The Veterans

[Special Correspondence.] Washington, Sept. 19.- Thisisagreat ■week in Washington. The old soldiera are here in full force. Never since they rnarehed up Pennsylvania avenue at the close of the war has Washington seen so inany of the veterans who saved the country. And there is no less enthusiasm for the flag and the country among the thousands who tread Pennsylvania avenue today taan there was a quarter of a century ago behind the battle etained banners. Changed Conditlons. But what a change they find. Instead of a treasury burdened with a debt of $2,750,000,000 they find the treasury now -with interest bearing debt of less than $600,000,000. instead of an annual interest charge of $150,000,000, which the government was compelled to pay at that time, they find now a treasury whose annual interest payment is in round numbers but $20,000,000. Instead of a government so reduced as to be compelled to pay more than 7 per v,cuL. uu íuk muuej wmcnit Dorrowed to varry on its war for the preservaron of the nation they find one able to float its bonds at par at 2 per cent, per annum interest. Instead of a debt of seventy-eight dollars for each individual in the United States they find an indebtedness of thirteen dollars for each individual, and instead of a per capita interest rate of J4.29 they now find an interest rate of thirty-fi ve cents per capita. Redaced laxes; Increased Commerce. All this they find interesting. They find instead of a country coinpelled to raise $519,000,000 by taxation in a year one which now taxes its people less than $400,000,000 a year, althongh her population has nearly doiabled meantime and the expenses of government naturally increased. They find a country with a f oreign commerce of nearly $2,000,000,000 against a total of less than $.500,000,000 in 1865. They find instead of a balance of trade against the United States of $15,000,000, as was the case in 1865, that the balance or trade in onr favor now is more than $100,000,000. They find instead of domestic exports amounting to 130.000,000 then that our exports during the past year were more than a $1 ,OÜO,ÜO(J,OOO. A Magnificent Pension System. And this is not all. They find a magnificent pension office with thousands of clerks employed in examining into and paying the claims for pension of the men who fought to save the country. Instead of a pension roll of 85,000 men and widows which they found in 1865, they ünd to-day a pension roii of 750,000 soldiers and soldiers' widows. Instead of an annual navrnmit. nf iês . - - Mr J ñ m. u j. uj , 500,000 for pensions which they found in 186.5, they find the government paying $130,000,000 a year for pensions, and that it has paid to them and their fellow soldiers or their families $1,250,000.000 in pensions since they marched np Pennsylvania avenue at the close of the war a quarter of a century ago. One Painfii] Thought. One thing more they find, and it brings sorrow and pain to every heart. ie is mat in me record of all this prosperity, in the record of the nation's generosity toward its defenders and their families, the one man who has lifted hi hand against the soldier in the quarter of a century which has passed since they were last here did so from the president's chair in the White Honse, and did so as the only representative of the Democratie party who has filled that exalted station fiince the war. It is a painfrd thonj-ht to these old .ol.üers as they gather here that theonlv representativo whioh the Democratie party have had in the White House since the country was reunited a quarter of a century ago should have been the only man to raise his hand against them, and to strike down with the official power placed temporarily in lus hands the evidences of' aft'ection which the congress of a grateful nation had voted theni. That the one Democratie president who has óccnpiéd the White House since they marched np Penhsylvauia avenue twenty-five yéars ago should have wielded the veto power ag.-iinst them hnndreds of tunes in a short for.r yoárs' tevin and depriveti 40.U0U soldier1 homes and families of the v:nch the coügress of a grájefitl iiatioa had freely voted thfiiu throws a shatlow, even at that long distaöce. tais gathering I of comrades. A Silver Ltitlng to tlie Clond. Hut there is a silver lining to this cloiid. The man who occupies the White House today they look upon as a friend and a comrade. And they have reason so to do. Hia words and acts have ali been of kindness and aSection. He extends to them the cordiality of a romrade's greeting. His own words ir, his recent letter of acceptance are written upon their hearts in living letters, "A comrade in the column of the victor's parade in 1865, I am uot less a comrade now." The Republicun Party Did It. One other thought which comes to these old soldiers as they gather here and note the magnificent record of the past quarter of a century: This reduction of the public debt; this wonderful decrease in rates of per capita indebtedness and interest; this unparalleled growth in comnierce and commercial prosperity; this magnificent tribute of the nation's affection for the old soldier element; they are all the work of the Republican party, whose wisdom and stateamanship have controlled the policy of the government ever since they gave us back a united nation. O. P. Adstin. - For Sjpirftualists- Medium houa i. A pamefuJ Blgtet- The conserVatory.