The National tribune., 1910-09-01
ESTIMATING THE COST.

one overwhelming idct titt 1ie SOs''
will be much less than the figures rep
resent. That is, the latest obtainable
figures at present are for the year end
ed June 80, 1909. Since then more
than 10000 pensioners have been TAX
en- away by death, and this mournful
total will be increased to nearly $50, 900
by the time any bill can be passed. The
report of the Commissioner of Pensions
for the year ended June so, 1909,
showed that the loss by death during
that year was 4S,312, with a total loss
to the roll of 51,5S1. Fourteen months
have elapsed since then, during which
the loss has been even greater, month
by month, and the loss will grow with
every coming month, so that we are
entirely safe in saying that at least
10000 will have been lost from the
roll by death before any pension bill
can be passed and go into operation.
This is a startling fact which should
properly impress itself upon every esti-
mator Even while he is figuring men
and women are being dropped from the
roll by death at most startling rate.
If his calculating extends to an hour,
nearly six will have died since he began
his figuring.
The next overwhelming fact is that
there can be no increase to the pension
roll thru any new men coming in, since
the -talked-of unknown army
does not exist. Substantially every man
entitled to a pension is now on the roll,
and there are few more to be found
constantly in mind.
The next element of uncertainty is
that the swift passage of the years are
producing great changes in the age
rates To begin with, comparatively
few veterans have much interest in the
rate for 62 years. They are now all
near or have passed the 65 mark, and
the rate for 81 years can be almost left
out of the calculation. Interest will
then center as to how many will be
benefited by the rate from SIS to 20, and
how many more by the rate from 70 to
IS and from IS upward. All these are
elements of uncertainty. but all the
time it must be kept in mind that big
minus mark must be used in the calcu-
lations, where heretofore a big plus
mark has been considered necessary
BY no reasonable computation, how
ever, can the total expenditure under
The National Tribune pension bill be
made to reach s20,O00,O 900 for the first
year, and this must rapidly diminish
each year thereafter and the total ex-
penditure for pensions fall swiftly.
1t seems incredible that the people Of
this great, rich Nation, who owe all
their prosperity to what the veterans
did, should now begrudge what is a
comparatively trifiing amount to COM
fort the declining years of men who are
passing so swiftly out of the reach of
justice and gratitude. While the rec
Iamation of the arid West is desirable
public enterprise. also the improvement
of the Mississippi, the building of bat
tleships and other works for which
great sums of money are demanded,
immediate haste as proper provision
for men who gave all of their young
lives and strength to save the Nation
in its extremity. Reclamation, improve
ment of the waterways etc. can wait.
They have waited many years, and an
when there are demands upon the Ma
ton of such extreme necessity. The
needs of dying men always overtop
everything else, and this is emphatical-
ly case of the needs of dying men.
Between the time that these lines are
written and when they are read by the
subscribers hundreds viii have passed
from the pension roll to that land
where they are beyond the reach of
the country's justice and gratitude. We
believe that Congress feels this, and
that the coming session will take action
in the direction of The National Trib-
une pension bill. Every member of
Congress is deeply impressed with the
necessity of raising the rates for the
older veterans and making the rates
for those who are beyond 10 much
higher than they are. The men above
20 cannot hope to enjoy their pensions
very long, and the amount that they
will take out of the Treasury will be
small.
The McCumber bill, for which we
were all deeDly grateful and which
brought such a world of comfort to the
veterans. has now been in operation
nearly four years. 1t will have been in
operation over four years by the time
any legislation can be passed and put
into operation. Four years at our time
who regarded themselves as in the
prime of manhood four years ago now
feel themselves as decrepit. They have
definitely passed from the wage-earn-
ing period, and are where they most
look for support outside of their own
efforts.
These are facts which no one can
deny and which are of colossal weight
in considering our pension system. Let
everyone give them the importance that
is due them.
Maj. David f. Proctor, of Wilton, N.
H, is a candidate for County Commits
sioner, and should receive the votes Of
all the veterans and friends of veter-
ans He enlisted in the 18th n. H., and
then after carrying his gun for a long