The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-03-18
Pensions for the Deserving Only.
From PhIIadelphIa CPa.l Ledger.

Prom Inllaueiphih tt'hJ beuBet.
A radically Republican Journal condemns,
as unjust to the veterans of the civil war,
President Cleveland for protesting against, in
/ his inaugural address. the wild and reckless
nension expenditures of the Government.
| Ii would have been fairer TO have given the
full text of the Presidents reference to the
subject. Speaking of the blighting influences
of paternalism, Mr.. Cleveland said it leads
sstc a challenge of Wild and reckless pension
expenditure, which overleaps the bounds OF
grateful recognition Of patriotic service and
prostitutes to vicious uses the people prompt
and generous impulse to aid those disabled IN
their couHtry's defence.
It will be perceived that this gives an en-
tirely different meaning TO the isolated words
of the complete text quoted by our contem-
porary, and deprives the latter Of all shadow
| of justification for saying that what the Presi
dent said would be resented by the loyal sol
ders of the war as unfair TO them. The most
rabid and bigoted partisan, in or out OF the
newspaper Offices, will scarcely contend that
any veteran who did not 60 into the war Tor
revenue only, wholly uninhuenced by patriotic
| feeling, would feel that the language OF the
President. as fully set forth above, reflected
unfavorably upon him in the slightest degree,
or that, if it reflected upon those persons who
are fraudulently or undeservingly drawingpen-
sions, the really deserving veteran or pen,
sioner would say that it did so without good
and sufficint cause.
l. it not about time that the pension bus
mess ceased 10 be treated by influential pub
| lie Journals as a purely partisan matter, as
demagogic device for thegettipg and keeping
of voters, or for the making Of political cap
/ ital? The revenue required for pensions
alone by the Government is a virtual tax OF
about SIS upon every voter IN the country the
.'wlld and reckless pension expenditures
which are draing the Treasury dry, and which,
great and onereus as they are as public
burden, grow greater and more onerous daily
by reason of the Pension mill grinding out
with unconsidered haste more and more pen
sions, and showering them upon the unworthy
as freely as upon the worthy.
The pension business is rapidly becoming
a serions one and as serious to the most de-
serving veterans as to the least. Mr.. Cleve-
land was right to say that the reckless spirit
in which pensions have been ground out and
tos ed to applicants without just dlscrimina'
ton is leading the people TO challenge the
entire system. Staggering under the burden
of it, those who are compelled to bear the
burden are already murmuring against It. and
il should be perceived by the veterans, as 1t
is by others, that the whole pension system
will be endangered unless the pension roll be
purged of the names of the undeserving; nn
less it shall be made, in the language OF Mr..
Cleveland, "a roll of honor. nncontaminated
BY i'll DESERT" unless it shall be changed as
an act of justice ito those whose worthy
names adorn the roll and to all orr people
who delight to honor the brave and loyal"
as well as ito those who, in years 10 come.
should be allowed TO hear reyerently and
lovingly the stery of American patriotism
and fortitude illustrated by it." For the
next fiscal year it is moderately estimated
that the expenditures for pensions will be
not less than $500, 000, 000, or nearly two
6fths of the entire revenues of the Govern
meut. If none but the deserving were on
the list, if it were not known that there are
upon it the names of multitndes who are IN
receipt Of incomes which place them far be-
You'd th e need of governmental support. or II
there were not good cause for the belief that
there are upon it the names OF many whose
pensions have been fraudulently obtained,
the expenditure for pensions, enormous as it
is, would be cheerfully borne by our patriotic
people, but under the existing conditions 1t
is not eheerfuily borne. 1t is not the uses,
but the abuses of the system which are con-
demned. A pension should be IL badge OF
honor, the best evidence of that brave, patrl-
otto. devotion to country which leads the sol
der TO risk and suffer disability from wounds
or disease in battle. pension under our
system does not always mean that; in large
proportion of Instances it means no real dis
ability incurred in following the hagin war;
il means hosts of strong, healthy men, en-
tirely able to live without Government aid.
in luxury often, and commonly IN comfort.
The veterans themselves are beginning to
move in the matter of repeating the Pension
laws, 4 few days ago the Pennsylvania
a.. II &C
imously adopted the following resolution:
ut becomes the sacred duty Of every mem
Der Of the Grand Army Of the Republic TO
use his best efforts to make the pension roll
a true roll of honor and to see that the
name of no person appears on that roll unless
that of worthy recipient of the bounty OF
grateful and most generous people.
Just before the adjournment Of Congress a
petition was presented to the House from
Union veterans. praying for certain reforms
of the Pension laws. Among those asked for
were the following:
First The payment Of pensions only to
those who. by wounds or disability, have
been actually disabled in the service of their
country, and to the widows and orphan chill
dren oil such pensioners when in need.
Second. A cutting of from the pension
roll of all men diaabled or otherwise, who
are in receipt Of incomes amele for their sup
port and the maintenance Of their families.
Third. A cutting off from the pension
roll of all deserters and soldiers or sailors
gho proved false to their oaths and were dis
hoposably discharged from the service.
Fifth. The absolute discontinuance of
all further legislation looking TO the enlarge
ment of the pension list.
Sixth. cutting off from the pension
roll of all widows who shall appear, upon
reasonable evidence. to have married veter
ans with the fraudulent intent of securing
pension upon the death of their husbands"
Among the signers were generals and Off
GERS Of al lower grades, together with en-
listed .mea. IL the soldiers themselves pray
for the reform of our pension system, there
should be no sneers anng Ut the Chief Msgis
trate. whose duty II is to suggest reforms,
even by the most reckless partisans or dema
gogues, for no other reason than that he
wisely and justly suggests reforms upon the
very lines laid down by the honest, patriotic
veterans themselves.