The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-06
THE HANNA SLAVE Pension BILL

HE HANNA SLAVE PENSION BILL.
The impression seems to prevail in
official circles in Washington that
Senator Hanna's purpose in introduc-
ing a bill TO pension slaves that were
set free by President Lincoln is to
bring himself into favor with the ne
groes North and South, and thus in
crease his chances for getting the
nomination of his party for President.
If this We're the first time such a bill
had been introduced there might be
some ground for that view, and also
for the belief that the Republican
leaders had decided it would be good
policy from a party point to pension
ex-slaves, but as similar bills have
been introduced at various times the
Introduction of this bill does not mean
anything probably more than that
pension attorneys at the national cap
ital are looking for other opportuni-
ties to get their hands into the Fed
eral treasury. II will be noticed that
Senator Hanna does not make himself
responsible for the bill. He is careful
to announce that he introduced it by
request" 1t is not even stated that he
approves it and will support it. There
are no indications that he is seeking
the nomination for President. No
doubt he would like to have 1t. and 1t
is probable that he would be far more
acceptable to the trusts and trust pro-
moters than Mr. Roosevelt is, but the
outlook is strongly for Mr.. Roosevelt
as the party's standard bearer in 1904.
It is doubtful if it is in the power of
the trusts or trust promoters to change
the drift Of Republican sentiment so
far as it relates to the Republican
presidential candidate.
There is no probability that the bill
will receive favorable consideration.
The Republicans have no intention of
distributing any such an amount of
money in the South as is involved in
this bill. Besides. there would be no
end of fraud connected with the dis
tribution of pensions to ex-slaves and
the relatives who have been caring for
those of them who have not been able
to take care of themselves.
OF course, if the bill were to become
law a great deal of money would be
distributed in the South The number
of ex-slaves is still very large. The
fact, however, that there is no good
reason why these ex-slaves should be
pensioned justifes the conclusion that
there is no intention to pass the bill
One result of the introduction of the
bill doubtless will be schemes for de-
frauding ignorant negroes Men will
represent themselves as agents ap.
pointed to take evidence In support
of applications for pensions. and in
every case a fee will be demanded.
that is. a fee to be paid in advance.
1t hasn't been so very long since ne
groes in pretty nearly all parts of the
South were being defrauded in that
way Senator Hanna ought to have
known that the bill would expose
credulous negroes to the attacks of
scoundrels bent upon robbing them.
Perhaps he did not give that view of
the matter the consideration to which
it is entitled. If the Republican party
were back of the bill, and there was
a probability that the ex-slaves would
be pensioned, Senator Hanna would
have assumed responsibility for the
bill. He would not have said he in
troduced II "by request"