The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-08-27
PENSIONS IN DANGER
Free Coinage of Silver Would
Scale Them Down One Half.
NO COMPENSATION FOR LOSS
Patriotic Men Will Surely Hesi-
tate to Vote for q Change.
a BURDEN TO THE HELPLESS.

Want and Suffering Would be Inevitable
TO the Old Soldiers Under q System That
Proposes to Reduce the Purchasing
Power of Their Pcnsions--A Thing That
Appeals TO the Pooketbook of Every
Man in the State.
Every human and patriotic citizen looks
with the utmost satisfaction upon the
munificent provision which the nation has
made for the old soldiers, says the Cham
bersburg Public Opinion. Actual want Is
relieved, as we'll as substantial honor con-
ferred, by the pensions granted TO the dis
ablod men who bore the brunt Of the bat
tie In the contest for the life Of the nation.
Doubtless there have been pensions given
to unworthy and undeserving mon, and
the bounty Of the nation has been abused,
but no right minded and good hearted
citizen would consent to any substantial
reduction Of the pensions on account Of
this abuse, or for any other reason. The
system Is approved alike by the patriotic
sentiment and best Judgment of the great
body Of the citizens
The payment Of the pensions TO the old
soldiers Is beyond question one of the
great financial burdens of tho nation, but
| IL Ii were tonfold weighticr Il would be
| checrfully borne, because II Is the meet
| ing Of just, humane and patriotic o bill
| cation. Citizens would be unworthy par
| ticipants of the inestimablo benefits con-
ferrcd upon them by n redeemed and ro-
established government II they were un-
mindful Of the cost OF the republic In the
sacrifice and labors Of these men who
stood by IL in the hour of It's peril
| Any direct and avowed proposition TO
| scale the pensions would invoke tho dis
favor of the people, and the party advanc.
ing such n proposal would be rcbukcd by a
most decisive majority of the voters The
pensions are not now In danger from any
avowed opposition to them, but in an indi-
rect way they are seriously threatened.
The free coinage of silver, II IL is adopted,
will result in the scaling of the pensions
almost one-half. When the silver dollar,
with flfty-threc cents worth OF bullion I'm
| IL, comes To be the standard and measure
Of value, rs must. inevitably by the result
under the free coinage Of silver, then the
pcnsioner will be paid the samo number
of dollars, but the new dollars will be only
about onchalf the value 90 him OF the old
dollars which were exchangable for gold.
Under this change of standard there Is
no compensation to the pensioner for his
loss. In the world of trade the change Of
| standard inherent in the system Of free
coinage of silver Is not so important inas-
much as prices will be changed In all COM
moditics, and approximately fair compon-
| sations can be attained and no great in
| justice be done. But the pcnsioner has
nothing to advance In price. He is in tho
| market with the new dollar under the
| new system, and finds all prices advanced,
,, and is able to buy with his pension only
| hal, rs much as he could buy with that
which was paid him in the old dollars.
Ihc only way in which he could be made
| whole In the change of standard, would
be by n general law increasing all pensions
one hundred per cent The prospect for
the passage Of such law is very slender.
The difficulty Of passing new pension laws
involving even the slightest advance in
pensions is well known. Hence, tho old
soldiers prospects under the free coinage
of silver are very dark, indeed; old and
| feeble men are able 10 keep soul and body
together 10y the slender pensions they re-
ccivc under the present standard. Want
and suffering are inevitable under
change which reduces the purchasing
power of their pensions. Surely patriotic
men will hesitate and refuse to vote for
change which involves such burdens to the
helpless and deserving pensioners