The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-31

morning, and was called to order by Com
mander-in-Chief Beath. The reading of the
minutes of the opening session was dispensed
with, and the first order of business for the
morning was the reading of reports from COM
mittees. William Warner, of st. Joseph, Mo-.
from the Committee on the Establishment of a
Soldiers Home West of the Mississippi, gave a
history of the various meetings held by the
committee.
SOLDIERS HOMES.
Three hundred and fifty thousand of the old SOL
diers and sailors found to reside west of the
Mississippi River. many of whom had been reduced
to want by repeated adversities. In the Homes
thus tar established only S65 Western soldiers had
been found and the law refusing admission TO such
Homes unless the soldier had been disabled while
actively in service was declared proper subject
for amendment The committee met in Washing
ton on the I'd OF February last and discovered that
bills had been introduced in both Houses providing
for the establishment of branch Home at some
suitable point in the States of Kansas, Missouri,
Iowa, Minnesota other State located west of the
Mississippi and appropriating $4,000 for its con-
structioD, to which honorabiy-dischsrged soldiers
may be admitted upon proper certificates OF disa-
biIity. The introduction OF the bills was followed
by the presentation of memorials urging the iiunle-
diate passage of the bills referred to- because the
Homes now established wholly inadequate to
meet the demand The desired bill was passed by
Congress the 5th day of ,hly, and has received
the signature OF the President.
The report was received and the thanks of
the Encampment were returned TO the COM
mittee for their successful effort.
REPORT on PENSIONS.
Corporal James Tanner, of Brooklyn, n. Y,
Chairman of the Committee on Pensions. and
representing majority, submitted a report
showing the proposed legislation affecting the
pensions to soldiers and sailors, and the efforts
existing IIEs Many 81 the relief measures re 8
introduced were pronounced unreasonable i'm
polite and unwarranted, especially those en-
titling soldiers to warrants to the public lands
without settlement, or granting high pensions
TO those who had not been injured in the serv-
ice. 1t favored liberal pensions to widows and
minor children still dependent and to honor
ably discharged soldiers injured or incapaci-
tated by disease since the expiration OF their
term of service.
Gen Paul Van Dervoort, of Nebraska, pre-
| sented minority report recommending the
| issuance of warrants TO all discharged soldiers,
claiming that such course would not only i'm
prove all Northern lands, but increase the
value of these in the South 50 times. He fur
ther believed that the discharged soldier was
as fairly entitled to the public lands as the
screeching Indian or grasping corporations.
DISCUSSING THE REPORTS.
On motion of Gen. Grosvenor, of Ohio the
majority report was taken up for discussion.
and Mr.. Tanner supported the majority report
with an argument of marked ability, at the
ted an amendment to the report providing that
! a patent for 160 acres be issued to all honor
| ably-discharged Union soldiers and sailors,
| which shall be exempt from taxation and exc
/ cution for the period of 10 years. Dakota
! Delegate stated that under the present laws a
discharged soldier was put to more trouble in
| securing land in his Territory than native of
| Russia, as the latter can obtain land in one
| year and is not compelled to file his declaration
Of intention to become an American citizen
until he files his final proof but it takes a sol
i dier four years TO secure a tito to his home
stead. Another Dakota Delegate claimed that
the land laws of the United States actually dis
eriminate against the soldier, except that he is
allowed his term OF service IN the pro-
vision for occupancy, aud the waste and alb
! sorption of the public domain have been for
the benefit of corporations and not of the sol
! diers. Give to the soldiers serving between
| 1851 and 1865 tract Of land which shall be
held as their own forever
a member from Ohio considered the with
! holding Of patents from the soldier On the
! ground stated N the majority report as a re.
| Election upon his intelligence. PENNSYLVANIA
| Delegate stated that the reported advantage.
| of the Northwest and the alleged difficulties
| experienced by ex-soldiers who try TO secure
| lands were decidedly conflicting, and the fact
that the first statement was issued by rail.
road company did not harmonize the two The
! clause in the minority report demanding the
| land or its equivalent in money explained The
milk in the cocoanut, he believed, and the
groundwork is being laid for the most merci
less monopoly ever known. Another Ohio
| Delegate thought the Encampment was LOSING
sight of the main question, and if the soldiers
met obStructions in obtaining lands as long a.
had been claimed all he has to do to plac,
himself on footing with the foreigner Of
civilian was to waive his right as a soldier
simply
DEFENDING THE MAJORITY REPORT
Comrade s. s. Burdett, of Washington, re
sponded to loud calls, and said:
Nothing can add to the glories surrounding tn,
deeds of the soldier but there things which car
tarnish i. We have too many engineers at presen
aud too few brakemen. The effect OF such pro
fuse issuance of warrants viii be the inevitable
ductioD Of their value.
Comrade Burdett embodied the substance O
former report made by him as the basis of hi
opposition to extravagant or injudicious pen
sions, which was as follows:
II was once estimated by competent aut.iorit,
that there would be at least 600 900 persons entf
tied TO claims under such bill. Ii each should
receive 160 acres, 10000, 900 acres would be ab
sorbed by these claims, or an area equal to that 0
the States of Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin Mime
sofa, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.
am not IN possession OF statistics enabling me tS
state what the quantity would be under the pend
ing bill. The number of persons who served
more than one and less than two years, have no
yet been able to ascertain but it is safe to say tha
10000 600 acres Of claims could be ready for ths
market within a brief period from the passage o
the act. The whole of tlc Eemaining unsuryeyet
lands OF the United States. excepting Alaska. il
about SIS 36T acres Out of this deduct the vas
mountain chains, the bodies of water the eesor
lands lands already granted fo- railroads. schools
and the like, mineral lands, Indian Territory and
private land claims, ani how much win there bs
left Of any real value? As much as will satisfy
these soldier claims7 doubt it. But suppose
there was or Is. 1t will take years to survey it
Eight hundred thousand acres a year is about tbt
average speed Of the public suryeys. At this rate