The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-02
OUR soBERING PENSION ROLL.


 When Americans-however patriotic and however willing to indulge the sentiment of gratitude toward the men who periled life, health and the welfare of their families in the nations de- fense-contemplate the still swelling aggregate of our pension rolls, now amounting toward one hundred and flf- ty million dollars annually, they may be pardoned if they seem inclined to as- sume a questioning attitude as to whether all the legislation under which that immense outlay is being made has been sufficiently well considered. This attitude has become more and more pronounced since it is seen that thou sands of young widows are being added to the rolls, to take the place of the veterans who are dropping off, and whose pensions, which are for life, seem likely to prolong for another full gene ration a large part of the national bur den hitherto so patiently borne. The bold stand taken by the present com missioner of pensions in objecting to this class of beneficiaries is looked upon with general commendation. While the people are willing-nay, eagerAto save from want the women who sent their husbands into the field in the critical days of the sixties" they cannot easi- ly discern what claim the woman who has married an ex-soldier long after the war ended can have upon the nation. Marrying a veteran for the sake of get ting a pension-a practice which has now become conmon-cannot be classed among the acts of patriotism for which pensions are usually be- slowed
 While in this critical mood, people are also inclined to push the question a lit- tie further, and to ask. on what ground the government should continue the payment of pensions to people who plainly do not need them. Especially, why should prosperous and well-to-do men, in business and in the professions, draw an annual stipend from the gov ernment, while other veterans who served their country equally, well, or better, but who now find it hard work to make a living, receive nothing what ever, because no rebel bullet happened to hit them, or because their health re- mained so good that they were able to serve their country to the end of the war without contracting a disabling 
 disease?
 If the pension rolls were cleared, first of the names of all individuals who are in no need of aid from the government to enable them to live in comfort, and secondly of all widows who have mar ried veterans since the war, the enor- nous burden of pensions which the American people are now bearing would l>a and that the nation could perhaps then spare something with which to sweeten the last days and perhaps save from the almshouse some splendid soldiers, who did grand service but were not lucky enough to "get hit'' while doing it.
 There is no doubt that the larger DOT ton of the men now receiving pensions were good soldiers. We are glad to ad- init that all of them have deserved well of the government. But the popular sentiment is that pensions should be be- slowed. not to match deserts, to to re- lieve necessities. Where no necessity for relief exists the claims of the man who was hit by bullet or injured by disease in the service are no greater than that of his comrade who fought equally we'll and perhaps longer, but who went through the war without get ting hit and with his health unim- paired. And it is a matter of common notoriety that in almost every neigh borhood there are men who were ineffi- cient soldiers, but who are now rich, who are receiving pensions from the government, while men who were good soldiers, but who are now poor, receive nothing. All well-to-do ex-soldiers ought now to be willing to consent to a readjustment. Let some honorary medals be struck off and bestowed upon these in lieu of further pensions.-St Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.