A Redeemed Pledge

The last Republican National convention had a plank in its platform as folio ws: The gratitude of the Natlon to the defenderé of the Union cannot be measured by laws. The legislation of Congress should conform to the pledges mude by a loyal people, and be so enfarged aDd extended as to provirte against the possibllity that any man who honorably wore the Federal uniform sliould ijccDiiic an lnraate of an alms house or dependent upou private charlty. As a carrying out of this promise tlie two houses of Congress have just passed a dependent pension bill. This does not put tlie Union soldiers in the position of alms takers, bat rather it relieves them from a dependency upon charity, wliicli would be a disgrace to us as a great people. It is a disability bilí, aidlng many a poor oíd man who may llave come through the war without a wound or manifest disease ; although those hardships, prlvations and anxietieshad sown in liim seeds of later weaknoss or sickness. This bill may take $50,000,000, making our pension list as'arge as the annual expendLures of Gernvmy for her standing army. Bilt when we contrast what her horde of non-producers in the army are doing for her, with what our gallant soldiers haye done for us, the two cases are as far apart as the poles. Tlien again, hovr could our surplus be better dlstributed? This does not go to the wealth)', but it does come from them. For our revenues largely are received from the tnports of luxuriea by the rlch, not f rom taxation of the people; yet it goes to tlie poor to help them pay their rents, their grocery bilis and doctors fees. None of It iroes out of tlie country, since it is thoronghiy a home afiVir. Tlius have the Republicans fu'.filled their pledges to the people, drspite the fieree opposition of Democratie leaders in, as well as out, of Congress,