept waiting
for either principal OF interest. The veterans
have already waited % years longer than the
b0ndholders. What justification can there be
for their having to wait still longer? If there
is Hot money enough in the Treasury to pay
them. then money should be borrowed. There
was not a instant's hesitation about borrow
ing hundreds of millions TO pay off other
creditors of the Nation Why should there
be about borrowing money to pay off these !!
To the men who are rightfully entitled to
pensions the debt Is as clear and definite as
ment mules OF pork or lent it money. 1t is
infamous for the Government to try to de-
fraud its defenders by evading payment until
they are dead.
! There is no necessity whatever for the
| Government to either borrow money or in
crease taxation 10 obtain enough funds TO
| settle all the claims now on file. Edward
Atkinson one of the foremost statisticians in
the world, has shown by careful analysis
of the subject that with the present revenues
the Government can wind up the whole bust
ness now before the Pension Bureau, paying
every claim due under the present laws, by
Dee 81, 1894, and still have a surplus Of
from O,GO0, 600 to SIS, 600 900 for that fiscal
year.
This being the case, no possible excuse
exists for further delay. The comrades should
rouse themselves to demand that there shall
be none Let them consider this in their Pos
rooms and other gatherings, and write t.
their Senators and Representatives ener
getically protesting against any further post
ponement of their cases. Let them demant
in no uncertain tones that the business of tn,
Pension Bureau be conducted with business
like promptness, that the great force employe.
there he put TO work industriously at tn
duty it was constituted to perform, and 70
which it is being paid millions of dollars ever,