The National tribune., 1896-12-10
Tile rnEsapESr on PENSIONS.

send to Congress President Cleveland
reiterates his well-EhoTn views on PEN
sians. But while he acrimony remains
there is a noticeable sack of the conf
dence of assertion tbas characterized his
earlier messages.
Four years agohe Vas quick and con-
fdent in saying that thousands OF
neighborhoods have their wellknown
pension Frauds
Since then he has had four years OF
unlimited power to expose and punish
those frauds. How he has used it every
neighborhood can testify. Everywhere
deserving pensioners have been stripped
of the meager doles which they dearly
earned at the cost of their blood and
health, but somehow the vast army OF
frauds was not developed, as he led the
country to confidently expect.
Read Understandings, his message is
full admission Of his utter failure to
make good his assertions. He says that
there are 97O,67S pensioners on the roll,
yet, despite the extraordinary efforts,
backed by all the power of the Govern
| ment, to ferret out frauds and criminals,
there were only 500 indictments found
this year against violators OF pension
laws, and only 167 Of these resulted IN
conviction. This is most gratifying
showing for the honor and honesty OF
the men and women who receive PEN
sions. 1t cannot be approached, much
less equaled, in any other Department OF
the Governments expenditures. To the
whole number of GHOSTS, 339 is as l
to 1858; and 167 is as l to $500.
That is, out Of 1858 pensioners, only
one has been presnmptively guilty, and
on but one in $500 has the Government
been able to prove fraud. We can
proudly challenge any other class OF
transactions-pu public or private-to
make such magnificent showing. The
President furnishesIsus, with a complete
disproyal of the 'calumnious assertions
with which be began his Administration,
! and gives us unassailAble evidence with
which to confound pur rancorous enc
mics. The American Soldier is trium-
phantly vindicated,ssr.
The President lnnaent that the PEN
sion expenditures haze not decreased as
rapidly as was hoped for will not fall on
/ sympathetic earaea The only way in
which the pension roll can be legiti-
mately and honorably diminished is by
the death Of the pensioners. The gener-
Gus, grateful, proud American people
are very far from wishing that any pen
sioner may die so that the Treasury may
save the pitiful little 81 a month,
which is now the average pension paid.
They lovingly and gratefully desire him
to live as long as possible to enjoy bis
pension. There is a sincere sorrow in
every community whenever persioner
passes away. It is felt to be an irrepar-
able loss to his neighborhood.
! What Mr.. Cleveland. really means by
the tumble of words and ideas which
concludes his pension paragraph, we
shall leave to be worked out by those
who have more leisure, aud more taste
for puzzles than we have:
When I have seen those who pose as the
soldiers friends active and alert in urging
greater laxity and more reckless pension ex-
penditure. while nursing selfish schemes,
have deprecated the approach of situation
when necessary retrenchment and enforced
economy may lead to an attack upon pension
abuses, so determined as to overlook the
discrimination due to those who, worthy Of q
Nations care. ought to live and die under
the protection of Nations gratitude.