The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-08-19
DEMOCRATS AND THE SOLDIERS.
What the Records Show and the
Work that Gen. Warner Did.

Work that Gen. Warner Did.
False Pretenses and Misrepresenta
lions OF Col. j. ID. Taylor and Hi.
Friends as to Pension Legislation
/ in the 47th and 4Sth Congresses
The Republicans in Congress have al
ways been loud in their profess ons o
love for the soldier. Professions are ont
thing. Acts are quite another. The
47th Congress was Republican an-tht
House was Republican--the Senate was
Republlcan--the Executive was Repub.
icsn. And wfat did that Congress do
for the soldler2 Did it equalize boun.
ties--grant land warrants-increase the
pensions OF widows and orphans, or OF
dependent parents-or modify the laws
so as to facilitate the settlement OF Just
claims of disabled soldiersp Did thai
Congress propose to put all soldiers on
the pension rolls1 No. Mr.. TAYLOR
was member Of that Congress, as well
as the last. He now asks what the COM
mittee on pension laws of the last Con-
gress has done. What did this commit.
tee of the 47th Congress do2 Not q
thing. It was called together but once
it had but one meeting-it submitted
no reports-it reported not bill. Was
Mr.. TAYLOR before that committee urging
pension legslstionp NJ, nor before any
other.
Now what does the Record show for
The 48th Congress-
General WARNER was appointed chair.
man of the Committee on Payment OF
Pensions, Bounty and Back Pay. This
is special committee, organized 10 the
46th Congress and continued through
the 47th and 4Sth. 1t has nothing what
ever 10 do with pension claims, but only
with the laws and the operations OF the
pension Office. Early in the session, and
as soon as bills and pensions had been
referred 10 it, the chairman addressed a
letter to the Commissioner Of Pensions,
asking him to come before the committee
to explain the present working Of the
laws and the difficulties most 10 the way
Of the settlement OF claims in the pen
siob office, and to suggest such modifi.
cations and amendments to the laws as
he deemed necessary, or that would fa-
cillate tie settlement OF the just claims
of disabled soldiers, their widows and
orphans. The Commissioner readily re.
sponded to the invitation Of the COM
miitee, and appeared before it. Prolong.
ed sessions were held, Shorthand re-
porter was present, and the examination
OF the Commissioner by the committee,
taken down and printed and a copy sent
to every member of the House and Sem
ate, as the basis OF the action of the
committee Immediately following.
The pension committee, appointed bv
the National Encampment OF the Grand
Army OF the Republic, TO advise modif-.
cation of the pension laws, was also in
vited to appear before the committee
Generals MERRILL, WAGNER and VAN
DEwooRT, Past Commanders.in- Chief of
The Grand Army. and Gen. C. H. GRos.
vENoR and Hon. JAMES TANNER. consti-
tuting the committee, appeared before
the committee and gave their views.
The committee then set to work, as no
other committee Of the House on pen.
sions ever did, 10 study the laws and to
consider what measures could be adopted
70 obviate the difficulties in the way of
securing pensions, and cure the evils
most complained Of. as well as to extend
and increase pensions in various direc-
tions. Tue committee at first advised
the appointment OF a commission to con-
sist of members OF the House and the
Senate, with perhaps the Madicsl Re 'eree
and the Commissioners of Pensions him
self, TO revise and codify the pension
laws, which have become such patch
work that their application is difficult
and besides it is admitted that there is
great injustice and inequality 10 the ap.
plication of the pension laws to the va.
rious classes of pensioners. The Com
missioner agreed with the committee as
to the advisability of such a course.
This proposition was urged upon tht
Senate Committee, bat meantime th,
House Committee set to work to perfec
such legislation as il thought most ur
gent, bearing upon the question Of pen
sions This work fell almost entirely OF
the chairman of the committee, Genera
WARNER, who proceeded to draft bi!
after careful consideration OF the Who'll,
question, in the light OF the recommeD
dations OF the Commissioner Of Pensions
and of the committee of the Grand Arm,
OF The Republic The bill as drafted b,
the chairman Of the committee containe,
the following provisions:
1s'--It provided that every soldier il
The military or naval service OF the U S,
in any war in which the U S has bee
engaged, for three months or more AM
is now disabled in whole or in part from
procuring his subsistence by manual la
Dor, which disability is attributable 10 tb
service, shall be entitled TO a pension
from the date OF application or ,Iif al
ready an applicant for pension, from th
date Of election 10 take his pension uude
, this act
! 2i-That pensions for disabilities
; causing structural changes, permanent i