The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-26

SoIle large CLUES eSuper1DbenQentS Oh ScuoOlS
directed the children to gather flowers. am
glad that the children know that this day viii
soon be theirs, and that all the proud host that
wore the blue will soon be mustered out and
the work will fall into their willing hands.
believe that Memorial Day will always be
perpetuated and that each returning year,
while time shall endure, those who come after
us viii gladly join in the observance of this
solemn and sacred duty.
PENSIONS.
The subject of pensions and the work of the
pension committee will be stated at length In
the report of the Surgeon General.
The efforts of Comrades Merrill and Ames
secured the passage of the $40 bill IN an
amended form. They are entitled to the
thanks of the Encampment for their earnest
and efficient work.
/ am in favor of abolishing the rank system
in the pension laws. / believe that all sur
vivors of the war, whether officers or enlisted
men, should receive the same amount for the
same disability or wound.
Congress has been liberal In the amount APP
propriated and the laws passed for our benefit.
Great clamor has been raised in regard to frauds
in the pension system. The charges made are
very unjust. Only twenty-six per cent. of the
number enlisted have applied. The fraudulent
claims allowed amount to only One-tenth Of
one per cent. Many thousands who are enti-
tied have failed to secure the allowance of their
claims because they have been unable to pro-
cure the evidence. The changes in twenty
years have caused witnesses to disappear, mem
DRY to become imperfect, so that there are to-
day thousands who should be on the roll where
there is one fraudulent name.
The money disbursed to pensioners is an
actual blessing to the country. 1t goes into the
channels of trade. 1t makes money easy, and
in my Judgment the amount scattered through
out the country by the action of the arrears of
yya 1ptUaI
vented financial crash. The men who lost
limbs or were torn with bullet and shell or
| suffer from disease, can never be repaid and
the cowardly skulkers who are making the as
sault upon the pension-ron merit the condem-
nation of all true citizens. / am in favor of
pensionIng every deserving soldier and striking
from the roll every fraudulent name, and APP
| peal to the Grand Army to aid all who should
be on the rolls and to report through the
proper channels all those ON the roll whom
| they know are not entitled to be there. The
| question in regard to pensioning prisoners of
war should be carefully investigated by the
! pension committees, and OF the many bills
pending some just measure should be selected
and Endorsed at the next session of Congress.
SONS OF VETERANS.
| The two branches of the Sons of Veterans
| have made progress In accordance with the
resolution Of the last National Encampment,
! have encouraged these societies. l have not
/ encouraged the officers and members of either
branch in their warfare with each other. I
! have endeayored to restore harmony, and have
| earnestly desired that they should act like the
sons of veterans. | believe that the difficulty
! between these organizations has been fomented
and famed largely by members of the Grand
Army of the Republic Many of our noblest
members have given time and money and
worked hard to establish one or the other
branch of this organization. They should har-
| monte at once. II their proper officers do not
! appear here and coalesee, this Encampment
should recognize one branch of the other.
/ The reckless way that one portion OF this organ
| ization have scattered commissions throughout
| the country causes me to fear that the ranks of
/ those who served as enlisted men will be hor-
ribly decimated. Generals and lieutenant
generals by breyet have been created by the
score.
The Sons of Veterans must take up our work
where we lay ii down. 1t viii be their duty to
perpetuate Memorial Day and keep our men,
DRY alive / appeal to them to bring to all their
| counsels spirit of charity and do trust and
hope that they will consolidate and unite under
on head, and they will then most certainly
have the aid, help and sympathy of the entire
1 Grand Army.
RETIREMENT OF ENLISTED MEN IN REGULAR
ARMY.
/ have had referred to me by Comrade Coady,
of Omaha aud Mr. SCHNEIDER, of Fort Leayen-
worth, papers in reference to the retirement of
enlisted men after certain term of service in the
ranks of the Regular army.
1 believe their claim just ] learn that the
law asked is Endorsed by many leading officers
in the Regular army, and that such asystem is in
vogue in England, and refer the papers to the
committee on the address, with the hope that
they will investigate the matter and crafty
our comrades, many OF whom have served
nearly forty years, by indorsing the bill pro-
posed.
POLITICS IN THE GRAND ARMY.
No case of the violation of the Rules and Reg
ulations of our Order in reference to politics has
come before me during my term of Office. The
case brought before the Encampment at Balti-
more has been settled tremendously by the
action of the Department of Indiana.
The early builders of our organization wisely
foresaw the insidious influence of partisanShip.
The grand comrades who have preceded me in
command each referred in strong, vigorous
terms TO the fact that the Order, if it would be
lasting, must be non-partisan
No principle is more firmly established. We
have in our ranks men of all parties and creedS.
Honorable service in the war for the Union is
the only test, and we care not for the political
faith of any member of our noble Order.
Faithful service in the war for the Union gives
an old soldier the right to believe, act and vote
as he deems best.
We stand in line today as We did when we
marched to the front, burning with loyalty,
breaking asunder the ties of party and meeting
on one common platfOrln-waving aloft a torn
and discolored honorable discharge, and exem-
plifying Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty.
have heard the doctrine advocated that the
sentence in our installation service, That we
should stand by the soldier though the whole
world assail him." means that we should do so
if our comrade is a candidate for a political
office.
The Grand Army letters the conscience of no
member. 1t gives the largest liberty TO all. 1t
stands aloof from the strife and clash of parties
I" 1t will stand by the cOmrade though the
world assail him" in sickness in Distress when
the old wounds reopen, when the wife and chill
dren are destitute. 1t will take old veterans
from the alms-house. It will remove their
dust and bones from pauper's grave and bury
them in holy ground. twill procure employ
ment 1t will Tighten up the desolate home
with the glowing illustration of charity, but in
all political and religious affairs we will hold
our independence of thought and our con-
science as something we will not surrender to
any order in the land.
REVISED STATUTES.
. Section 1754 Persons honorably discharged from
the military naval service by of disability
resulting from wounds sickness incurred in the
line of duty shall be preferred for appointments to
civil Offices, provided they found TO possess the
business capacity necessary for the proper dis
charge of the duties of such offices.
Section l755 In grateful recognition of the serv-
ices, sacrifices, and suferings of her sons honoraby
iii fa.aY