The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-30
HOUSTON, SATURDAY., DEC. 80, 1sDD
TEN PAGES TODAY.
AN ASTOUNDING PROPOSITION.

TO indulge the undignifled but express
i've yernacular OF the green cloth Senator
Culloms pension bill before the present
congress sees" all other liberalities in
this direction and raises back" very
strong. The Philadelphia Ledger smites
it hip and thigh in tho following drastic
editorial review:
Tho Culom bill directs the secretary OF war
TO grant an honorable discharge to all
soldiers who were at any time In the actual
service OF tho United states and who have
for more than thirty years been held to be
ineligible for such honorable discharge by
reason of any charge Of desertion which
may stand against them.
This Is a proposal 10 degrade the merI-
toriouG old soldier. TO pension the vast army
OF bounty iumpera ana deserters. and to re-
ward the faithless, The eowardly and the
treachcrouH. who ought to he shot There Is
record of bi7 deserters from the Union
army during tho civil war, and il the est-
mated number of them living were
placed on the pension rolls 10000 600 year
would be required to pay them In addition
to the recorded cases of desertlon there Is
thai ARMY of uudotected bounty jumpers who
IRE included among the missing. The Lent
bill seems TO supplement- the Culum bill
complrte'v IN opening the doors wide IL
the Lieut. general service pension bill should
become law it would take about 500. 600 600
year from the treasury.
The two bills call for an additional ex-
pindi,ura OF about 0O,000,0oo year. and 1t
Ia lncouceivablo that congress will consider
stcp which would bankrupt the treasury
or cali for onerous and unnecessary new
taxation, for such unworthy purposes. Tho
Cuilom bill Is Infamous, and Senator Cullom,
IN defence of his action as introduccr OF
the bill has announced, II is reported that
he introduced 1t by request aud will OPP
pose II, bill TO pension desarters is simply
placing premium unun desertion, and the
records OF the present war show that this
would he dangerous policy In response to
resolution OF the senate calling for the
hdiuttt OF drsertonS from the regular and
volunteer armies the secretary of war makes
statement showing that from May l. tsgS
to iuno 80 1890 the very lHrsc number OF
DO men deserted, 3l36 being volunteers aud
To5d regulars. a considerable army has de.
"frt6d when deHcrtlon is disgraco what
pl0ccd ON desertiOu?
Tho prop0sition TO place the mallgners
mount lumpcrs and deserters on a rarity
with courageous defenders of the Nation
hnould alouse the lust resentment OF tho
brave mon who fought and suffered In a
glorious cause. The Lontz service bill also
PIaces GA an equality with those who rr-
t'l'eu wounds and contracted disease in bat.
ne ana camp great army who do NOT mood
hld ana should not look TO the TREASURY far
SUPPORT Bo'h bills are the expression Of
and u dnscs aud rapacious policy Of loot.
OF M honorable old soldiers ma ali
patriotic citizens ga" an
ine more pensioners on the bounty OF
the government the greater support from
individuals and communities for tho can
didale' In presidential elections of the
party responsible for such Infamous prod-
isaiityS If one takes into consIaer,.
Ton the wild limits to which our
pension extravaganza is aspiring. the con.
elusion is inevitable that 1t constitutes
the most contemplate form OF bribery
mat ever made the elective franchise
an instrument of corruption and rapacitv
or that ever Knocked TO defeat the prom-
ises OF republic to equalize the burdens
OF government. to bestow its benefactions
win uniformity and 10 administer ito
aHairs with decency and economy.
Assuming that the Culom bill was Of
Tered by request. and can not pass, there
IS enough In the Lentz proposition and in
the new army OF pensioners marching IN
rom the spanish-American and Phlin-
pine wars to compel the American tax.
payer In defense of home and National
existence, to call halt on this con.
scieneeless work Of political plumber for
partisan purposes