The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-09-09
Dailp argus.
OFFICIAL CITY g. COUNTY PAPER
WHY DON'T THEY TELL US WHAT CON
GRESS FAILED TO DOT

We notice that some of the journals have
prepared long list Of unimportsnt acts
performed by the last Congress, and seek 10
make the soldiers believe that the mem oers
OF Congress have done their duty. we AJAX
them why they don't tell US what congress
failed to do? The little it did 's certainly
not enough for any party to boast OF, or to
go to the people begging votes on, while the
great thing, it left undone are enough to
defeat my party claiming the controlling
interests in Congress. We use plain words,
because only plain words can reach the
politicians. We write without regard to
Congress last in session failed to do Justice
prohibiting pension agents from taking fees
from the pensioners and providing the pay
msnt of pensions quarterly. These were
laws demanded by this journal, and while
Congress did this because it did not dare
refuse to do it, it voted more than quarter
million dollars as EXTRA FEES to pension
agents, and refused to pass a Law to pay
pensions through postmasters. Prominent
among the men of the West who lsbored to
place the extra fees in the pockets of PEN
sion agents, and who opposed payment
through postmasters, were Logan and
Farnsworth, of ILL.,, Ben amin, of Mo-, Smyth
of Iowa. and Strickland, of Mich. And John
b. Ha~ley 8 name might be added
to the list. Ed. AaGUs) Each of these
men should be sent back to private
life. 1t is true that Congress did pass q
law giving artificial limbs, every five years
and tha, bill was demanded by this journal
and its passage secured by this journal.
Another important bill is claimed to have
been passed by the last Congress, and that
is the bill to give soldiers as Homestead
If they locate upon it, and stay there fire
years-l60 acres of unsold public lands on
the lines of railroads, while those who have
not been in the army only receive 80 acres OF
such land. This bill, as originally presented,
was an excellent one but a republican
senator had free clause inserted in it, com
pall;nz the poor soldiers to pay his son-in
law, and others who occupy land offices
$40 or $25 fees before they could get such
land to settle on.
II is claimed, too. that congress voted to
extend the time for filling additional bounty
claims sir mouths and while it did this
n,aqnanintous ~ act. it voted an extension
of ten years to railroad companies that hi ad
failed to build their roads in time to secure
the land grsuts;-si1 months for soldiers
ten years for railroads-while we believe in
should be made. 1t took them seven whole
months to see the justice of granting any
extension.
Thus the soldiers are insulted by those
who should be their friends. Why dom,
these journals stand up for for the rights Of
the soldier, and tell Us that the bill granting
l6O acres of bounty land to every soldier
without settlement upon i'll was pocketed
and defeated BY the committee of which
George ". Julian WAS chairman Why
don't they tell US that the bill to give bounty
to every soldier discharged for disease was
pocketed and defeated by the comittee OF
which John A. Logan is chairman? Why
don't they tell Us that the bill to give re-
manning inssallments Of bounty to men dis
charged for promotion was pocketed and
defeated by the committee of which John
A. Logan is chairman? Why don't they tell
rs that the bill authorizing the accounting
officers to pay the bounties declared to be
due certain soldiers by supreme court decis
ion. WAS killed BY the republican senators
Wnv don't they tell US tha. bill the equaiz
ing the bounties of soldiers was defeated BY
the republican senate? WHY don't they
tel us that the last congress refused to give
the ooIored soldiers the bounty withheld
from them because they were slaves? WHY
don't they tell as that the bill to give pen
sions to the old heroes of 1872, now il
poverty, WAS defeated by the republican
senate ? Why don't they tell US all this
and then ask their readers to judge fol-
themselves whether congress has been true
or false?
Soldiers of the land take home these
solumu truths study them we'll, and vote O.
your conscience dctates-for true men
without regard to party.-Western Soldiers
I