The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-02-09
THE SULLOWAY BILL ONLY PAR
TIAL REPAYMENT.

The passage Of the SulIoway bill will
be only partial repayment of what the
veterans actually donated in money tc
theayGoverpment for the privilege OF
serving it In terrific war. When wages
of Skilled wOrkmen went up to 81 and
Sc a day, when wheat went I'D to s2.75
a bushel, corn to s1.95, and pork to
s43 Darrell every man who enlisted
in the United States service made a
heavy pecuniary sacrifice to do so. and
that sacrifice bore equally hard upon
those. who had already enlisted and
were getting Sic month pay in cur
reney which had run down to so cents
on the dollar. A fair estimate would
make the pecuniary sacrifice of the av-
erage soldier in the army at least $4,000
for three years service If we take the
accepted War Department estimate OF
2,223, 900 men, reduced to a three years
term, We have an actual money dona-
ton of the soldiers to the cause of
their country which passes the astound-
ing figure of $4,000, O00,0 900, where the
bond-holders only loaned $4,000, 0OO.-
900. Until May 1, 1864, the soldiers
only received s13 a month. and after
that SIG a month.
Past Commander George H. Stay
baugh, Washington. D. c., made a con-
vincing point before the Senate COM
mittee in his statement that the men
who had carried on the all-important
Atlanta campaign, from Chattanooga
to Atlanta. occupying 100 days, received
for that service only SIS in gold. In
that campaign there were 100, 900 men
on the Union side who fought an in
sessant battle for 100 days, with those
who were not at the moment actually
on the firing line working themselves
to exhaustion in building Notifications
or in making long thanking marches
By the end of the campaign more than
sne-thrd of those who had started
upon it were dead, wounded or disabled
by the terrible hardships they endured
Yet for all this service of inestimabIe
value to the country they received but
SIS in gold. The same comparison NAV
be made with equal if not greater force
with all the armies engaged in the
prosecution of the war.
Take the Army of the Potomac's his
tory. 1t crossed the Rapidan May 5,
1864, with $4,000 men, and plunged
at once into the awful vortex of death
in the Wilderness, where in killed,
wounded and prisoners it lost over
$4,000 men. From that scene of car
mage it marched directly to the terrific
battling around Spotsyvania. where the
army lost in killed, wounded and miss
ing 1864 men. Thus, in 80 days of
bloody wrestle with the Army of North
ern Virginia, during which every man
was exposed to the worst of. the ele-
ments, was marched to the last period
of endurance, and worked to the extent
of his physical powers in building
fortifcationb the men who participated
received about IS in gold During that
time 1000 of them were actually shot
dead in desperate assaults or heroic de-
80, 600 mere wounded, and 5000
horrors of Andersonville.
What a shame to palter now about
giving SIS or $40 a month to the men
who ifmade such limitless sacrifice to
save 1.-The Nat:or ia its hour of mortal
perilt'' The Nation can never pay back
even II the money which the veterans
freely gave it,Iwithout counting all the
far more priceless gifts of youth, health
and prospects in life.