The National tribune., 1903-10-29
mrg.BLoop vs:sus osEENsAcks.


Those who are opposed to pensions OF
general principles, and eager for an op
portuuity to denounce them, are making
the very most out Of the fact that
So. zoe, 100000 have been paid in pensions
from the foundation of the Government uI
to the present time. While this certainly
seems large sum, yet, everything in this
world is relative, and we can only get an
| adequate idea Of the size of the pension
payments, and their relations to the Gov.
eminent, by comparison with other things,
| The particular comparison in this in
stance is with the payments to men who
merely loaned the Government money, in
| stead of contributing to the war them
selves. their health, strength and patriotic
earnestness. The two great essentials of
every war are men and money. The first
| requisite always is men. Money is almost
indispensable. but wars have been waged
by determined. patriotic men with a very
little money. i fine illustration of this
were the wars of Frederick the Great.
He had little country of 5000 600 peo-
uot at "tit an WI
the highest class though. He had scarcely
any money. yet such was the character and
| courage of his people that for seven years
he maintained vigorous war against over
1O0.0O0.O00 of the wealthiest people in
Europe.
| The first absolute need Of the Govern
ment, when it was menaced by the most
gigantic rebellion which ever assailed a
Nations life. was for men. The first
burning question was whether it could get
men to fight for it; later came the question
of obtaining the money to feed and supply
those men. 1t required q great amount
of courage, patriotism and selfsacriice
for a man to volunteer to put himself at
the disposal of the Government, to fight
its enemies to the death. wherever they
might be found. and no matter what ap-
palling conditions might present them
selves From first to last. however, more
than 2.no0,e0O young Americans sacri-
feed their homes, their future prospects.
and the vocations in life which they had
expected to follow. and separated them
selves from their friends and loved ones.
to fght bloody battles in support of the
Government
The Government could, and did, pay
these men a fraction of what they could
have earned at home in their vocations.
and the sacrifice of money earning time at
the best period Of their lives was one Of
the many that they made for their coun
try.
Tho War Department statistics state
that, reduced to three years. average.
there were 1890. 600 men In the army dur
ing the war. Had any one of these able
bedied Young patriots remained at home
instead of responding to his country's call.
he wsuld have received anywhere from s.
to Sc a day for his services. besides having
all the comforts of a peaceful home. Let
US say, for convenience. that he would
have gotten on an average $3.50 a day.
and we will say that he worked on an
average of 800 days a year. This would
make the average earnings of the Union
soldier $50 a year, or 1920 for three
years. What the Government paid him
for his three years of terrible. hard and
dangerous service for it was as follows:
Eighteen months at S13 month S234.0o
Eighteen months Mt SIG month 2SS on
Three years clothing at $3.50
year 1880
Three years rations at S.2j
day ............ ........... 273.71
Bounty Gncluding Additionally. 80. 10000
Total s,1a2 o.
Therefore we find that every man who