Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-23
DISHONEST FINANCE
aepubIican Method OF Dealing with
PauRIRmRrR.


Pensioners.
Republican cowardice was never more
plainly exhibited than In the recent &C
ton OF the house on pensions.
Commissioners Evans had appeared be
fore the subcommittee having in charge
the pension appropriation bill prepared
1t the extra session and had shown
clearly the necessity of increasing the
original appropriation at least $40, co.,
900 in order to avoid the unpleasant
party embarrassment of facing heavy
deficit in the pension account at the
close OF the fiscal year.
He told the committee Of the big
monthly deficit piling up on him, and
unblushingly revealed his methods of
deceiving the country and imposing a
hardship upon the pensioners by hold
ing out the certificates that were due
last June until the following month in
order that the deficit might not appear
in the reports made at the close of the
first fiscal year.
'sThat is only one of several hides, !"
was the calm remark Of Representative
Belden, a republican member Of the
subcommittee, who thereby confessed
that his party was in the habit of Jug
Cling with figures in the manner de-
scribed by Commissioner Evans.
Despite the representation of the ap-
proximately true condition and pros
poets of the pension account, the sub
committee refused to increase the APP
preparation to within anything like the
required amount, and the party viii
have TO assume the responsibility for an
emergency deficiency bill on this &C
count at the close of the Fifty-ffth con-
gress.
The democrats face the issue with a
courage and consistency that should
put the republicans to shame and show
the country who are the real friends of
the honest and deserving pensioners.
When the bill was reported back to the
house the democrats moved to increase
the appropriation to $500 900. The
motion was lost on a strict party vote
The amendment was not proposed be-
cause the democrats approve the pres
ent fraudulent administration of the
pension Office, but in strict accord with
democratic principles of government
which can find no better form of express
sion than pay as you CO."
The democratic party is not opposed
to the pension system. On the con-
trary, the system has found its warm
est supporters among democrats.
1t is the abuse of the system to which
the democratic party is opposed. Every
effort of the party has been to make
the pension lists "a roll of honor" For
that reason democratic legislation and
administration have strenuously en-
deavored to purge the rolls and place
them on a strict basis of merit. The
amount involved has never concerned
democrats, so long as il was known that
fraud was not being perpetrated. Dem
ocrats have never asked for retrench-
ment that interfered with the relief of
any veteran who was disabled in the
service and who needs the assistance of
the government. All that is demanded
by them is the abandonment of policy
which degrades the standard of patriot
ism and manhood in this country, which
encourages a spirit of mendicancy and
a disposition to defraud the govern
ment. It is poor politics as well as
fraudulent administration for the re-
publicans to pursue the pension course
marked out in congress.-St- Louis Re