The National tribune., 1900-08-23
PENSIONERS VS.. BoNDnoLpERs.

| The nlted States Government has not
been niggardly in its expenditures of
money i'll pensions. For pensions and the
maintenance of the pension system from
July l, 1866, to June 80. 1900, there has
been expended $2,612, 500, $50, or an aver
age of more than S74 100000 year. The
Expenditure for 1S99-1900, the year that
ended June 80 last, for army and navy
pensions, was S13S,412,172 This was
Sl0I 900 more than was expended for the
year ended June so, 1899. 'High-water
mark was reached during the Administra-
| tion of President Harrison, in 1888, when
there was paid out in one year S156,S
537."
While these are very large figures it must
be kept in mind that everything connect
ed with the rebellion was on an unprece-
dentedly large scale. Everything about it
was incomparably larger than any other
war before or since. Never in the history
of the world was there contest of such
stupendous immensity as the one in which
an average of 100000 men in the Union
army battled daily for four long years,
with an average of 10000 rebels in arms,
standing defensively on their own ground.
Beside this all other wars, no matter how
great their results, seem puny.
The objection to such figures as these is
that they are given out alone, and no rela-
ton shown TO other gigantic facts which
belong with them.
The fact that should always accompany
such statement is the amount that has
been paid the bondholdcrs-the who
loaned the Government money, as distin-
guished from those who gave it years of
their lives, their youth, their health, their
strength and hundreds of thousands of
them their actual existence.
The bondholders have received from
the Treasury, in principal, premium and
interest, including the market value of
what they still hold of the war bonds, the
enormous sum of nearly SIX BILLION
DOLLARS (S5,S93. .465,S40).
This is much more than twice the total
amount computed as paid to the pension
ers of all kinds since 1861.
When we recall that the bondholders lent
deprecated paper dollars, worth all the
way from 80 cents up to 66 cents, we find
that the total value of their lendines never
reached $1,500, 100000. so that up to date
they have been paid back nearly 81 for
every 81 that they lent the Government
in its hour Of need.
There is another thing: Every man who
went into the army did so at more or less
great financial sacrifice. Every man could
have made very much more money stay
ing at home than he did by enlisting. If
we make the average sacrifice of each man
who served three years so little as $1,000
and multiply it by the 2,323,000 who
served an average of three years, we have
the astounding total of S2,326, 900, 900 as
the aggregate sum actually donated to the
Government by the men who served in the
army and navy. This is far more than
the aggregate value of the Iendings of the
bondhOlders. The Government has so far
scarcely paid back to those who were
manned and broken down as much as the
whole body of soldiers sacrificed in enter.
ing the service.
The article goes on to say:
"Ihe total revenue of the United States
for 1900 was $56S, ,9SS, ,94S. Out of that rev
enue there was paid to pensioners S13S.-
4e2, 1l2. That was "a per cent Of the
country's receipts. In addition to this vast
sum paid TO pensioners. there was used to
pay for the maintenance of the War and
Navy Departments for the year $780, 743,-
$50, or 30 1-3 per cent Of the revenues
While Russia and France were supporting
armies numbering 100000 and $50, 900,
respectively, with % per cent of their reve-
nues, the United States was spending 57h
per cent for its armed service and its pen
sloners, "A per cent going TO the men who
fought 30 years ago."
Here is again where other figures should
be put in comparison. From 1866 onward
to 1879, when the country was not one
fifth as rich as now, the Treasury regularly
paid the bondholders over $100,000,OOO in
gold year as interest on the loan OF less
than 81, ,500,0 100000 gold value which they
had made. The interest payment in 1866
was S133, ,087, ,749; in 1867 the interest and
premium payments were S154 600, 900; in
1868. $l47, 100000: in 1870, Sal, ,000, 900.
The returned soldiers bore the burden of
these payments, and did it willingly, for
they insisted that the honor of the Gov
ernment demanded that the bondholders
should be paid every cent that their CON
tract stipulated. Now they ask that their
dues from the Government be considered
with equal honor. The debt owed them is
as honest, to say the least, as that owed
| the bondholders, and should be regarded as
fairly. A payment of S140, 900 year
now, with the enormous wealth Of the
country, is not so onerous as one-ffth that
amount was in the years following the
war.
WORK OF THE PENSION BUREAU.
The report OF the Pension Bureau for
the week ending Aug. Il shows a most
gratifying increase over any of the recent