The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-03-02
ALetter to the Point, in Reply to the
Pioneers buncumbe About The
Scholars


FOREST PRAIRIE, MINI, Feb. 18th, 1876
Editor Anti-Mo7sopolist:
In the St. Paul Pioneer-Press of Feb.
| 10, there is an article headed 1.-The Pun
ishment Begun" in which the editor
takes occasion to speak word in favor
OF retaining in Office and at present pay
one General, one Lieutenant General
five Major Generals, and God only
knows how many Brigadier Generals,
to command little army of about
twenty thousand men. Let me quote a
few words:
The loyal people have not forgotten
the services rendered to the country in
the days Of its deadly peril by the SOL
Giers who now possess the few prizes
possible of attainment in our army
They do not demand that the rewards
and dignities bestowed in the hour of
triumph and rejoicing over great dan
ETC."
Judging,fromithe tone of that article. a
person would suppose that the american
people are perfectly willing to pay any
amount of unnecessary tax in order 10
support few lucky heroes in po1np and
affluance.
Alas! the editor % gets that among
that loyal people" there are hundreds
Of thousands Of soldiers yet living, who
rendered services to their country ia the
days of its deadly peril, and when those
days OF deadly peril had passed they re-
turned to their farms and their shops
and went to work likeImen, to make an
honest living for themselves and tanl:-
lies.
"Are past services TO count for moth
ing? asks the Pioneer Press with great
indignation. Has the Pioneer-Press
forgotten; it is less than year since
the Pioneer-Press stood upon exactly
that ground, but then only the rank and
file were concerned, now the mobile few
are in danger.
The Pioneer Press not only took dec-
ded grounds against the Soldiers equal
ization Bounty Bill" but refused to give
soldiers u hearing on the subject, in
proof Of whict1 Mr.. Editor, | send you
the copy of a letter that sent first to
the Press and afterwards to the Pioneer
for publication, but it never saw the
light. send it to you, Mr.. Editor, al
though not subscriber of your paper,
hoping that you have keener sense OF
justice than the Pioneer Press:
THE SOLDIERS BOUNTY BILL.
FOREST PRAIRIE, MINI, March 20, 1875.
Editor 81. Pau Press:
SIR i have just read the opinion OF
one Jno Howard, OF Wisconsin, regard
ing the Bounty Bill, and your reply
thereto. and as you seem thereby to have
opened up discussion of that question
in your columns, please allow an old
soldier Of tl. and subscriber OF your
paeer, TO express his views thereon
| agree with you. that THAT large
class OF soldiers who enlisted in 81 and
% did not enlist with any expectation
OF bounty. but does it necessarily follow
that because they accepted the 500
bounty that Congress voted them early
in the war, that they thereby ''descen-
ded from their lofty place in American
history to the level Of the mercenaries
whose services were purchased with
bounties ranging from $500 to $1,000.
According to your argument we have
already fallen from our high estate, for
it would be no worse to accept q bounty
now than It was when we We're dis
charged from service. You say mo
money can ever pay them for the SER
vices they rendered to their country. =
Then Why in the name of Justice. hu-
mainly and gratitude refuse them pit
lance. 1t | was indebted to i poor
neighbor to the amount OF SAY $1,000.
ana was not able to pay it. ii would not
look well. nor be regarded as altogether
honest, for me to make that justitica-
ton tor n tpy ly him potion OF it, f
| was able TO do so, and Mr. Editor. do
you honestly think that because the peo-
pie OF the United States are indebted to
the soldiers of '6l and 20 to SO vast an
extent that mo money can ever paw
them" they are therefore exonerated from
showing their good will even? Again
you say, "lf they are to have bou1ties
awarded TO them at all they will regard
It AZ al insult, that they. the veteran
flower OF the army of the Union. should
be offered from one third to one tenth
part the bounties given the raw re-
cruits OF the two last years of the war. =
ANOW II SSAAAS> INC, A1l. lU3l YOU
are not acquainted with our circumstau
ces: every soldier in the land knows
that there is not shadow of hope
that there ever will be true and Just
equalization of bounties: and the SOL
diers of '6l and %. who served their
country faithfully tor els per month
and paid tax on property a, home in
order to raise large bountes for raw re-
cruits. have no faith whatever in this
mighty deot of graf tude that the people
are willing but unable to pay. and they
think halt Loaf is better than no head !;
therefore. ii the Government won't
give US $1,000 to buy farm we are
vii ing to take 500; that would pur-
chase team. and if we can't have 600
We would thankfully accept even enough
10 buy 8 pair OF cow-hide boots; in