The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-14
1T WILL NOT HAPPEN.
The Civil War Pension List VIII Not
Be Repealed.

The Boston Herald, like it's New York
namesake, complains that pensions are
drawn by certain employees of the Pension
Office, some of whom claim, as the basis of
their pensions, to BE totally disabled, ana
yet are apparently active in the per-
Torrance of their duties as other govern
ment clerks"
There are housands-probably hundreds
of thousands-of ex-soldiers who are total
ly disabled for the performance or man
ual labor, but are not incapacitated Tor
clerical service or. the duties of messen-
ger or Waterman. Two soldiers thus dis
abled-one a Democrat the other q RepuD-
lican-have been at the head of the PEN
sion Bureau. Others have filled important
positions in national state and municipal
service. The National House of Represent
atives has permanent roll OF assistant
doorkeepers. all Of whom are crippled SOL
diers- and, presumably pensioners If any
clerks in the Pension Office are drawing
pensions unlawfully, let them be exposed
and punished, but there is not a particle of
evidence that such is the fact.
There are pensioners 1p.eE&ry department
of the government, and 1t has never
until now been supposed to be a viola ton
Of sound public policy for man 1a to draw
both a salary and a pension. The laws of
the United States and of many of the
States give preference in public employ
ment to the men who fought the country's
battles Even the civil-service law pro-
vides for the reinstatement of soldiers in
office, so that those who are put out by
one administration may be put back by an
other.
our Boston contemporary declares that
unless the pension list can be purged of
its corruption the chances are that in a few
years more-with the coming into political
life and activity of men to whom our civil
war is almost as remote an event as the
war of 1912 is to those who have attained
middle AEGEAN effort, and successful effort
will be made to repeal the entire system.
This is not intended to be a Islander on the
American character. for the Herald IS not
unpatriotic in its impulses, but it really
amounts to a gross calumny. When the
boys of to-day reach manhood and take
n 4 a fhaTr will 1nf
their fathers or their grandfathers of 81
There will then be comparatively few of the
old soldiers left. for every year is cutting a
wide swath in their ranks, but the lapse of
years will not loosen their hold on the af-
fections of their countrymen. Instead of
destroying the pension system and compell-
ing the old cripples to beg bitter bread
II rough realms their valor saved" the ris-
ing generation. when 1t takes the helm, will
be far more likely TO increase the pensions
of those whose record justifies such consid-
Grafton.
That there are many names on the lists
that ought not to have been put there is not
seriously questioned but there is no good
reason to believe that any great number are
unlawfully there. Congress has opened
way through which a millionaire, uninjured
in the service, can get his name on the roll.
Besides this general legislation that swings
the gate wide open, Congress has undoubt-
eddy abused the public purse in the passage
of unmerited private pension bills. But these
fragrant abuses, although they may cost
great deal of money, Will not induce the pa
triotic people of the United States to abolish
the pension system and send the aged Grip
pies onto the road into the poorhouse.
That would but add to great wrong far
greater one.