The National tribune., 1883-12-20
Congress aud the soldier.

AT the opening of the present Congress
as has been the case with nearly ali new
Congress- large number of pension and
bounty measures were introduced, and, as is
customary, referred to the proper commit
tees. In the Senate, General Logan intro
duced number of beneficiary measures,
including the equalization of beunties bill
and that TO pension ex-Union prisoners of
war, while Senator ingalls, brought forward
again the bill TO re-enact the arrears of
pension law with the Limitation clause
stricken out There can be no doubt that
there is an earnest purpose on the part of
The soldiers friends in LIGHTHOUSES Of Con-
gress to secure. if possible, its favorable
action on these measures. But our readers
must not imagine from this cheering aspect
of affairs that the much desired legislation
can be obtained except after a long and de-
termined struggle. They may be sure that
whatever such chronic soldier-haters as
Senator Beck, of Kentucky. can do to OBJ
struct the passage Of measures designed to
fulfill the promises of the Government 10 its
defenders will be done, and they must be
prepared to see these measures not only
antagonized by politicians Of this class, but
by the whole pack of INSCRIPTIONS editors,
whose hue and cry against our pensioners is
still reyerberatiDg in the ears Of the country.
In advance of the formation by Speaker
Carlisle of the committees of the House
it is impossible to forecast the commit
tee action that will be taken on these various
measures 1t may be, as has frequently
been the case in the past, that some OF
! these bills, despite their meritorious charac-
ter, viii never be reported for action to the
body in which they originated. Ii may be,
too, that the insane desire which seems to
animate certain elements in both political
parties TO cut down, if not abolish entirely,
the internal revenue taxes, and thus pre-
vent the accumulation of any surplus in the
United States Treasury, viii provoke for
midable opposition to pension legislation o.
any description whatever 1t would not
be the first time that soldiers rights had
been sacrificed to what were falsely regarded
as the political necessities of the hour.
We are thus candid in enumeratine
the obstacles to the passage of these meas
ures that may arise in both branches o
Congress, in order that our veterans MAJ
not become the victims of oyer-confdence
We believe that it is within their power
if that power be properly exerted, L
) bring the members Of the Forty -eightl
Congress 10 q sense of the justice Of thei
claims, and secure their embodiment il
appropriate legislation, bat they canno
hope 10 do that unless they make thei
wishes known plainly and practically. ]
is not enough that through their variou
organizations. they should memorable
Congress for the recognition of thci
! rights, but they should, as individual
2 working in unison, impress upon the
E representatives, in Congress personally tn
urgency Of their cause and their deternin;
7 ton TO hold accountable every man VII
o may prove iaithless 10 their interests. It
3 q great mistake TO suppose-as some pol
: ticians have been rash enough TO assert
that the soldier is played out. He is 20
and never win be played out until the Ia
: roll-call sounds He is present in every con
mnnity; he ezerts a direct and potenti
It influence in all public affairs; he is a vote
y and his vote counts on election day. The
10 is not Congressman in any Northern Sta
II whose constituency IS not largely compose
l. Of soldiers, and they have The same right
l. instruct him as 10 the discharge Of his duti