New-York tribune., 1901-09-11
THE NATIONS PENSIONERS.
,yrsFNT HEAVY PAYMENTS DUE TO
ruF DEPENDENT PENSION LAW.
Editor OF The Tribune.

- .t. Editor OF The Tribune
am a strong Republican and I voted for
-, ,n 1864 ! am also a constant reader and a
LII. . adrnirer Of The Tribune But there is one
-, rhieh The Tribune does not treat-.he i'm
-.,o. Of the purgaton OF the pension rolls OF
--,i,e5 states. Over thirty-six years have
.ad since the close OF the great Civil War The
- ~ that war will. doubtless endure for gener-
,-s. still We must remember that the life of
-S7eratiop is only about one-third of a century and
e that each generation has its own burdens TO
larry Hence e just sense OF proportion demands
-, pensioners should not run beyond proper Hm-
,.s ., amount time. Our pension. laws are as
,s declared in Congress when they were enacted
.ss most liberal In the world, We do not believe
sou,ever that any dreamed Of the enormous
snd long continued demand that they would make
uDon the revenues Of the country. 1t predicted
Nv some prominent man-General Garfield think
carly in the seventies, that the eliminating point
of amount would De reached before 1880.
What however. do see? a generation has
ha.n horn since the above date and come to voting
ege and the great sums annually paid instead OF
Stamping at about 100000. have risen 10 about
rs0eoO00. Nearly 10000 pensioners die in year
vet the number to-day is nearly million with
oyer 400 900 claims still pending. Then the soldiers
or the famiec or widows or other wars-those with
sns,n and IN the Philippines-are now or soon will
he fling their claims, and may confidently say
that the patriotic citizens of the United States
Go not care see too large amount OF our reve-
nue. consumed in pensions.
Now all honor and generosity to those who
fought and saved the country in the sixties It
might be said that all the wealth of the country
could not compensate for risks mada and loss in
Cured True rc nation expects TO make such
compensation Patriots do not fight for money.
Pensions the help which a people give TO
soldiers manned. diseased aged and feeble. or 70
ther families, the burden of life But II is
just demand OF American citizens that while
generous laws carried the pension rolls be
purged OF names and sums not justly there. Let
every newspaper take up the just cry: Purge the
rolls. Publish the rolls! Remove the baruacIes
fa rs shine IN 10 loyal patriotic Soldier de- desires es
fecrecy to what the country does for its heroes
IN The Forum for August we have exposure
Of the frauds and corrupttng agencies set agong by
American people have reputation for righting
matters when they reach certain juncture and
rasp no. vii not The tribune SO abe and tnenfie
lift up a strong voice on this subject? 1 am. truly
CONSTANT READER AND ADMIRER OF THE
Mefuchen. \ J.. Sept. 2 1901.
within the last two months The Tribune has
published two editorials designed to show that
the nations annual outlay for pensions has
reached its limit. and will probably soon begin
TO recede If no further legislation is undertaken
by Congress The amount paid to pensioners
during the year ending June 80 1901, was
sl3s,Jo1oo0 II has risen but once above S150.-
0oo0oO-in 1892 '93, Under the laws existing
al the time. General Garfields prophecy was
perhaps fully justified. But the Dependent Pen
sion act Of 1890 revolutionized the pension sys-
TEN, and vastly multiplied the list of 'pensiona
bes." So long as the Dependent Pension law
remains OF the statute books-and neither po-
litical party in this country has either the de-
sire or the intention to repeal 1.-THE present
liberal outflow Of pension payments will con-
tnue for many years. But very small per-
centage OF pensioners are fraudulently the
roll, and "purgaton" of the list would prob
ably not reduce the annual pension list ma
ferially. The Pension Bureau is efficiently and
honestly administered. and the pension laws are
sustained by public sentiment. whatever COM
-piaint there may be Of occasional abuses. IN
Ger present conditions there seems 10 be Iit-
lie or no occasion to criticise either the Pension
Bureau or the pension system.l