The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-10-16
SOLDIERS, READ.
What Have the Democrats Done fer the
soldiers?

land under the Homestead Law, and retained
the entire public domain for this purpose, ex-
cept such rs might be taken up by other &C
tual settlers
In the Forty.third Congress the Dmocrats
pressed through the House bill equaliZing
the bounties twas defeated by Republican
Senate.
March nth, 1876, bill for the same purpose
was introduced again into the House, but was
fought of by Republicans till June 2Olh,
when it was forced through over all the tricks
and technical objections by Republicans. Gar
field did not vote for it. The Republican Sen
ate postponed it,
On this bill General Banning said: 1T has
been promised the soldier since 1862, but 1t is
left for this Congress to redeem the promises
of the gentlemen on the other side who have
been making them, and making them, but
never kept them" This bill is now in John
A. Logan's pocket and in his control.
The time for filing claims for additional
bounties expired January 1873. In 1876 the
Democrats passed IA law extending this time
to July 1880, and provided that claims already
| filed too late for the old law should be valid
without retling.
In March 1876 the famous Arrearages of
Pensions Bill was introduced in Congress 10y
a Democrat 1t was opposed by the Republi-
cans, Garfield leading the opposition. 1t was
pressed August list, but technically opposed
by Republicans. Again, August 2d, It was
beat. The Democrats got control OF the
House in March 1877 and passed the bill The
Senate was yet Republican, and there the bill
was killed. In 1878 it again passed the House
and was sent to the Senate, where action upon
it was prevented by Republicans. In 1879, the
Democrats having power IN the Senate, 1t was
promptly passed
They passed law making soldiers land
warrants real estate, which the Republican
Senate defeated
They passed through the House and forced
upon the Republican Senate bill providing
for supplying soldiers with artificial limbs
once in five years-which the Republicans OPP
posed and tried to destroy by amendments
They passed the law increasing the monthly
pensions of totally disabled soldiers from $50
to $12. This the Republicans in the Senate
tried to defeat by imposing conditions; but by
strenuous opposition by the Democrats the
amendment was defeated and the bill! passed
AS it came from the House.
The Democrats introduced and passed a bill
to allew soldiers whose leg or arm was ampu-
tated SO near below the knee or elbow as to
slroy the JOINT >2l per month-the same rale
| paid those whose iulhs were ampulaicd Just
above the JOINT IHe b!ii was defeated by the
! Republican Senate.
of soldiers who had lost foot or hand. 1T
was defeated by Republican Senate.
| AS soon as they got control OF the House
thev increased the pensions OF soldiers who
had lost both hands, or both feet, or the sight
of both eyes, in the service of the Union; and
the next year they made this apply to those
who had subsequently been so debilitatcd by
diseases contracted while In the service; and
increased other pensions for wounds de-
scribed.
They passed the law limiting a Pension
| Agents fee to SO.
They passed bill to open the avenue for
soldiers to file claims for losses of horses
and equipments The bill was defeated IN the
Senate, which was Republican.
In 1865 the Republicans passed law re.
auiring the appointment of wounded soldiers
to civil offices. The law was disregarded by
the party AS soon as the Democrats got con-
troll of Congress they attached penalty Of
$4,000 fine and imprisonment to the disregard
of the law, and cassed the widows or daugh-
tiers of such soldiers on the same list. The
Republican Senate defeated this bill.
| In 1865 the Republicans passed law eX-
Guiding from the pension rolls all soldiers in
the civil service of the Government. The
Democrats in 1878 corrected the abuse and or
dered pensions paid which had been with
held.
In 1878 a Democrat offered bill which
provided that the office of Pension Agent
should be filled by wounded or disabled sol
diers. The bill promptly passed the House.
1t was defeated by the Republicans in the
Senate, one of the leading Senators saying
that they had constitutional scruplcs about
the power of the Executive to appoint Union
soldiers to Office"
| Being twltted about Democratic eXtrava-
gance in expenditure in behalf of the soldiers,
| Hon John A. Mcmahon, a Democratic Repre-
sentative from Ohio, said: THE Importance
of these votes is more apparent when we con
sldcr That the Democratic party came here in
| the interest of retrenChment and REFORM
Have we ever cut down the pension bills
Have we ever listened to the otrepeated
charge that the pension list is too large; that
fraudulent claims are on 1t; that 1t should be
revised? No, we prefer to err on the side of
the soldier and his suffering family. We have
cut everywhere else; we have retrenched in
every direction but in that. We vote for no
increased expenditure except for the Union
soldier"
Through gallant and sturdy Democratic
soldier from the Sixth Indiana District, the
Democrats have repeatedly but IN vain, de
manded that Bentley the worst enemy the sol
diers have IN the country, shall he removed
from the control of the Pension Department,
where he regards neither law nor Justce'
| These are only few things that the Demo
Gratis have done for the country and the sol
der They have done all this, and yet saved
hundred millions of dollars of the peoples
money
| The Democratic party is opposed to the par
ty that has opposed every measure beneficial
to the soldier or the common people; 1t is OPP
posed to the party of fraud, of pillage of cor
ruption, that has stolen the liberties OF the
people, the revenues of the government, and
given TO wealthy corporations three hundred
millions of acres of the peoples land.
The Democratic party has fathered and ios-
tered every measure that has benefited the sol
der of any war, or the poor people In any
nd Lao tlvn pnpSgl all lcpIS.