Smyrna times., 1895-05-15
Pensions.

Colonel Waring has excited the wrath
of certain G. A. r. organizations by his
strong and direct characterizations
pensioners. But Colonel Waring is by
no means the first ex-soldier to de- |
nOunce the pension iniquity. Colonel |
John H. Ward, nearly five years ago, |
said: Il blush to see so many gather |
ings of soldiers degraded into mere
conventions to devise ways and means
to get pensions for soldiers who do not
need and do not want them. Why do
not the Grand Army men, or why did
they not, with one accord, set up a
howl of denunciation against Colonel
Ward? General Francis G. Barlow, a
valiant soldier, has also expressed his
antagOnism to the pension-seeking
schemes of unworthy ex-soldiers. In
deed, it may be said that the best and
bravest men who served in the Federal
armies are generally opposed to the
scandalOus squandering of public
moneys under the pension laws.
1t is not pleasant, we suppose, for
any old soldier to criticise his comrades;
but the pension abuse has become so
enormous and so indefensible that,
whether pleasant or not, honorable and
/ patriotic soldiers, like General Barlow
and others, conceive it to be their duty
to speak out strongly on the subject
and to take firm stand against a con-
tinuance of the demoralizing policy.
A writer an the subject of pensions,
about five year, said : Under a normal
system of pensions it should have
taken perhaps five or six years after
the close of the war for the annual out
lay under it to reach its maximum, and
then this outlay should Lave gradually
fallen off," In 1871 the disbursements
for pensions amounted to $685. OFT 1888.
63. That was the highest figure
reached during the fourteen years i'm
me ,iately after the war, until in 1877!
the amount increased to $33, ,7SO, ,526.19
This was a sufficiently large sum t.
} spend for pensions. But in 1893 thu
disbursements for pensions reached th'
, incredible figure of s15S, 155, ,S42.51, anC
! in 1893 it was Sl4O,772, 1878.
1t is important for respectable citizens
to reflect upon these figures, and t.
! consider what may be the consequence
+ of such a wanton waste of the people
money. Is there to be no limit to thi
recklessness? Is the country going t
: submit, without protest,to a continu
ance of this iniquityP II is idle to de
;. nounce one political party. Both ar
/ responsible. And the Democrats VIII
controlled the last Congress nigh
. have repealed the act of 1890, ha
j. they been so inclined.
3 How much of the pension money an
nually disbursed actually goes to de
= served persons, we have no means
/. knowing. We presume, however, tha
s a very large portion of it goes to tn
e unworthy. That 10 times like thes
= the country should be taxed in orde
to provide pensions, to the aggregat
IS of $l40,000,O00, for many persons VIII
are rightly entitled to no bounty wha
= ever, is certainly iniquitous. II
amazing aud exasperating. The d.
fcieney in the National revenues
1894 was about $7O,O0O,OOO. And "
"a the pensioners drew their $l40, ,0O0,O ,OO
.. The tenacity with which pensionei
m retain their grip is interesting.
le seems that the Government is payin
% pensions to nine widows of soldiers
= - the Revolutionary army, and that thel
e, are forty-fve pensioners of the War
1912. The Civil War ended thirt
N years ago, and the number of pension
!. ers of the United States, June 80, 1S9
40 was over 969, 900.
It, We would say nothing in disprai
ed of the brave men who sacrificed the
ls lives for their country, or those wi
became permanently disabled. On Il
a contrary, we honor the heroic dea
in and the needy sick or manned. l.
OF their deeds be sung and their nam
n cherished by grateful people, But
as is because we are persuaded that Il
Y. indiscriminate granting of pensions b
" become a very serious abuse that '
- deem il right to speak out.