Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-28
BOUNTY EQUALIZATION.
The I,simcertty of the Republican Friend
ship for Soldiers,

The IHsincertty of the Republican Friend
shap for Soldiers,
To the Editor of the Globe.
In your issue of Feb. 10 you say Secretary
Sherman has pronounced against the bounty
equalization bill. For one, I am glad he has
come out thus early and shown himself. MIR.
Sherman does not seem to care much about
any of the obligations of the government
provided the credit side of his ledger remains
in his favor. For one, l want to see that
bill made law by the very men who now sit
in Congress, rebel brigadiers and all.
The Republicans have now played and co
quoted with that bill for fifteen years. They
have used it in ell that time to retain their
hold on the ex-soldiers' vote, declaring that
the soldier would never get this money If
the Democrats came into power; and now
that the Democrats are in power, rs far as
the House and Senate are concerned, 1 want
to see them give the Republicans the lie.
THIS money by every law of equity is due
and long over due, and the fact that it has
| been unpaid for fifteen years is no reason
| why it should not be paid now. Indeed, it
would only be just that interest should be
added in view of the interest paying procliv-
tiles of the government.
But I want to see this bill brought up
squarely for another reason than that l am
personally interested. I want eS-soldiers to
be able to distinguish between their real and
pretended friends; and perhaps the various
fortunes of this bill will serve as we'll as any
other for an illustration. Grant vetoed it.
declaring that, though it was just debt
there was not means IN the treasury to pay 1t
| with. Next session it came up again, and
when too late to work it over, Senator Logan
tackled on an amendment that killed it for
that session. Next session the House, for
| the first time in many years, had Demo
| cratic majority; yet the bill was passed again,
and voted for by large majority of the
''rebel brigadiers." But when it reached the
Republican Senate it was moved that it be
Indefinitely postponed" and it has been post
poned to date. The whole force of the New
York Tribune was brought to bear against
it, denouncing it as fraud and steal; yet
we find the proprietor of that sheet shortly
after, and during the same session of Con-
gress, trying to steal the Pacific railroad. ]
suppose he thought that two such steals we're
too much at one time. The soldiers did not
get their promised bounty, but it is some Salts
faction to know that Jay Gould did not steal
the railroad.
This equalization bill has again come be-
fore the House, and now Secretary Sherman
has been roped into denouncing it, as it will
cost money. Will it cost any more in 1880
than it would have done in 1865, when it
should have been paid? Take care, Mr.. Sec
rotary, that you are not following up q little
plan of Mr.. Blaine's in this. You are good
secretary, but no match for Blaine in trick
cry.
The fact is, the Republicans are not will
ing to let the Democrats use their ammuni-
ton. The passage of the back pension bill
made them sick. They thought they had
the Democrats in trap, and they don't want
to try it again. 1 only wonder they did not
get up and howl Democratic extravaganza.
The truth is that, had it not been for the
Democrats, pensioners would never have re-
ceived back pension; and it is to them that
ex -soldiers must now look for such justice as
they have been taught to believe could only
be obtained through Republican admins
tratioa.
I have been from 1861 until about two
years since as loud mouthed Republican as
any in the line; but I am growing older, and
i trust am learning wisdom from expel fence.
One thing have learned during several years
residence in the South is, that it is not the
''rebel brigadiers'' who are the natural enc
mics of the eX-Union soldier. It is the bla-
tant B!aines and others of that ilk who, by
placing them in false and unnatural posi-
tions, forfeit for them the respect and SYM
pethy to which they are justly entitled.
DahIgren, Carver Co. W. W.