The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-03-25

i've years should not be entitled to GO
back 10 the date of discharge Two
years ago that Limitation was extended
TO the first day of July last. This was
not done very freely; it met with some
opposition, and il was said In the public
prints that 1t was opening the doors of
the treasury to jobs and so on.
Ar. President, the law-naaking power
had no right to establish an arbitrary
rule which required the soldier 10 come
within certain and very limited pc
riod from the time of his discharge and
file his claim for pension to be cut off
from all right to that pension which &C.
cured prior to the time of his applica-
ton. Ii was rule which worked un-
justly; IL was = rule that ought to have
| been wiped out as it vas; and before
this bill passes shall move an amend
rnent enlarging tie operation of the ar
rear-otpenslon act so as 10 permit claims
to be filed during the next two years,
the applicants of which shall cSSne with
in the provision of that act
1t IS said, why did not these soldiers
come IN and file their claims immediate
~ after their discharge? When the war
was over the men who rejoiced over its
close more than any other men
were those who served in the
| army. The men outside who made
| money, who enjoyed the ease of
home, the honors of civil employment,
the profits incident to a condition of war,
which drew off large percentage of the
energetic, ambitious, competent men of
the country, were not nearly so anxious
| for the close of the strife as were the
men who carried the musket, and by
whose valOr and sacrifice the country
was saved. They were not only glad to
be mustered out and go back to their
families and homes. but they asked
neither bounty nor station as a reward
for patriotic service performed. They
were so rejoiced at the result accom-
plished by their sacrifice that they did
not think or care to set up CLAIM
| against the government for pension on
account of loss of health in the line of
duty. They were proud of their achieve
ments, and the feeling was quite general
| among all, who did not then realize that
they had suffered serious and irrepar-
| able injury, that seeking a pension
would detract from the merit of their
service.
Few of them realized then that the
seeds of disease, never to be eradicated,
had been lodged in their bodies by that
service; that sleeping on the ground and
| in the sWamps, marching night and day.
exposed to cold, wet, hunger, and all the
vicissitudes and priTations incident To
military service, had made lnroads upon
their health which would remain Il lega-
cy of that service so long rs they lived.
and in many cases make life burden.
These men went back to find the ave
nues which before they had filed closed
| against them. Whether mechanics law
yers, laborers, farmers, or merchants, the
vacancies made by their enlistment were
filled by others. Their places had not
been kept open waiting for their return
They had to begin anew. In many cases
that was impossible in the old location.
and new ones had to be sought out So
they went south, and east, and west, poor
in purse, and growing poorer in many
cases; rich only in the consciousness of
duty done. and in the pride of power
exercised for the common good, and laid
down at time when il might have been
used to the advantage of those who
welded it.
And so it is to-day that there are far
more eX-soldiers of the union army in
proportion to the total population IN the
state of Kansas than in any state east of
the Mississippi river, and they are not
there alone because they preferred to be
there of all places, but largely because
| they had to go somewhere. They could
not stay where they before had lived
| They have drifted about, many of them
coming to realize by degrees what they
mustered out. that their health had been
broken by their service. Generally,
however, SO long as they could live in
any degree of comfort by their own la
| Dor, the thought of a pension did not
come, or if it came IT was put aside as
something not to be thought of, or as
something to be held in reserve
until the necessity was absolute
There was, too, the old feeling of
pride that the great merit of their ser
vice would be furnished by applying for
| a pension.
But poverty and disease broke down
| even aspirations of that kind and there
are men who went out of the service a
| little halt, little broken down, who
Thought the rest they could get and the
1 quiet of life at home would repair
these misfortunes, but who find that
they were mistaken; that they were get
ting worse instead Of better; and finally
yielding to the inevitable they come
| now and ask the government to give
| them what was part of their contract
and part of the promise under which
they served it; and say that they ought
| not to be turned away under plea that
| they did not come in time.
l know a man who enlisted in the
army from Kansas, who at the date OF
his enlistment was comparatively a
| location. His eyesight was impaired
| during his service, not permanently as
he hoped. When his term of enlistment
| expired he went back to the calling from
which he had gone to enter the service.
| In few years he lost his money In IN
| profitable ventures and finally he lost his
| eyesight. Then, with greatreluctance, he
concluded to apply for pension, but he
statute of limitations, which congress
/ ho6 Inn II SN1T II
| fit for the time pending his application,
until the passage of the arrears act gave
a sum of money, with which he bought
a small farm, and to-day he sits in the
door of Kansas cabin with his face
| turned toward a beautiful landscape
which he will never see; and but for the
arrears act he would to-day be in an
| almshOuse. He Is poor, but relieved
from absolute want; but his sacrifice and
suffering no money can compensate for.
The country is still his debtor, and
ought not to begrudge him the pIttanee
which ightens the burden of his blight
ed life.
| Another man, who lives only few
miles away from the former, came out of
the army with his eyesight impaired, as
the consequence of his service He
thought he could be cured. He spent all
his substance and nearly ten years of
his time in trying available specialists
and remedies, but all to no avail. He is
nearly blind. He was and is entitled to
a pension. His pride has prevailed
over suffering and poverty. Some day
he may be compelled TO apply for a pen
sion, and there should be no statute of
| limitations in his way, but the door
should be kept constantly open for him.
These are but samples. Similar cases
exist all over the country.
l have letter in my possession from
a lady writing about a pension that she
is applying for: have known her for
twenty-five years. noble woman, born
to fortune; but her husbands service
was the beginning of poverty which
| will follow her as long as she lives. She
writes me about her application for
pension. She says:
1 hoped TO get the pension that put in a
| claim for before this. but have not. do not
mony that we have Sent them is good as far as
have got years ago. The medical testimony
Is lacking in measure on account OF the
death of physicians that we employed, but
think we have sent enough to satisfy them
that the claim is just one. My husband died
in consequence OF losing his health in the
army He had long sickness, recovered q lit
tie, but not to be able 10 labor, then died from
Three OF the children were too young 20 take
care OF themselves had very little to do
with, but did not think then of a pension;
but now when SO many are getting pensions
think have as good right as many others.
| do not know as you can do anything in this
matte, but IL you could see the agent il might
do some good, and. II 1t will not be too much
trouble, write me and shall feel truly CRATE
full to You.
Mr.. President, the men who are to get
and who are getting the money paid for
arrears did not think Of a pension instan
taneously when they were mustered out
of the service; they did not concern
themselves with things of that kind then.
The thought came at a later period, and
to large majority of them it has come