The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-04-23

has not baptized his heart in treason, o.
washed his hands in loyal blood. Ths
score or more of disabled soldiers who
were earning scanty living at the Cap.
itol as walters for the nations great mer
have been summarily kicked out to
make room for those who had received
honorable wounds while fighting for the
destruction of the nation. The threat j:
oft and loudly repeated that the work so
brazenly begun will not be stayed until
the last vestige of the work of the war
has been swept away, and, if the at,
tempt is made to prevent this, they will
starve the Government to death by with.
holding the needful supplies.
This same spirit is making itself felt
beyond the halls Of legislation. The dis
abled soldiers and the dependent ones of
those whosfSH in the common cause. in
stead of being created as they have oft
been declared to be-the nations wards
are regarded as grevious burden,
and treated like suspicious characters.
Such of them as make application for
the pension made theirs by the law of
the land are met by countless require.
ments that are equally disgusting and
unreasonable; requirements that mani.
testify serve no other purpose than to
worry out and disgust applicants, and
defeat claims, however just. The press
of the country is continually loaded
with advertisements prepared by high
officials, which are manifestly intended
to bring all pensioners into disgrace, by
branding them as little better than
thieves and robbers. One would con-
clude from these official reports and
opinions that as matter of fact, there
were no men killed or disabled in the
late war, and that the nation is now be-
ing swindled by 100000 lmpostors. A
bureau is organized for the purpose of
Systematically assisting in Matchmaking
pensioners, advertising for complaints to
be made by whatsoever will" against
any recipient of pension, on such indefi-
mite and wholly untrustworthy informa-
ton as can be obtained in this way the
pension is stopped and the informant pro-
tected from publicity, no matter how
mean his motive or how baseless his
complaint. Statutes that were intended
to be most liberal in their provisions for
the disabled are rendered almost npga-
tory by the unfriendly spirit in which
they are administered. All this comes
from the spirit Of the time. tits that
which renders possible the policy at pres
en-. pursued in the Pension Department
Now, comrades, we complain of this
and we'll we may. That for which we
fought, for which our fields were won,
mas been almost wholly swept away, and
it looks as if we would soon be called on
to make humble apology for the part we
acted and the work we did in the nations
defense. .
Yet why complain? We alone are re-
sponsible. Had we but resolutely done
our duty, exhibiting little less modesty,
a little more common sense, all this
might have been prevented. These
things came because we permitted them:
and for no other reason.
But it is useless to mourn over what
might have been; the part of wisdom is
to>consider what yet may be.
We desire to see rebels hurled from
power and their places filled by able and
true men. We desire to see banditti
broken up, murderers punished, and
every legal voter anywhere and every.
where permitted to freely cast his ballot
without fear or molestation, and then
have that ballot honestly counted. We
desire to see the great principles of
national unity and national sovereignty
established SO they may never again be
called in question. We desire to see
the laws relating to pension honestly
and hOnorably administered in the broad
spirit of national gratitude in which the
several acts we're framed, and we say
these things must be done. But the
question is how can this be accomplish
ed? answer. in the same way we Sc
cured our victories in the field-by reso-
lutte, united action. We have always
held, and still hold, the balance of pow
er in our own hands, and if We will but
unite arise and exercise THE mower our