The National tribune., 1882-09-02
The Congressional Campaign

There are signs OF increasing activity in
the political world, and the campaign will
soon I've fairly opened. With political par
ties, as such, THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, as we
have frequently pointed out, can have nothing
III common, and, except where the welfare of
our ex-soldiers is concerned, their controver-
sizes and squabbles possess very little interest
for it. But it does take very deep concern
in the result of the coming congressional
canvass, for upon the character of the men
elected to the Forty-eighth Congress will
! depend, of course, the enactment or rejec-
! tion of many measures of vital Importance to
! its readers. AS yet, nominations have not
! been made in all the districts, and it is
/ impossible, therefore, TO pass Judgment upon
! them in detail, but if our ex-soldiers
will but observe the rules which we have
/ repeatedly laid down for their guidance in
making a choice of candidates they can
! scarcely 90 astray. Some of them, we know,
are Republicans on questions Of national
/ policy, some Democrats, some Greenbackers,
some Prohibitionists, some Protectionists,
and doubtless some Free-traders, but on
questions affecting their personal interests,
we take it that they are all of one party, even
though that party is politically nameless.
| The first and most important fact for them
] 10 hafor -1,o4 Joto
they viii support, is, therefore, what the
record and sentiments of the nominee are in
They have right to demand categorical
answers to such questions as they may
choose to PROFOUND on this head, and they
should not fail to exercise that right. If, as
may happen, the candidates of both parties
| are known to be unobjectionable ON that
score, they will then be left free to vote as
| their political affiliations may dictate. If
however, as is much more likely to be the
case, one Of the candidates is in favor Of legis
lation in the interest of the soldier, and
the other either opposed or indifferent to it,
our comrades should not hesitate to sup
port the former in preference to the latter,
no matter what their political predictions
may be. That is the only effective way in
which they can make their influence felt,
and if they do not avail themselves of it
they will have only themselves to blame
should the next Congress refuse to recognize
their claims. Besides these two contingen-
cies there is q third. 1t is possible that in
some districts neither candidate will be &C.
ceptable from the soldiers point of view. In
that event, our comrades should endeavor to
have an independent candidate placed in the
field, or, failing in that, throw their strength
against the nominee of the party that may
be dominant in the district so as to make
their rebuke effective. They may be sure
that the lesson viii be needed hereafter.
As stated in our last weeks issue, the
New York Herald has had the recklessness
to assert that the people are calling the
member of the Forty-seventh Congress to
account for their votes in favor of pension
bille, or "swindles," as the Herald calls
them. We know this to be deliberate lie,
and have so pronounced it, but in order that
the denial may have the greatest possible
force we recommend our ex-soldiers to take
occasion, at Their autumn Reunions, to pub
licly thank such of our Congressman as have
shown by their votes that they are the sol
diers' friends. Resolutions, as rule, are of
little weight, but in this case they will have
a special significance and will effectually
contradict the assertions of such men as
General Hawiey, that the soldiers them
selves are opposed to the pension measures
that are pending in Congress and do not
want them adopted Let them speak out
and make their influence felt in every State
in the Union.