The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-11
THE suFrERINa TAx.PAYERs

xAG SUI6Gh1N0 TAA-kA 6ksSs
The United States Army and Navy Jour-
nal. in a rather gingeriy manner intimates
that the old soldiers of the Union army
have some measure Ut sympathy for
the taxpayers who are patiently bearing
the burden Of pension list approaching
si50,ooo,ooo year"
1t Is very likely that the soldiers who
are not drawing pensions have some
sympathy for the taxpayers. but we
doubt IL the beneficiaries of the system
allow themselves disturbed by any such
sentimental consideration for those who
bear the burden Of this immense drain
on our resources nor do those who adj
vocate liberal pensions trouble them
selves to sympathize with the taxpay-
ers. IF fact. The Kansas City Journal
rather makes light Of the expense, de-
ciaring that "the taxpayers of the
United States are not suffering on ac-
count of an annual charge which
amounts to less than 81 per capita. ="
Then the same paper argues that the
money paid out for pensions CONES most
ly from duty on imported luxIries or
internal luxuries produced here at home"
and further adds that the pension sys-
tenn takes from those best able to pay
and gives to those least able to spend"
All this Is a kind Of special and spe-
cious pleading intended to fool the un-
wary. A tax Of 81 per capita means an
annual tax OF about $12 on an average
family Of six, and to say that this IL
not burdensome Is to ny In the face Of
common sense. Neither is It true that
this money comes from those best able
to pay" or that II 10 q tax on luxuries
Under our presen tariff system every
man. woman and child who eats. drinks
or wears clothes, every farmer, mechanic
or laboring person of either sex, must
pay a share Of the import and internal
revenue duties. This tax falls on rich
ana poor. and hardly one escapes The
pensions are paid from the revenues of
the Government anu the revenues are
derived from the taxes, foreign and do
mestic. Of which the poor pay far more
than their share.
There 10 another argument advanced
by The Journal which is still less appro-
pirate, and that Ia founded on the as.
sumption that all this pension money Is
distributed among the people four times
year. 1t 10 a poor defense for taking
money from all the people to say that
1t goes back to some of the people. When
Peter ID robbed, 1t Is little consolation to
him to know that the money was. given
to Paul.
Now. the people Of the country. and
especially the Soothern people, have long
since acquieeced in the doctrine that the
Government should pension deserving
linton soldiers. but the people who pay
the taxes do not admit that there should
be nearly one million deserving pension
ers thirty-seven years after the war
closed, or that the pension roll for the
last year should require over $40, 00O, 900
TO pay its demands. No amount of reas-
oning can convince the taxpayers that
all these claimants are deserving or
that all that immense sum Is honestly
expended. II pensions were paid only
to those who are really deserving, the
Southern people would cheerfully bear
their portion of the burden az one of
the penalties of defeat, but they en-
pnaticaliy object to being robbed. and
all the fine reasoning of Republican pa
pers and orators will no tdrive out the
irmIy-cstablished belief that much of the
money paid out for pensions is on fraud
ulent claims.