Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1898-03-10
PINCREE'S PROBLEMS
A Large Number of Answers
Given to Gov. Pingree's
Questions.

Lansing, Mich, March 2.-Governor
Plngree has been inspecting the contents
of sack full Of mail that has been
accommodating for the last four weeks.
This mail is composed of answers to q
series Of questions, addressed month
ago by the governor to the University of
Michigan, and by the looks of the mail
sack goodly number of the students of
that institution have endeavored to get
first lien on the prizes offered by Michi-
gan's governor. These are Mr.. Ping1ee'e
problems:
1 would like to know what the differ
eace would have been to the Unlon
soldiers if they had been paid in gold, or
the best money, or honest money, as
some cali it,
l enlisted in August, 1862, and served
say, three years. | received bounty of
$50 from the town and S13 q month in
currency, payable every two months.
What difference did it make to me?
And what difference did 1t make to
the whole Union army?
How much would it take now to pay
the difference with 3 per cent interest,
payable semi-ann ually and compounded?
[ Will give $50 to the first student of
the university who gives me correct
answer, S25 to the second and $40 the
third.
During the war and for years after
ward United States notes were at a dis
count with gold, varying in value. The
soldiers of the United States during the
war OF the rebellion were'pald in this
paper currency. They had to take the
money, no matter what the premium on
The bondholders did not have to do this.
Purchasing United States obligations at
a great discount, they insisted upon
their payment not in the legal tender
paper money, but in gold. The honor.
of the nation, they said, was involved,
and this class OF creditors, unlike the
soldier, had his own way. There was
"honor" and mo reputation" to b. se-
cured in the bondholders claims. The
soldier bad had honor enough in fight
ing to save the Union.
Plngree's questions, therefore, at this
time when financial policy for the
people OF the whole country is at issue,
open up wide field for reflection and
for the application of past experience.
The answer to the questions cannot be-
exactly made. As has been stated, the
length Of enlistment by volunteers varied
and through casualties Of various kinds,
death, disability or desertion,t the muster
roll did not op any day certain give the
real facts as to the number Of soldiers in
the field. There were at times more
thar 100000. Nothing better in figur-
ing Plngree's problem could be arrived
at than an average. The compensation
also differed. For later enlistments
bounties, local and federal we're paid for
spirit was rampant. Again, the pay
differed according to the grade. 1t
must not be forgotten in considering
this question that during the war con-
gress did advance the pay Of the private
soldier small sum per month on the
representation that be was paid IN de-
preciated currency and therefore ought
to have more compensation, but the in-
crease in his pay did not at any time
equal such depreciation. The govern
ment would not allow the soldier the
difference IN the value Of the money he.
was paid 10, as it has the bond holder.
The answer of why, lis that the soldier has
already been sufficiently paid. The:bond
holder took advantage OF the oountry's
necessities and has exacted hls pound
Of hesh, and his hand in the legislation
that has brought this about has been on
the government throttle ever SINCE, and
at no time more apparent than at present.
The replies to Gov .Pingrees iuterroga-
tories will no doubt be summarized and
published and will be instructive for
the taxpayers as we'll as old soldiers Of
the union.
Horses for Sale.