The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-22

ms legislative powers as have been
assumed by the Rough Rider in the
white house In cnacting by his sole
viii that service pension lay which
congress itself has never dared TO
pass
That the president has exercised
the law-makng power is seli-evident.
Congress has passed number of
pension laws. When ii mas meant SER
vice and age 10 give claim to a pen.
sion. as in the case Of veterans of
the war of 1872 and Of the Mexican
war. it has said so distinctly WAen
it provided in III depencent pension
act Of 1899 that veterans OF he civil
war should be pensiunable for dis
ability from any cause, not a single
member imagined that che mere
chronological fact of reaching the
age OF e. could ever be held 10 consti
tute such disability The Grand
Army itself, with its microscopic eye
for pensio possibilities. has always
taken it for granted that its service
pension Millennium would have i,
come through congress, if at all
Ii this measure were sane. prudent
and in every way desirable. Mr
Rooseyelt's reckless usurpation OF
power in throwing open the doors OF
the treasury without authority OF law
would still be a startling assault oil
our institutions But the scheme il
SELF is as vicious as TIA manner Of Its
accomplishment Our gigantic popu
larity ana party -campaign payroll Is
already a scandal It contained 1922
AS names last June. and has since
been run up To over million. Belort
the neY service pension initiation il
was costing about $li0.000,000 year
IL has cost from the b ginning over
SO 900 500, 600 Talk about European
socialism, militarism and imperialism
what are they 10 this colossal ilnan
clal merger of past VARS and presen'
politics?
We pay for military pensions twice
as much as the three great military
powers Of Europe. France, Germany
and Russia, combined They keel
over two million men under arms IN
time 81 peace, they have an been en-
gaged in IN at wars aimee We have
and they all have to care for soldier
disabled from year to year ia theii
vast regular armies; yet Franc
spends only SIS 5000 GOO a year in pen
sions. Russia So 100000 and Ger
many $4,000 900 We pay more D.
pensions on account If var tina
ended thlrtynine years ago than
France spends for maintaining ~
army of $4,000 men today
| The year the civil war ended w.
were paying sS.525,l53 for pensions
Ten years later the figures has
climbed to S29,GS3,llG. In another de
cade the bin was sG5,G93,79G Te'
years later still II had mounted I
si40. 959.3Gl. 1t has remained in tina
neighborhood ever since One yea
Ii reached $l5S,l55,342 Nobody CA
tell what il will be undlr the ne;
Roosevelt pension decree,
This subsidized patriotism is an IN
suit to American love Of country
implies that oil all the nations Of th
world ours is the only one who's
people will not fight for Y except o
cash basis While Japan Is display
ing an example OF selfsacriicing pat
riotism we are Offering the speetacI
of patriotism measured by the pay
roll
our pension system is distinct
soeialistic-it is only a step from ole
/. age pensions for everybody Whc
| the supply OF old soldiers Is exhaus
: ed does anybody suppose that the Dc
! mand for pensions will cease? The
are talking OF pcnsioning the ttan
0 sters now, and as long as there ar
4 politicians like Roosevelt to bartt
e the public Welfare for votes there vi.
/, always be NV and ever new classe
G of pensioners to so ~ the sabsid
!. roll
/ 4 II Andrew johnson had c0mmiite
Il breach Of the constitution onetent
IS as fragrant as that just perpetrate
u by his successor ia the accidental 81
q cupancy Of the white house in h
4. mad hunt for delegates, his impeac
10 ment would never have failed by Oh
% vote in the senate