The National tribune., 1899-03-09
INCREASE IN PENSION APPROPRIA-
TrONS

The entire appropriations by the
Fifty-ffth Congress foot up $780,
S90,O16.2S, of which $4S2, ,562 2,0S3.47
is directly chargeable to the war with
Spain, leaving s1,0S4.327,632.S1 as
ordinary expenditures. This is an in
crease of S39,747, 900 over tie appro-
priations for the preceding Congress.
OF this increase but S4,000,000 is due
to pension expenditures, while S16,000,.
600 is on account of the postal service,
S3,600,000 for rivers and harbors,
S6,000,000 for new ships for the navy,
81, 100000 for beginning the work of
the Twelfth Census, 81 100000 for the
Paris Exposition, s5,000,000 for new
public buildings and S3,100,000 for
the French spoliation claims. 1t will
be seen that in this lewildering array
Of millions the increase of pension ex-
penditnres cuts very modest figure
but S2,0G0,0 year, an unexpectedly
small amount compared 10 what the
veterans and their friends, expected
would follow the incoming Of the pres
ent Administration. They felt that the
pressing needs Of the veterans, due to
The rapid advance Of years, and to the
cruelties of the Cleveland Administra-
ton, demanded such an increase in eX-
penditures as would be properly "emer
gency legislation. 1t is truly as much
Of an emergency rs existed at the time
of Mississippi floods, drouth sufferers,
grasshopper plaques, OF similar exigen-
eies which have called for extraordinary
legislation. There are many more peo-
pie suffering Oh account of the lack CT
such Administrative action than in any
Of the catastropl1es which have called
for the active assistance Of Congress.
There are actually hundreds OF thou-
sands Of veterans and their dependent
oncs who, through the Obstructive
course Of The Commissioner Of Pen
sions, are denied the right acquired
by bitterly-hard service for the Gov
ernrnent in its day of dire need.
Unfortunately for the cause Of the
veterans they are not gathered together
uron a small strip Of country, where
their concentrated misery viii appeal to
the country, as IVES the case with the
sufferers by foods, graszhoppcrs, drouth
and fire. They are scattered ali over
the country, in every village and town
some Of them, too many Of them, in
every poorhonse in the North and West.
They are suffering from far worse than
tie caiamitorz blows Of the elements. |
The food sufferers see the waters pres
entity subside, leaving their fields richer
than before; the Ere victims can re-
build, and those whose fields have been
devastated by insects can SOW again in
hope. But there is no silver lining to
the clouds that lower oyer tie men who
have now passed the meridian of life,
with frames racked by diseases and dis
abilities incurred by long years of camp,
march and battle in most protracted,
desperate and bloody war. There is no
rebuilding their houses, no rcsowing
their fields. The only harvest they can
gather is the meager and long-deferred
one Of their country's gratitude and
justice. Every year that is allowed to
pass without giving them the rights
which were solennly promised them is
not only cruel injustice, but a dis
honorable reputation. More than 49,
600 of them die every year, and large
proportion Of them disregarded, un-
recognized and unpensicned by the
Government that they gave everything
TO save. No subsequent action, no
future liberality can ever atone for this
defrauding of those who have died in
the bitterness Of despair over their
country's ingratitude.
Remembering the age at which all
these veterans now are, remembering
the momentous character of their serv-
ices, remembering the breaking strain
upon every man who did his share in
that gigantic struggle, remembering
how many years these men have pleaded
and importuned for scant Justice, how
beggarly seems that increase of but 81