The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-03-23
ARE PENSIONS ExrRAvAGANr?

There is at least one sane, sensible
paper in New England-at least one
that is not controlled by THE Inter-
ests." 1t is the Boston Post, which had
the following remarkably able editorial
on Tariff, Pensions" ETC.:
Appropriations of public money by
the Congress which has just expired
are greater than the expenditure au-
thoriZed by any of it's predecessors by
several tens of millions. The total ex-
ceeds s2,076, 100000. We have a two
billion-d dollar Government surely; more
than billion dollars in salaries, in ex-
penses, in development is put out every
year
All this comes out of the people; they
provide the revenue of the Government
thru our complex system of taxation
always indirect, but none the less
actual. AS yet there is no Federal tax
upon incomes, that being forbidden by
the recent Supreme Court interpreta-
ton of the Constitution; but none the
LEGS does the individual citizen pay in
the cost of his living the customs tax
upon articles of importation, the inter-
nal-revenue tax upon articles of luxury,
the excessive profit which special inter-
ests are able TO demand and exact upon
protected" clothing and food products.
the man who works with his hands to
earn the support of himself and his
family, who chips in to pay indirectly
this sum of more than $4,000, 00O, 900
which his Congress votes to expend.
What does he get in return? How
does it come back to him?
In many ways it comes back to him
directly, as part of the community, in
the stability of the conditions under
which he lives, the protection from out
side interference the security guaran-
teed by military and naval power for
whose maintenance he contributes the
Postal Service which brings him in
swift contact with distant correspond
ents and which will soon give him a
cheap parcels service.
Put in way that is indirect, but
more pervasiveiy advantageous is the
distribution of pensions on account of
the civil and Spanish wars. The ap-
preparation for this purpose Heads in
amount all others for the current fiscal
year. In the schedule as made up it
stands as about 1854 .000,0O0
This has been criticized as excessive
Instead 1t is more broadly beneficial
than any other OF the appropriations of
the late Congress. This great sum is
not contributed by the people for the
advantage of any section or the emoIu-
ment of any greedy interest. 1t is spread
among the people, and these will dis
tribute it in their support among local
industries and local trade. Its destina-
ton is not the emolument of individ-
uals or provision for unearned privi-
!eges of luxury. The million benefi-
Charles will distribute it widely and
most judieiously. They are representa-
tive of the people contributing to the
National income.
A conservative estimate of the dis
tributior of the pension appropriation
places at least 10 per cen. of its bene-
Iciaries in this class. That is to say,
tlIrce-fourths of those who receive PEN
sion payments from the National Treas
ury return what they receive in the or
binary course of taxable trade and so
far contribute to the promotion of that
prosperity which should be the aim of
legislation at Washington.
So much cannot be said of other APP
preparations outside of those made di-
rectly for public defense. The "sundry
civir' bill is notoriously pork bar
rel for Congressman who are held to
do something for their district" Pub
lie buildings" falls in the same cate
CORY. Rivers and harbors'' is COM
monty understood to look to the ex-
sectins for naVigable passage.
Va The one item in the bill of authorized
expenditures confirmed by the late Con-
gIess which looks to the return 10 the
people of the money which the people
provide is that which sets apart $154-
00c. zoe for the payment of pensions. 1t
is 4 worthy purpose, wisely declared.
oar pensions arc not eleemosynary;