The young men who have seen more or less active service in the war against Spain are now accused of parsimony and graft. Not less than 45,710 of these heroes have applied for their pensions, although the entire army consisted only of 274,714 officers and men, whilst a mere 15,000 were sent to Cuba. Such a number of pension seekers is entirely out of proportion, when we take the total number of participants into consideration, the fallen, and the wounded. In Santiago, Porto Rico and Manila the Spaniards killed only 280, and injured 1,567 of our men. The number of those who were sent to the "hereafter" from the camps of their native land, because of the incapacity of their own officials and the inefficient care for the convalescent, who became permanent invalids, is of course much greater. Nevertheless, there were not 45,000 who may be enumerated in this classification. It is a certainty that at least 100,000 more applicants will follow; those, whose injuries may manifest themselves later, as a direct result of the service. How many extra "Pensioners" will be created at the taxpayers expense, as a result of the rampant rebellion in the Philippines, which still requires occasional fighting, cannot be definitely 2ascertained.

In spite of all the aforesaid, the reproach against our recent heroes is entirely unjustified. They are not less patriotic, or show greater mercenary tendencies than the veterans of the Mexican and Civil War. They obtained land grants, which often comprised the best soil and asked for pensions later. The liberators of Cuba have no such opportunities, so it is obvious that they intend to have their names affixed unto the pension list. Their viewpoint, that the country owes them as much as their predecessors, is a rightful attitude and they consider it foolish to delay their demands for several decades. The Mexican War was an act of acquisition, promoted for the sole purpose to add new territory to the slave holding gentry. In the Civil War many had to be drafted, a matter of compulsion. But here we had volunteers fighting for liberty during prosperous times, so that they actually sacrificed their material or financial welfare, accepting only the modest stipend which Uncle Sam provided. That only a small minority actually saw combat, and that the war of liberation by some metamorphosis became a lang grab tussle, is manifestly not the fault of the Volunteers. Since their services were priceless, a monthly allowance of $4.00 to $100.00 for the duration of their life, cannot be regarded 3as remuneration; at best it constitutes a meager and insufficient love token. What does it matter, if the prosperous American nation pays more for pensions, than Germany does for the combined army and navy? It has the satisfaction of that profound assurance, that the public's confidence in the Republic's gratitude prompts hundreds of thousands to rally to the flag, when its president appeals to the Volunteers. Let us not shake the serene and sacred American Patriotism!