The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-12-19
NO STEP BACKWARD.

now urging plain Service Pension in
stead of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE Per
Diem Service Pension Bill.
We have not abated one title of our
devotion to that measure, and are not
taking single step backward. We
simply claim to be acting with that COM
mon sense which determines when some
things can be done and when they can
not.
We have merely divided The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE Bill and are urging the
plain Service Pension part now, with the
intention of agitating the Per Diem part
after we have been successful with the
first.
We are convinced beyond any chance
of doubt that this is the wisest course.
The reasons for it seem to US simply I'M
answerable.
In the first place, we can, if we con-
centrate our efforts upon it. get the plain
Service Pension Bill through this session,
where there are strong doubts if any
thing else can succeed.
There are some considerations Of the
utmost weight in this matter of pension
legislation that the comrades must keep
constantly in mind.
The first is that though our friends
are in a strong majority in the House
of Representatives, such is not the case
in the Senate, the control of which is
yet matter Of doubt.
Therefore, while we might count con-
fidently upon the passage of legislation
of the utmost hberality by the House,
the fate of such would be gravely I'M
certain in the Senate, and we know only
too well the temper of the President
toward such matters.
Only legislation Of the most restricted
character, involving the expenditure of
closely-limited amounts can have the
slightest chance Of success until the
Senate and the White House are radi-
cally changed, as they will be a year
from next March.
The object of the immediate passage
of Service Pension Law is to give at
once relief to a vast number of Comrades,
while waiting for the farther-reaching
legislation we may hope for when not
only the House but also the Senate and
the Executive Mansion are distinctly in
favor of US
This is the whole situation in a nut
shell.
If we can concentrate all efforts upon
a simple Service Pension, and move
earnestly for il, from every part of the
country, with no division of voice any
where as to what we want, with no
faction asking for one thing, and another
for another thing, and third for some
thing else-and if we are able to 90 TO
Congress and show to dollar what such
a measure will cost, we shall have the
greatest chance of getting it through
both Houses during the present session,
and the President may be constrained
to sign it.
If we get such law upon the statute
books it will bring incalculable benefits
to tens Of thousands Of deserving COM
rades and their dependent ones, placing
them at once upon the pension roll
without any delay, quibbling or circum-
Iocution.
They will be enjoying these benefits
for the two years that must elapse until
the next Congress and Administration
can get fairly TO work on the pension
question. This is a consideration of the
utmost importance, since if we do not
get such a bill through, and give them
immediate relief, many thousands of
them must die before help can reach
them.
If we stop now TO discuss the Per
Diem feature, and the Pension Adj
ditional to Disabilities we shall simply