Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-26
The Pension Octopus

The Pension Octopus
When you remember that the tax payers Of
the United States have already spent over
sfoners Of the Civil war and that the list
with constant increases) grows larger every
year. can have some idea Of where we
are at"
In the year 1907, more than forty twwo mil
lions paid to The widows OF soldiers and
sailors, and although there are less than six
hundred thousand actual survivors, there are
pensions drawn out for nearly LINE hundred
thousand sO-called veterans and dependents.
In this list OF dependents, so-called, are
widows, fathers, mothers, minor children, de-
pendent children tGod only knows whether IT
is lasiness or debility, that afflicts tnemI,
brothers and army nurses, who are glad of
good pension, 10 stay about the many camps
OF the federal army-in luxury and comfort.
Now ] feel perfectly willing to add the
people who need help. but am forced to be-
lieve there are thousands on this roll who need
help.
why do I say so7
Some years ago I the night train
OF the Southern railway, returning from
Washington city. The train crowded with
e Pennsylvania regiment, going to Chickamau-
ga park, to unveil a monument.
l had TO SIT beside OF these soldiers.
and as / always ny to be courteous to tlose
who travel with me, we naturally struck up
conversation. The moon shone brightly and
when the train maa called out Manassas juno
tiOn," remarked, This Is different scene
from the. witnessed here once twice
during the Civil war" -..
Yes he replied. II just missed the rack
et. was a three months volunteer from
Pennsylvania and regiment camped
here at the beginning Of the war but my
Manassas and 1 was at home when the fight
came on. We had a grand time. II was just
like picuic. those lhrt" morths. We weie
Toasted On the Eat Of the LAID. The people
Of the north came here 20 see what IL all look
ed like. never enjoyed myself better. was
not sick an hour"
I nstx dnsf
stay few days longer, Den you might have
been given pension and lived like happy
picnicker the balance Of your dJys."
Oh be said with the utmost nonchal-
ance. 81 draw a pension all right, have been
drawing IL nearly Ill the une."
But. how did you draw pension, urg-
ed, ''If you were not sick or woundedI"s
He stopped down 10 move his carpet bag
about our feet and answered. ''well, they
Just handed Il to ne and I took IL"
I hsd heard before that This union Iension
roll was packed with mems names wwho had
business there. bu: this was the first
man l bad ever met who proclaimed his
own perrdy.
Friensd and fellow citizens. We ere fsee to
face with the grandest swinllins machine that
ever cursed nation; and IT Is notorious
fact that no man is allowed 70 remain in Of
flee pension commission. who attempts 10
purge the roll OF names that have business
to be found there. ..
As result we are saddied WITH a pension
list which requires billions Of cash TO sat
isfy. We are cursed with false swearers and
cOnsummste svindlers,, who are living on the
money OF the tax payers, and unworthy
because they do swear falsely, in securing
this pension bounty. and II is a crying shame
that we are also tormented with a set OF
shifty politicians who not courageous
enough TO stand up in congress and demand ali
honest revision OF these packed pension rolls
in the interest Of truth ami justice.
intend 10 be Just In this criticism OF orr
pstional politicians. but l am only repeating
now what said and wrote time ard again
during the years That belonged to l'residen.
lIaUalRnhfg a VIII I ouF
national Legislators to stand up In their places
and demand q thorough revision of this pension
business. but they failed to do anything. Ibe
soldier vote the buk-s-bear. The north
ern Democrats knuckel 10 the pension voters
and positively afraid u raise hand
when a southern Democrat made a movement
with such trickling demagogues.
l remember well when Ohio Democrats under
Rice, decided to alter the pension laws and
open wide the door TO a lot Of veterans and
their widows, who bad never asked for or
expected 10 make the tax payers support them.
tional hotel, Senator Plumb OF Kansas and A
noted Democratic senator from West Virgin
IA. were kind enough TO tell that ;Seneral
Rice was opening a dyke that would flood
the country with drains the treasury. Sena-
tor Plumb was q stsnch Republican and he
said 70 me. There will be limit 10 this
business II that BIZ Of Rice should pass We
ss. Republicans. have had some mercy on The
tax payers Of the United states and although
NoAlAAudiAl pressSu 10 op~l Nnis rluiCe We Fever
could see the Justice OF caring for the the
labor OF this country a state Of serfdom 70
satisfy these pension demands. General Rise
IL running for governor In Ohio. He lost q
leg in the army. He thinks he can sweep
Ohio with the psnion voters and be didn't care
silver II IL ruins this country. II he can
make the trip. We, Republicans, will I've
forced 20 vote for the BILL or loss the SOL
der vote and Rice Is simply uEinx the Dem
ocrsts to elect himself to the governorship
The Democratic senator said, DO Mrs Eel
ton. make II clear 10 your southern friends |
that Rice's bill means the eternal enslavement
OF the tar payers. We must keep high tar
IF 20 meet this terrible extravaganza. / was
myself a Union soldier We know that the Re
all hazards That Is politics: but you are
greatly mistaken II you should ever think that
the real true men Of the Union army are at the |
the danger and like myself. they hoped the
Democrats. would try to save us from this ty |
ranuy spd injustice" &c..
me bnl passed nevertheless. The entire |
northern part OF the Democratic party went |
on record as in favor fthis omnibus pension |
bill. but Gen. Rice missed his election. for I
I was on the ground. know what was done |
and what II was cone for. Tire southern Demo
Gratis voted aginst Sc. and were roundly stnsed !
for tryinc. TO- deprive the Federal veteran his I
widow. his children. his father and his broth |
er. and all that were dependent on him. from |
living on the hard earnings OF the helpless tax !
The national pension. roll took S15. 100000 the |
first year. There were only 100 persons en-. |
Titled to A. Federal pension. On july !. 1910. |
there pensions raid 20 nearly 900 600 per !
sons although the Civil war closed fortv-fIve |
Years agO. These pensioners more prolific
in peace than In war, and overrunning the |
land like grasshoppers in Egypt
There seems 10 be no hope for this country. |
we are in the clutch Of greed and fraud II |
required more than $3.50 1000 TO pay the |
nension account In 1905. IL grows apace There
Is no end 70 IL. The Youngest man in this |
country who served IN the Civil war is now 4
-. On ~ rg. -
20 il 10 and over. and the men who entered |
the service with epauets are bound to be at |
least so years old. II they outside the Gem
etery. Yet there nearly BOO 900 pensioners
llrlnE rnnner tndar nnda al rn.rr,Ir- Y