The National tribune., 1895-04-18
AN OPEN LETTER
To the Commissioner of
Pensions.

the weeks yet remaining to you. Thi!
Importance is SO overwhelming-so bur
dened with momentous consequences tc
such an immense number of people
that the temptation is strong to sound
the awakening trumpet constantly, Id
season and out of season.
As we have said before, and fire.
quently, there can be no sort of doubt that
all these just pensions will be allowed,
and that in the near future. The Amer
lean people most strongly intend that
this shall be done They will accept
nothing less. Every time they hear of
some battle-wrecked veteran dying in
penury-of his crippled old wife at
tempting to take in washing to support
him, as was narrated last week-they
feel great throb of pity and indigna-
ton, and register firm resolve that that
sort of thing must cease. No possible
plea can be made which viii excuse it
to them. The apology of economy only
excites their derision, for the memory of
the millions made free gift to the for
eign bankers is too fresh in their minds.
Have you any doubts aS to the effective
use that aCjU be made during the coming
campaign Of the contrasting pictures q
millions to the Rothschilds and the de-
NAL Of paltry dollars to veteraass to save
them from starvation?
The American people have not be-
lieved single pension law upon the
books to be in any manner too liberal.
No one has asked for the repeal or
modification of single provision in
them. Where a man fulfilled the re-
quirements for the highest rating known
to the law-S72 a month-the grateful
people have said: "Give it to him, in
Gods name. 1t is little enough for
man who has suffered for us as he has"
1t is the same with the lesser rates. All
that the people have asked was that the
laws be interpreted strictly and justly,
and ne pensions given to men not enti-
tied to them. The NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
has been foremost in making this de-
mand.
The people have watched with the
deepest interest your vigorous attempts
to ferret out the alleged frauds upon
the pension-roll. They have followed
every step in the extraordinary effort,
and noted the immense expenditure of
money, and the paucity of results has
convinced them, as it doubtless has you,
of the general integrity of the pension
system. Being thus satisfied, they are
very anxious that the work of pension
allowances shall be pushed with the
greatest energy to Its legitimate COM
pletion of putting on the roll every
man and woman entitled to a place
there. They want this just as they
wanted the rebellion put down, the
public debt settled, specie payment
resumed, the Pacific Railroad built, or
any other great public object accom-
plished. They will appreciate and
value the man who does it just as they
have appreciated and valued the men
who accomplished these other works
which they were given to do. They
have had no patience with the official
who dallied and procrastinated with bis
work, but given all honor to those who
fastened it on to completion.
Now, nearly 100 weeks remain for
you to do this work in your office. You
have an opportunity such as none of
your predecessors have had-such as
few American officials ever had. You
have spent two years in getting thor
oughly acquainted with the ground, and
in convincing yourself and the People
of the exact status of affairs in your
Office. You can now 90 ahead and
wind up its business, with the allowance
Of every deserving case, without being
embarrassed by the harsh criticism
which assailed your predecessors in like
attempts
Next comes the strongest reason of all
for Fastening the work to completion.
1t is that Of common humanity. No
words can adequately describe the ap-
,,oll;po amount of cu Nor;,c, ,.or,,l.:,,