Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-07-26

|
carefully reviewed the policy of the pres
ent administration in regard to pensions
to deserving soldiers and sailors. The
closing part of the speech is worthy of a
thoughtful reading, and is as follows:
The glimpse we have of the workings
of the pension office is largely from the
outside, and necessarily quite general in
character; but the results well. authenti-
Gated, stand out i'm bold relief. The meth
DDS, however, by which these results are
reached, beyond the outline / have been
able to give, are necessarily Withdrawn
from public gaze, and so not the subject
of general discussion. The details of each
days work we shall never know.
But, Mr.. Chairman, il the recording
angel were of this world. and could make
public a full report daily of all the details
of this pension office assessment OF the old
soldier, with the number of pensions
reduced and the amount with the number
allowed and the per cent. cut off and
passed to the deficiency fund, with mum
Der dropped from the rolls, and the NUM-
Der rejected with the grand aggregate
saved to the treasury: and were also at
the same time to tell us how many
soldiers homes this cold, Democratic
winter are short of fuel, food and cloth
MS. "Ait 5of wv 'oA 'a>'~ -
none-I say, if the recording angel could
lay all this before us in sickening detail
each day, am | ~eXtravagant in saying that
an outraged public sentiment would de-
nounce in thunder tones in the first place
this .''tariff-reform" policy, the very
ury; and in the second place this pen
sion reform" policy which coolly divides
the bounty, the real heart-offering of the
American people to the defenders of the
flag, between them and the empty, mis-
managed treasury? Applause on the
Republican side
Il know the amount paid for pensions
is large, and the government is sadly in
need of money, but better borrow to meet
all obligations, and especially those to
the veterans of the late war, than TO have
it go down in history that on N settle
ment between the government and the
preservers of the Union the government
brought in this juggler's rule in arith.
metic, that twice u make 8 and twice .
make 10.
Yes. the amount paid for pensions is
large. This bill carries more than three
times as much as is appropriated for our
arny II navy.
But our war, navy and pension appro-
priatiOns all combined are not very much
larger than Great Britain expends on her
army and navy, and far less, some SlO,-
100000 less thar is expended by Ger
many and some so, 100000 or S30,0O0,-
600 less than by France; and that, too,
with this great difference that in those
countries this is a continuing expense,
running with the life of the nation, is in
fact essential to its preservation; while
with us the expenditure for pensions is
only for a brief period, for a single gener-
alton, till the veterans shall have passed
away; and then it is forever a patriotic
fund on more than compound interest.
II 10 in fact 81 tnaVnIHcpnf nnnIlmnDt lf
the gratitude of a free people to the vol
unteer soldiery of the Republic; and so
long as this government shall stand its
| munificent reward of its citizen soldiery,
upon which free government must always
rely. will furnish the highest possible as
| surance of its future safety in the hour of
peril. Applause on the Republican side
Yes, the amount paid for pensions is
large. But it is not wasted, nor does it
go out of the country like money paid
for the purchase of imported goods,
Every dollar is paid to our own citizens,
and by them in turn to other citizens,
thus not only helping to swell the volume
of our domestic trade, but at the same
time helping to keep in motion the cir
c~ulating medium of the country. Money
has been called the lifeblood of a nation.
because it is its circulating medium, and
some think we have not money enough
in this country, and cite the present con-
dition of affairs TO prove ii.
But Mr.. Chairman, there is just as
much money now as there was a year
ago at the close of the most prosperous
business year in the history Of the
country. The trouble is, it is not now
in circulation as it was then. For in
stance, $751; 900 less in round numbers
was scattered into the circulating cur
rents of trade in every part of he
country for the first six months of this
fiscal year than in the first six months
of last year, viz: the difference in first
payments of pensions under Commission
ers Raum and Lochren. Fifteen million
dollars: and who will say the withhold
ing of this sum from the old soldiers, and
at the same time from the business of the
country, has nothing to do With the stag
nation now upon us? "
The scientists will tell you that q drop
of water falling into a pool of water stirs
every one of the millions of particles in
the pool. Judge, then, what effect S15,-
000,0 o dropped into the circulating me-
dunn of the country would have had in
stirring the %stagnant pools of trade. Re-
member that it is circulation of the blood
that keeps alive, carrying nourishment
to every part of the system; N who fails
to see that the poor, lank treasury itself
would have been helped by larger customs
receipts, larger payments by settlers on
the public lands, and in many other ways,
tDuiu tHc ilebictu VI ~ hhlIOh, u III
c~ulating medium, but have been kept in
motion. But, instead, here was $4,000
600 withheld from those to whom it be-
longed by the false measure of the gov
eminent in the pension Office; and now
they say the government treasury is short.
Well, that is just what might be expect
ed. 1t is in exact accordance with the
law of monetary circulation. 1t also
shows that the old truth: With what
| measure you mete il shall be measured to
you again. is no less applicable to gov
ernments than to individuals: and it fur
Their shows that the wrongful retention
of this SIS. 100000 is al offense not only
against the old soldier, but also against
the general public, felt directly in the
| channels of trade.
Yes. Mr.. Chairman, the amount paid
| for pensions is large. 1t is i'm truth very
large: but not beyond the ability of the
government, rightly administered, to pay:
nor does it outreach the obligation and
gratitude of the American people to those
to whom il is paid. And who are they
who receive il? They are the survivors
of the 2,S50,O00 men no left home and
friends and went out 20 meet a proud and
valiant foe in 2261 engagements. great
and small: and they are also the widows
and orphans and dependent fathers and