The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-15

critics attack the old soldier pensioner of
| the war OF the rebellion, and lay at his
| door the charges which their ignorance or
malice or both are all too ready to make.
These unjust critics never have word
to say in commendation of the great army
of soldiers of the war of the rebellion,
larger than the great army recently as
sembled to fight Spain, who fought on
every battlefield of the Republic from Bui
Run OF Appomattox, and have never asked, |,
nor ever will, if they can help it, one cent
from their country for the service they
freely gave her.
Our Government has paid to pension
attorneys fees out of the first payment OF
the soldier pension during the nine years
ending June 90. 1897 S13, 600 600, and we
ask if some method cannot be adopted by
the Government whereby this or large
part of this outlay in the future can be
saved to the old soldier by having this
work done for him without charge by or
through its agents.
"To the great number of our comrades
from all parts of our country who have
written to- US requesting us to do some
thing for them or the plans and schemes
they have honestly believed we should
advocate and press before Congress ana
elsewhere, we express our regret that .in9
and strength in most cases have rendered
it quite impossible for us to even answer
their letters. but we believe we have done
what we have in the interest OF the great
est good OF the greatest number. Ana III
this connection let us say that the Com
missioner of Pensions has always SHOWN
your Committee the greatest courtesy,
listened to any and all suggestions ana
ALWAYS expressed the desire and determl-
nation to do all in his power for the de-
serving soldier, but refentieSSiy to pursue
l-all frauds, and eliminate from the roll an
fraudulent pensions he could discover,
and in this he should and will have the
active sympathy and assistance OF every
true soldier of the Republic. During the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1898, the zen
sion Bureau has allowed 56,737 pensions,
which includes originals and reStorat1ons.
The number OF original claims allowed by
the Pension Bureau during the past hScai
year was largely in excess OF the ehtfe
number of claims allowed either during
the whole four years OF the Secohu Au-
ministration of Gen Grant or OF that OF
the entire Administration of President
Hayes.
while serious hardships are inevitable
| in many cases while deserving men can
not prove their claims or bring their cases
within the laws, and some worthy ana
needy men fail to get pensions whiie
| others. seemingly less deserving, do re
ceive the Nation 5 bounty still, VIC must
| remember that no human law was ever
| framed under which perfect Justice can DC
done-that fraud, error, and misfortune
will creep iii to in, ure and deprive OF
rights; but Notwithstanding some faults
| and shortcomings in the pension laws
and their execution we bear willing test-
mony to the fact of the Justice and gene
! rosity of our country over ali other nations
| to its soldiers; and when we are disposed
| to doubt this let us remember the stream
of gold steadily flowing in small sums
from the Nations Treasury into the hands
of the hundreds of thousands OF needy
soldiers or their dependents, and then
thank God we are Americans.
I'VE say to the unfriendiy newspapers
and critics, When you are tempted to
criticise and growi over the pensions
granted to men who are carrying through
! life the heavy burdens of wounds and dis
ease consequent to the battlefieids, the
exposure and hardships of camp, march
and bivouac, lust pause a moment ana
remember that time is fast removing these
pensioners at the rate of between oO, 900
and 40. 600 each year, and as the years 60
on the death roll rapidly increases.
Look at this table for the last SIX
years:
Pensioners died and dropped from other
causes:
| 1893 ....................... 30 69C
/ 1891. 81 ,5oi
l89o- .-..s..-...-.. ~ ~ -
iSJb-. ..--.'-... 80.
1871 - - -
1898 Observation-Disclosures. ft Col
so that by 1920 there will be left but
! PSI ,727 survivors, and in 1915 there will not
be a single survivor OF the soldiers OF the
war of the rebellion. The Pension Bureau
burden problem is being rapidly solved
| by the common enemy-Death.
And now. comrades, pardon us il we
make one request in the face of the all
too frequent assertion we have met while
acting in your service: viz All the buSi-