The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-24
TALK OF PURGING PENSIONS

TALK OF PURGING PENSIONS
IT will be a blessed thing for this tax
ridden country if there were enough OF
honest craftsmanship and backbone in
the present congress to lay the axe at
the root of the baleful pension tree and
dig it UP root and branch. Then let a
fair, honest, conservative bill be pass
ed, awarding pensions on the Grant
and Garfield standard, not to exceed
$31, 600, 900. The pensions for the next
fiscal year will be positively huge in
dimensions. The congress in a day
voted away s141, 600, 900 to this vile sys-
tenn of robbery. But it is well under
stood that it will take millions more
in reality before the year ends The
Philadelphia American places the ac-
tual sum that will be required at $14S,-
00O,0 900, and say that a deficiency pen
sion bill will have to De passed before
the next fiscal year ends. It says:
but it may we'll be asked what
SO~O AA IN AS0NSAo AL NAAS
house have in thus passing an appro-
| priAtion bill that will be insufficient in
itself and force the enactment of a de-
ficiency bill? Only one reason Sug-
| gests itself and that is a desire to keep
down the appropriations of the present
| session in the hope that the appear
| ance of a curtailment in expenditures
| will have an influence favorable to the
| republicans in the congressional CAM
| paigns of next year."
Here is another deceptive dodge,
fraud. The republicans know hat the
bill is seven or eight millions short of
appropriation, but to make a showing
for the next campaign, if possible, they
leave out these millions in the count
The pension appropriations have been
that hitherto known in any country in
any age.-It has been SO huge for par
tisan purposes, to keep in control the
republican party. IT is unjust to the
taxpayers and is not based on merit.
It is a system of demagogy and rob-
berry. The attack upon the scandal
opened briskly in the present congress.
Abuses, many and gross. We're con-
coded. Even Pension Commissioner
Evans was compelled to face the facts
and tell the truth. The brilliant New
York Criterion said:
Instead Of the guerrilla warfare
which they a " conducted in the past
they came out into the open and charg-
ed right for the breastworks. The dis
may in the union lines vas great for
a time, but the old veterans quickly
rallied and began to pour hot shot into
the advancing foes. The 'Cattle-scarr-
ed suffers" as private O. Allen so
~felicitously characterized them, also
came to the rescue and kept up a
sharp, enfilading fire, while the de-
%struction wrought 10y the sound waves
which the megalophonous William AL
den Smith of Michigan sent forth,
caused the temerariOus enemies of the
old soldier to hesitate, tremlble a few
times in their boots, and then flee in
disorder. The firing continued at long
range up to 5 o'clock Friday evening,
when it ceased altogether"
This graphically described the scene
and the situation, but at asst h house
voted $141, 900, 900, and no doubt the
agreeable senate will say ditto. The
iniquity will be continued. Think of
$14S, 000, 900 being required, thirty-two
and a half year after peace, to keep
able bodied federal soldiers out of the
poor houses. It really looks, with the
], OO0,0 0 pensioners now, that the con
federates about wounded t~wo-thirds of
the 200, 900 Of Yankee who fought
their SOC, 900. There is a plan afoo to
have but little confidence in that way
of doing it. Repeal the whole corrupt
thing and begin anew. The idea is to
publish all pensioners so the people in
all the counties may see who are the
fellows bleeding the taxpayers and
upon what pleas. That there is con-
slant murmuring and outrageous
frauds perpetrated is not denied. The
New Orleans Stats. in so far as the at
titude OF feeling of the south is o n
cerned. is correctly given in h follow
ing, The Messenger thinks:
The southern people have given evil
dence to their national patriotism by
cheerfully contributing their part of
h taxes levied to pay he war pen
sioners. Without a murmur or COM
plant they have paid this levy and are
willing to continue to do so, but they
also feel a national pride in keeping
pension rolls clear Of fraudulent claim
ants. While on it's face it's looks ike
a hardship for the southern people to
contribute to h support and main
tenance OF disabled soldiers who were
disabled in a war waged against these
southern people, they have never felt
It to be so.
ION the contrary, the southern peo-
pie, and especially the southern SOL
diers OF the confederacy. recognize
these claims or the government as
just, and they or their representatives