New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-14
AGAINST SERVICE PENSIONS.
"An Old Soldier" Controverts Arguments in
Favor of Them.

Favor OF Ihem.
To the Editor or The Tribune.
Sir, an Old Solder" is glad 20 see IL The T-i5-
u0e o. February the letters OF ''Csvalr-maa"
and of j.. IT. Johnson IN behalf Of the Service Pen
sion bin, because they confirm The truth OF every
statement De made in his previous letter.
'Caya.rvnaa" thinks that though g4oe0ooo. tho
estimated cost 90 tFC Service Pension bin. is a
large sum. IL is only s. apiece for every man. woman
and child in the country. and might Wei he given
20 The old soldier since no one would feel It deep
ly. As well might Sc be said that "a robbery would
be small matter 81 divided up among a large
number Of people instead OF being taken from one
man.
lie says. Also that those who do not need Il
needn't take 't Granted But why should the few
sneu who are sufficiently patriotic rot 20 avail
themselves of such privilege ne placed IN tho
same category with the vast number who are
eagerly waiting Jo set thei- hands into tho public
treasury, though tley could easily get On without
ST. Bat we have pretty good evidence that many.
az least. Who do rot need 30 win grab IL greedly.
We know that rl,ilo0alres. ableboJied enough 70
act as United States Senators have accepted large
sums <roU Vie Tr-E gGr-, granted them by re-
rating and DATING back the.r pensions. and then
have pleaded guilty 20 their wrong by paying
81 back as soon as the press of the country made
q 20 60 about 81 The fact e. many people seem
think that the country. ike every other corpora
ro1. has SOUL and that therefore & = legitimate
game Tor any and every ono who can make raid
upon 81. j. Isl tr.e tHo country has no soul. But
the trouble IS THAI. whether they know % or not,
such people have souls. and il is FOR their sake.
more than the country, that a protest should be
made against This last and most incxcUsable bill.
Public loot boy grace Of act OF Congress ls no
less Injurious 20 those who sre guilty q 4 than
highway robbery. ard s. seems a good time 20 call
public attention 20 the fact
Let no one say that am opposed 80 .ust and
equitable pensions I said. ga my 0rst letter that
every old soldier Who suffers from wounds or dis
ability actually incurred a. the war ought 90 ho
Taus,o--d. and Icusioned Ghe-al.. But / assert
that every u.d soldier who came out OF the wa-
u-scathel a.elt 90 consider himself just as good
Cd r.ar ass amy ~ BIS rolshb0rz, ard ought % De
vIl'.c go work his way Ike other men. and 90
take DIS chances with them. There 81 no more
reason vLy sr old solder should be- Iensionet
r'au any other class Ce men who have done good
service TO Gle country On bui5-ng railroads or dig
af-- canals gr any other work Tor the general
good 4 am quite sure that g. during the last
Cc-ty yt.r-. TIE pension laws had been admin
istere5 with strict economy AID yet ful Justice,
an tfa old soldiers would bs better on to-day
lv reason % the reduction OF the public debt. the
.eszeuire of taxes and the greater prosperity %
tho uaLoa-thau tlis So month VIII make them
while ever. body else w0ald share la tie general
good
Cavalry 5r.-' reasoning that there was an I'm
Piled contract" between tle soldiers and the gov
eminent because service pensions lad been grant
. Cd 10 the .oia-solGiers o. tAe Mexican War. and
that the reduction q the value ~ money isssened
eminent out in de5j 70 mem $500 might be ap-
piled with equal force 20 the case - e.eIy poor
Ned ais ror-rfr when we were born IN az FOR
hetter or worse p" ana we might as wen make up
our minds go De- fueu. aud stand zap and take ire
be sure mat class legislation q this kind viii rot
The reasoning % 1f-. Johnson that unless the o,d
soldiers are cared Tor NOW GeD VIII not Doe found
TO e.-sL .A .aaI- NaLs. .s hol only a SANDER upon
qultar as 81 alEur.aIt have TOO much respect
ieve thar Dee enlisted in 1851 because g service PEN
-gtr- f-,r5 = er-5- 7, y, ' BE- -.r
measure f.s patriotism hv any such test. and Do
war should break ont to-day. II il would should
say ti.at Tie sooner 81. such llls as that under
For 70 she country con Doc saved only bv holding
out the hope raat iar soldiers viii he paid u ser
years Of ase. all can saE is that country made
T DO moi 5trrye artff.rl OF ne Kind ~ The
iere that 81 amy great emergency should arise now
1s1' and that tber, would be- - ttle thought now
tfinr 6ut he lat,efl,y = De nation As thsfe was
on De othe-. hand 1sl..e that nothing has
brought the solder so ini2 c-ereruf- .01 So low
Re same ual.cr 10 Tie soldier heausa u tsrds ~
Grand ARMY otherwise noble hoHy 81 men. b.
cause leads tren to substitute false charity
20 one SCI or men Tor tie genuine charity o., equal
Justice 20 an u s. demon .izing a. our public
men ea5h parry ssl.s y vi. lose nc 500 opin-
-eIHora .z.E to gre E-..Hs EeFei.toni '-ea use 81
.tr..s t.gr 80 LOOK Ii"a ~. splendid achieve
3D., TO- apparent greed that las charaeterzed their
conduct IN lalar }ears 90 not hesitate a. on
ching for others not soldiers ~ -ay. and because
rs. great majority" 20 b.ar witness that They At
,suss ~ Ode army ari laying down their lives for
The country believe % Is tie duty also 81 every