The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-09

slavery eliminated; saved by the blood ant
devotion of the Uuion soldiers. They have go
the goods, propose to Keep them, but protes
payment. Contractors grew rich on Govern
ment contracts. Men who stayed at home re
ceived high wages and prospered. The bond
holders interest and bonds accumulated. The
war went on, and the soldiers suffered from the
heat of Summers and the cold of Winters
faced the hardships and exposure of the march
and the bivouc, and continued to die from
disease and in battle, till victory crowned their
faithfulness and devotion. We also remember
that statesmen and editors expressed alarm as
| to the results likely TO follow the DISARMAMENT
of so many trained soldiers. But that vast
army melted away among the busy workers
and ever since have aided in the labors, bust
ness, and prosperity of the country. That
there are idle, worthless. dissoute, vicious, and
criminal men among them We freely admit,
but deny that they are more numerous than
among All equal number that stayed at home.
| We challenge any man to show that as a
class they have been other than good citizens,
and have not tried fairly and persistenty to
maintain themselves and their families. Is it
strange or wrong that they ask the Govern
| ment to fulfill its promises to them, as it LAS
done for the soldiers of Its other wars, and to
| the money. lenders Of this2 The Government
passes a law against discrimination by the
railroads. 1t retaliates On Canada for it's d is
elimination in the matter of canal tolls and
it seems right. Then why should the Govern
ment discriminate against its citizens who
stood in line of battle, and in favor of the men
| who ia ished the cash ? Is the use of patry,
! deprecated paper dollars, returned and paid
| for, at high rate of interest, in gold of more
| value to this Nation than the lives of nearly
400 600 of its faithful citizen soldiers and the
| impaired health and chances Of million more?
| To repeal the disability act, or longer neglect
| or refuse to provide for any of its defenders
| MD in OF. i,,,, Oh
disability act is repealed, why not also stop
payment of interest on, and repudiate, the
public debt? There could be quito reduction
thus made in the appropriations, and, from
our standpoint, it would be just as honorable
and honest. We hear charges of fraud, ETC.
Now, who and what are the frauds? Why are
they not proceeded against and punished? The
law provides for it, and all good citizens would
ndorse it. In point Of fact, are there any
more unlewful acts in connection with pen
sions than in equal number of other bust.
nes5 transactions? And are they not as often
punished? We hear much talk Of F." mercenary
soldiers" "big bounties, going for tho pay"
etc. All of which is sheer nonsense. Big
bounties were the exception, not the rule. We
submit to any candid. honest man if 36a cents
or even 435 cents q day was any inducement to
men to enlist suffer the hardships Of the war.
and make targets Of themselves, when they
could get five times that amount at home in
comfort and safety.
1t is absurd. unjust, insulting, and gross
libel, to say that the soldiers, as class, went
for money. In the matter of bounties they
accepted what was offered, that they might the
better provide for those they left at homo 1t
is equally absurd to suppose they were willing
to serve for pittance and forego all other
rewards when the Government is able and pro-
vides as it does for the boudholders. They
the money -lenders-got 100 cents for the 80 or
i al. 4 r. 4
soldier got so or so cents for what should have
been n 100ce dollar. This difference has
never been equalized. 1t ought to be. Till it
is done in some way, the Government comes
short of simple justice to those who defended it
with their lives. The money-ender put his
money at the disposal of the Government; the
soldier placed his life in the scale. Whose
risk was greater? Would the money lender
or any body else have gone into the line of bat
tie at Gettysburg any other of the great bat
ties, for simply mOneyed consideration?
thousand dollars q minute would have been
no inducement.
We hear also much said about patriotism,
the duty of the hour, ETC., which is all we'll
enough; but really is the patriotic obligation
any stronger upon one able. bodied man than
another? While it is not true that soldiers
as Glass; went for money, neither is it quite
true, as some gushing orators tell US, that they
were glad TO "die for their country" We were
not real anxious to die, or even to lie wounded.
We much preferred to live. Life was intensely
dearto US in those early days. The nearer we
seemed to losing 1t. the tdearer and sweeter life
appeared to us. We loved life; we also loved
our country. We had raised our right hands to
heaven, and with uncovered heads solemnly
swore to protect and defend our country even at
the sacrifice Of life itself. We can reckon long
list of old schoomates, friends, and comrades
who gave up their lives, not because they de-
sired to die; not for 363 cents a day and the
few hundreds some of them might have re-
celved in bounty, but from stern sense of
duty, loyalty to their oath, their own and
their countrys honor. That men thus hazarded
their lives-their al-for the public good, in
an hour of peril does not relieve the country
from its obligations, positive and implied, but
makes them all the more binding; that long
time has elapsed does not lessen that obligation
that the aggregate amount required is large is
no reason for non yment.
The peril was great: the war was large; the
sacrifices were large. Could anything but
large bills be expected? While the Govern
ment meets it promises to the money blenders
it should make good Its promises to its de-
tenders in the field, who saved it. What would
the result have been had the war failed from
any fault or failure of these same fighting men
What would the high-premium bonds have
been worth had they not been fenced in by the
bodies and bayonets of these faithful fighters?
What would the promises of the Government
have been worth if they had not been backed
up by the bravery. Endorsed and registered in
the blood of the devoted, self-sacrifcing men
who formed the line of battle.
We hear much of the generosity and
bounty" of our Government. 1t has voted
pensions of some thousands year to the
widows OF our great Generals. This is gener-
GUS and bountiful. 1t has given literally to
the few by special act. But it ought to be just
before it attempts generosity. There are thou
sands who have died unrecognized and unre.
warded. Many thousands more disabled and |
broken old veterans, and the widows of their |
silent comrades, are pleading for long delayed |
justice, and protesting against longer unjust
A. WRIGHT, Beverley, |
Mass.
Niagaras Icy Coat.
Not within generation has tho present ice |
scenery at Niagara Falls been surpassed in ex-
tent variety, and beauty The trees in Pros. |