New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-01
THE SERVICE PENSION QUESTION.
Why One Old Soldier Believes They Should
Be Paid.

To the Editor ~ The Tribune
Sir: The proposition to pay a service pension 10
the unior veterans who have reached the age OF
sxtvnve years Is producing Its crop OF protestans
which I suppose viii be followed BY newspaper
articles and editorials denouucing the Grand Army
as rension grabbers and treasury looterS ana EN-
phaslzing ths frequent statement that this Is
generous government. and that the men wno saved
the nation have already received their fun measure
Of reward. Your correspondent from Metuchen
SAYS. Again and again we have been told that the
eliminating point has been about reached and
rapid d.m!rutlOn Of the amount required annuaAy
might be expected"
This is Substantially expressing disappointment
because the veterans are not dying fast enough 10
lessen the amount required 10 pay the pensions they
have earned. Could anything be meaneFF
one hundred and forty million dollars annually
seems a large amount but II IS only g apiece Tor
each Inhabitant Of the country Surely TINS IS not
a large amount considering the service rendered
Your correspondent who signs himself An Old
Soldier" asks Was there any contract on the part
Of The government that soldier should be paid this
sum-
Yes. Their. was an Implied contract made by the
President OF the United states and every other man
who urged the men TO volunteer, promise inade
that they should De provided ior " the.I uecesIS'
and old age aas brought 10 most OF them inns neces-
The volunteers LETT schools and colleges end iu-
crat!ve positions 10 serve their country. and we're
promised 81 per month and $lee bounty after three
AssuEaing that there was no act OF patriotism in
their eulis tinS and that the money PROMISED theI
Id what Induced them 10 risk life and limb and
health Il was understood In the early part OF The
war that the pay was 10 be IN geld or us eQuIVa-
Tho men were paid in paper money. and gold
dollar was worth 80 cents at one TINE IN the dt-
precated money IN which the volunteers were paid.
80 that less than S month in gold IS what they
actually received Morally. the government ives
thc men who enlisted I'm 1851 and $50 acogt =
month FOR their three years Service. and when
they received their 500 bounty u was worm N
sod about $50. making so due thsn when tAs war
This sum. with the compound interest to which
they are morally entitled. would make the govern
nlert owe 10 them each this time about s. COO OF
course, one expects the government 70 Fay H.
The "od soldIsr' asks II the veteran did not re-
ceive as much benefit from reunited and saved
country az any other man.
answer. no have seen II estimated that the
life OF the average soldier who served throug nolt
he war was shortened rs twelve years. I know
tbSt wbar The war caaed nearly every place was
hlled hy stay at homes end the veterans could
NOT find occuuatiors. and most OF them were unable
-, -. a lfvlra- bv manual labor. | know that
looked for work for months and a bookkeepcT's
pogftion was refused 20 me by a person on Fulton
- berause 7 had been a soldier. For" said h,
young men learned bad habits in the army. and
I don't want any one who has been soldier
The REGIMENT in which | served was net conspicu-
Gus because Of SIS losses Many regiments suIered
more than did. yet a statement OF our losses Is
and will guide 70 the concluon OF NE
81. foss by wounds 10 captured. many OF whom
were also wounded %; discharged FOR disability.
eS1. total loss ga Most OF the who returned
home were not III to work but expended their little
money in looking for employment some or my
regiment unable 10 secure livelihood In civil life
because they could not ind employment at home
sboujd have pensions II they want them. bscause
they hive earned and they deserve them
1 write this defence Of my oid conlraaes
never asked FOR 4 pension. because. fortunately. ]
do not need one but II did 4 would claim II. not
as s low as rot 10 care for its soldiers
then may it lack defenders Cor is h16it9R,; viii
not be worth fighting for CA'ALh1MAN-
NeY-York Jan. q. lJOA