The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-15
Ihe Pension Enormlly.

patriotism Of sbose who objected to
making the pension System q means
pf swindling the government Il
any one objected to swelling the pen
aien list by admitting unworthy clal,
mants 10 the bounty of the gov.
sesnment clamor was raised against
him as being no better than rebel
Z AS consequence the pension
manipnlators have been allowed to
have their own way Honest OBJ
iection to their proceedings has been
atifIed BY a mistaken idea of patriot.
lam. aud the result has been that the
American pension system has been
perverted into the most gigantic
) fraud that was ever practiced upon
s. nation. It has become 90 great an
abuse that the want of patrioiism may
be charged against those vho refrain
ftcm representing is ID its true color
] and de1onncing il accordingly rom
no other evil is the republic sustain
{ ng 90 great an injury IS from the
fraudulent perversion of syssem
silhat was Intended for the benefit of
thoss who ought for The Union.
There Is really SOM thing startling
IN the information given IN the eecre,
stasy ef the interiors report that.
with the pension rolls already CON
sainsng more names than we're enroll
sIed soldiers during the war. there
::::sra 2a0, 600 claims awaiting adjodi
cation, 8 msjoriiy Of which the secre
! tafy asys viii Be admitted, with an
increase of SIS, 600. 600 TO 81 900 900
Is tie pension account and this, It
should Be remembered, will happen
affer more than thirty years have
nassed since the close Of the war.
3 il NOT difficult TO understand the
processes by which the pension rolls
sare made to contain, as reported at
die end Of the last focal year, 976.-.
0I4 names with material IN reserve
ssufEcient TO add thousands TO the list,
Annually, for an indefinite period
This iriightfnl abuse whicl, last
.Syear VAS attended With the enormous
expense Of S SI4l, 800. .936 70 not 10.
cludina the cost Of the service, has
heen practiced for twospeciaI objects.
either of which is e public iinposi
4;;Cn and 4 menace TO our free institu
lions The one osject is to attach to
Is part political party 8 large
body sc voters who are made 70 look
J; "a fs sss the source Of this personal
sbenefit. which Is IN effect 8 gigantic
method of political bribery Aoother
object ia 10 create ) vast expenditure
sof public money thar viii necessitate.
tie continnance Of taxation through
the agency of tariffs required for the.
promotion Of monopo polistic interest
The pension system has been
brought to degree of perversion that
repders L public duty 80 denounce
She abuses connected with i. and 10
expose fhe purpose Of those who have
nader zhe medium of their nearious
des;gns Instead Of It's being What It
xas eriginslly Intended % be. means
at justly conpensating taose who bad
rendered their country real service
in iis time of peri, il has been con.
verted into colossal scheme of pub
Siic plander for the political benefit OF
the RepnbIican party and the per-
sonal profit Of the pension ring
The rascals who have profted from
pension abuses are sure to represent
opposition 10 their methods as spring
siing from hostility to pensions. but
ste trne friends Of the pension system
are those who desire to keep off the
rolls those who are not entitled TO
government bounty. aud coufne It
Is veterans who really served thelr
couo,ry 10 the deld. mocratic
Wo&chman.