The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-01-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,


WASHINGTON. d. c., Jan. 10, 1883.
There will never be an end to the
agitation of the pension subject In
Congress so long as there are claim
agents in Washington to stir the mat
ter up. 1t cannot be honestly dis
puted that the Government has treat
ed with almost profiigate liberaIity
those who suffered injuries through
their service in the late war. The
justice and propriety of this there are
few to deny, even though large per-
centage of the money thus paid by
Uncle Sam has gone to liquidate
fraudulent claims and found its way
into the Golfers of claim agents, some
of whom have thereby grown i'm
mensely rich in few years. But
granting that what has already been
done is right there is no reasonable
demand for further action. Yet since
the present session convened innu-
merable petitions asking an increase
of the pension rate and change in
existing pension laws have been COM
ing into Congress. 1t appears from
an examination of these documents
that the body of the petitions were
printed here and distributed through
out the country for signatures. The
petitions are alike in form and sub
stance, and it is intimated that they
originated with some of the more
disreputable Washington claim agen-
cies, which sent them broadcast over
the land with the request that they
be filled up and forwarded to men,
bers of Congress. The whole purpose
of this is to keep the pension business
alive for the benefit of these claim
agents.
Another proposition backed by the
same influence is the bill for the
equalization of bounties lately intro
duced by Representative Steele of
Indiana. 1t is further move in the
direction of expensive generosity,
though doubtless proposed in good
faith and having an element of equal
justice as basis. The proposition is
that every non-commissionedo officer,
musician, artincer, wagner, and pri-
yate soldier, sailor, or marine, in
Guiding those borne on the rolls as
slaves and Indians, who served in
the Union army In the late war, and
was honorably discharged shall re-
ceive 1881 month for all the time
he served between April y, 1861, and
May 8, 1865. This is $500 to each
soldier who served four years and re-
ceiyed no bounty. There is doubt
about the passage of this bill, now or
at any other time. But speaking
of claims, one of the most notorious
pending before Congress. is that old
one of Ben Holiday for mail service
in the West. 1t has been on the docket
for 10 these many years, and it is
great injustice that Congress delays
action so long. When Ben gets his
claim through he will.be severely
missed in Washington. He is the
hero of the celebrated "stage-coach
story" which goes the rounds every
winter here. He was travelling in the
Northwest once when the coach was
stopped by robbers and the travellers
ordered to hold up their hands while
the gentlemen of the road "went
through" them. Mr.. Holiday felt an
intolerable irritation in his eye as
they stood up in a row. 81 want to
rub my eye," he said to the chief of
the gang, who covered them with
revolver in each hand. "I'll rub it
for you," he politely responded, and
reaching over he rubbed Mr.. Holi-
days eye vigorously with the muzzle
of his loaded pistol.
If any American doubts that this
is republic let him come to Wash.
ington and see our great men riding
about in the street cars. On Penn
sylyania avenue day or two since 1
saw three Justices of the Supreme
Court, Bradley, Matthews and Har-
Ian, hanging on to the straps in
three-cent hob-tail car, while every
seat was occupied by negro workmen
from the Navy Yard. The Justices
passed up tickets and played conduc-
tors for the workmen with great
amiability. Judge Payson. of ILL
nois, tells a new story about Abra-
ham Lincoln. Lincoln during the
war received news of severe reverse
of our arms. He was asked by a
friend how he felt. He replied: II
feel very much like a great Stalwart
Illinois neighbor of mine who was
out logging in his bare feet. A log
rolled over and crushed one of his big
toes before he could escape. All
drawn up with pain, he replied,