The Republican journal., 1884-08-21
The Democratic Party and the Union
Soldier.

practice, which completely nullify the hypocrti-
cal professions of love for the Union soldier
contained i'll the National platform. "What
are some of the facts:" inquiries the Age; and
then proceeds to give such garbed statements
suit its purpose. The Mexican pension bill
passed the House under suspension of the
rules,-which does not permit of amendments
and the Senate, without changing the original
bill to pension Mexican soldiers, two-thirds of
whom are from the South, added certain amend
ments making needed notifications of our pen
sion laws in the interest of the Union soldiers
and their families. The Age says that this was
done to compel 1.-THE Democrats of the House
to pass it and thus bankrupt the National treas
ury, or to reject it, in which case they could be
denounced as opposed to granting pensions to
the Union soldiers That this statement is I'M
true may be readily shown. These amendments,
in the form of separate bills, We're introduced
in the House early in the session, and while the
Democratic committees would not consider
these bills they did not dare to reject them. As
Hon.Joseph ID. Taylor, of Ohio said in speech
delivered in the House July 9TH Not d single
report has been made in regard to the equaliZa-
ton of bounties, in regard to the payment of
arrears of pensions. in regard to the increase of
pensions of widows whose husbands were kill
ed i'll battle or died from diseases contracted in
the service, in regard to continuing the pensions
of the imbecile. blind and diotic children whose
fathers gave their lives to their country. or in
regard to any one of Il hundred bills introduced
in behalf of the soldiers, in order to make good
the promises and obligations of the Govern
ment to its brave defenders. These bills have
been throttled and IA hearing denied. Demo
cratic committees do not deign to consider such
bills, nor do they dare to report against them"
| And further: Not only this but the Republi-
cans have been given no opportunity to amend
any law or to attempt to amend any law in this
| direction. The House and every committee OF
4 the House is under the domination of the Dem.
ocratic party, and the only way in which we
can hope to get any legislation in the interest OF
the Union soldier is to attach il to the Mexican
pension bill, bill in which the other >ide an
| pears to be more interested than in pensionins
the soldiers of the late war" This ctlrctuaIlI
dispo>es of the charge made by the Age thai
the Republicans were simply working for politi
cal capital by offering these amendments. The
| Democratic House would not consider them a
| separate propositions. Had it reported them
and had they passed and gone to the Senate tina
body would have born the Responsibility or i
might be considered as equally divided between
the two Houses. But the House persistent,
throttled all legislation on the subject and N,
. ] II, ho fri. |,
| Mon soldier than that followed We have be
fore published the substance of these amend
ments, and now give Mr.. Taylor> summary o
them as follows:
The objections to the Senate amendments Of
the Mexican pension bill now under consider
alton are based on the fact that il makes rertail
provisions for the Union soldiers. LIT Us >ej
what these provisions are. II provides that ne
honorably discharged soldier Shall be prevent
ca from receiving pension because he cal
not prove he was sound when he entered tn,
| service; or because he can not show Alat he
was treated by surgeon for this particula
disease; or because the hospital record fail t,
show certain facts. Or, in other words, il ;
soldier has a disability which might HAY,
been incurred in the service, and is also de
pendent ON his own labor for his support, un
der tins bill he receives pension. The sam,
provision is made for the widow in ease tn,
husband is dead.
In eases IN which minor children now draw
pension until they are 10 wears OF age this bill
proposes that the pension Shall continue afte
they are IL if they are imbecileS. idiots or blind
They are as dependent after they become Is ~
thtN We're before; and as their father, the
natural protector gave his life to his country
the Government owes these helpless dependent
a support 1t also provides that the widow
and minor children of soldiers and sailors VIII,
are now receiving s. ii mouth Shall hereaftt
n IJDI MOI /,
Of 81 month. And in another section it bro
Nides that dependent parents shall not be re
qulred to prove that a son who lost his life il
the service intended to support them but thi
Iatt VIII be presumed when the soldier left M
widow or children. 1t also provides that il
case OF death of any pensioner, leaving widow
or MINOR child under IL years of age. or both
such widow and minor child or children shal
be entitled to pension. without being requr
Ell 10 prove, as at present, that the death 0
such pensIoner was due to his military or nHva
service.
These are the provisions which are obiecte,
to by the other side of this House These arr
the changes i'll the laws which are resisted her
from day to day and from night to night b,
the Democratic side of this House, with Somt
honorable exceptions. In all the annals o
legislation. in all the worlds history, no Law
Was ever proposed which had more of the mill
OF human kindness IN 1t. more of patriotism
and gratitude in it, more of justice and cquit
in 1t. than the one now under consideration
And gentlemen will find that the defeat of thi
measure Will follow them IA blighing me
: mOry wherever Il soldiers grave is marked
wherever soldiers widow wteps. and where
ever a soldiers orphan suffers the paugS 0
hunger or cold. This is only an act of Justice
debt of gratitude. IA sacred duty How dar
you shrink from this solemn obligation2 tn
graves of these soldiers are all about Won TIL
wants OF these widows meet YOU in all the patI
ways of life. The voices from half lmilio
graves plead for the support and maintenance
OF their helpless children. Let me warn yo
to-day that Ill defeating this measure YOU wi
enkindle storm of Indignation which wi
sweep you and your party from the power yo
now so shamefully abuse
The Age says that the passage of this hi
and amendments would have bankrupted tn
) treasury that it "would add Sl24. 900 600 TO
claims now on file in the pension department
to say nothing of the fifty or seventy-fve thou
sand claims that would be made within 81
MONTHS and it finally puts the total at S 100
. 100000 Most people will consider the Con
missioner OF Pensions better authority on thi
subject than the Prog. Age and his figure
, show the statements Of that paper to be gre.
,, eXaggerations. Said Mr.. TAYLOR: at has bee
: stated here on this floor that this bill woul
cost the Government from fifty to one hundre
millions a year. AT the instance of member
of both Houses, Commissioner Dudley hi
carefully computed the cost and he declare
that it will not cost over $4,000, 900 a year
I the bill and the Senate amendments lie est
mates that pensions to the survivors of til
Mexican war will not exceed S3,500,00O AN
that the pensions provided for in the Senat
: amendments for the Union soldiers will nc
exceed So 100000. Gen. Dudley is thorough
competent to make this calculation and has tn
assistance of the best experts in the Unite
1 States. He has made il and risks his reputa
ton on its correctness. And this $4,000, 90
will rapidly diminish from year to year 1
these aged and helpless people pass away"
Thus while the Democratic opponents of til
bill in the House put the cost mt ''from fifty t
one hundred mions,' the Age states it 4
| 800 900. The Commissioner of Pension
by careful computations. not guess WORK
prompted by partisan spirit and hatred 70
the Union soldier, finds that the Mexican Der
| sion bill and Senate amendments would co.
the country but $4,000 900 annually, and tha
amount subject to decrease year by year. Blu
this plea of the excessive cost put forth by tn
Democratic organs, thus shown to be unbound
nI -, /.