Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-08

The Grand Army of the Republic has ap-
pealed to President Mckinley to take such
action lies within his executive author
ity to cause the pension laws to be con-
strued and executed in more liberal spirit
toward the veterans of the civil war. They
have placed their case in excellent hands,
and the pensioners and the taxpayers may
rest assured that the President will do
his full duty toward both sides in conform
lty with the spirit which underlies the ma
TONS great pension roll.
The record written by the United States
kinCe the war of the rebellion in this mat
ter of pension-giving is unique and graft
flying. Il reveals the nOblest side of hui
man nature and shows the depth of the
gratitude of the people for the sacrifices
and services of the men who, over thirty
years ago. went forth to battle for the
preservation of the Union. Not only the
north stands firmly by this display of gem
erosty, but the south now acquiesces in
1t heartily, recognizing the righteousness
of the system and, through its representa-
tives in Congress, annually voting for the
great pension appropriation bills which in
concrete form symbolic a nations thank
fulness.
There is in fact. no respectable senti-
ment anywhere in the country against
liberal policy toward the men who suf-
fered because of their war services, or
toward their widows or their dependent
children. To the extent that the claims
of the applicants for pensions are we'll es-
tablished, and they show themselves to be
entitled to this consideration, the allow
ances are extended without demur, even
with eager willingness. The taxpayers
bear the tremendous burden of this budget
without complaint long they are sat
isfied that the money is going to deserving
persons within the scope of the pension
laws.
At the same time the people have reason
to feel that in the lapse of years the point
has been reached at which the pension roll
should cease to grow, when it should even
1gin to dwinde death carries away
Se heroes of the sixties, and their widows,
and as their dependent children reach years
of maturity and become self-supporting.
1t is clearly impossible for the pension ap-
preparation, which now reaches a total suf
fcient even to maintain a standing army
of European size, to continue year after
year to attain the same aggregate and even
steadily to increase. 1t is strikingy in
dicative of the generosity of the nation
that the total has been maintained even
beyond the time which is logically to be
regarded this turning point. This has
Dten que TO d gradual broadening OF the
pensionable scope and to a liberalizing of
the administrative process. perhaps par
ticulary to the disposition of Congress to
pass special and personal legislation beyond
the range of the ordinary rules of adiudi-
cation.
II is felt by many taxpayers, without
abating in the slightest from their CRATE
full generosity. that the best interests both
of the nation at large and of the deserving
pensioners demand that the appropriations
now begin appreciably to diminish through
the exercise of greater care and wiser
discrimination in the distribution of the
pension money. This can be effected with
out depriving any veteran or his widow or
children of any legal right or sentimental
consideration to which they may be prop
erly entitled. Thus an issue arises at this
juncture between the deserving and unde-
serving claimant or pensioner The former
is best protected in his enjoyment of the
countrys beneicence by the exclusion of
the latter from the rolls In the proportion
that the unworthy ones are admitted to the
bounty of the republic the patriotic pa
thence of the people will be strained even
toward the worthy ones.
President Mckinley is in sympathy with
the pensioner, as he is himself a veteran
Of the war and served in Congress as an
eloquent and successful pleader for the
soldier He is at the same time aware of
the plain fact that common sense dictates
a natural shrinkage in the roll time
passes without depriving any individual of
pension to which he is entitled. and that
there is a strong national demand for
pruning of the pension list. which conflicts
with the request OF the Grand Army. He
may be relied upon to pass upon the petit
ion .3hn to no lott hEfn i,,
a broad spirit of justice to all.