Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-29

and employing all the young men and
women they seemed to be acquainted
with for clerks-a pension roll that,
while IL lasted, considering the popula-
ton Of the state, was FIVE times az great
as that Of the federal government, a. d
not one Of them ever smelIed powder
except on some fair lady's face. Look
at the morality Of our money centeTs,
where the principal capital Of our sus-
pended banks was the taxes taken from
the people aud not accounted for to the
proper authority. Look at our nation.
al government appropriatinga hundred
million annually, when we are at peace
with ali the world and no possibility Of
war, to maintain a costly navy TO terri
~ laDdsmen on inland rivers and keep
up standing army Of over Is, 600 men
reported fit for duty at last inspection.
Lastly consider bill introduced BY one
Of our senators to appropriate sl3s. .OOO,-
600 for seacoast defenses when We have
not river that is opsn from the great
inland region of Oregon to the sea. In
the light Of some of these evils crying
for reform and the enormous expense
proposed for things that haye not
shadow Of merit, but against which the
metropolitan press has nothing to say,
The pension bills have a badge of re-
speetability and are a draft upon the
and fnfarnrffu Of nnr antan-
try which will never be dishonored.
But the pension policy Of our country
is being reformed. The pension lists Of
the Union armies are being subjected
10 the closest scrutiny. A rigid policy
Of excision without ceremony has
been adopted. 1t is so unceremOnious
that 1t is almost If not quite unlawful.
This great government at Washington
returns to some poor man, out of health
and going down the shady side of life.
his quarterly draft dishOnored, cuts
MIN of without hearing, says to him
you are a cheat, fraud, but magma
nimously offers him an opportunity to
prove that he Is not what Ii officially
assumes him to be, with the liberal as
surance that II he can succeed in 30 do
ing it will reinstate him at reduced
rating. Is this justice, in view of the
fact that under the act of June, 1890, q
pensioner may at any time be ordered
re-examined by board of medical ex-
aminers of the presidents own select
ion? The whole proceedings of suspen-
sion by summary process, and not
according to law, is tyrannical, un-
American, and unmanly. 1t would be
declared unconstitutional by any court
Of equity Ia the world. Not a man
who has been suspended but would be
on the rolls still at the same or a higher
rating II the government would abide
by the laws congress has passed, and
which 1t has no right to set aside. II
any frauds have been committed 1t is
not the pelIsioner who Is to blame but
the examining board or the congress
that passed defective law. Above all
the Grand Army is not on the defen-
sive. 1t does not have to apologize for
its existence or offer excuses for its
record. 1t is not at bay. 1t never was
cornered. 1t was in many fierce battles
but was always able to hew its way
out of the thickest of the fight. Rely
ing upon the innate sense ofjustice of
the American people, and living in the
hope Of reason being again enthroned
on the government of our country, the
Grand Army can afford to wait until
the storm Of detraction passes over Its
head. Assisted by its associated orders
1t will go on with It's holy mission of
instilling into the minds of the present
and coming generation those sacred
sentiments Of patriotism under the in
spiration of wnich it went forth to
achieve immortal fame as q citizen SOL
diery."