Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
OLD SOLDIERS IN CONFERENCE.
Tho Resolutions Adnptrd-A Demand for
Radical Changes in the Pension Laws.

Radical Changes in the Pension Laws.
INprANAPoLls, Ind, Oct. 25.-The Ma
tional Convention of Soldiers and Sailors
met here yesterday afternoon i'll response
to a call issued by General +. w. Haskell
and General Merrill. Delegates were pres
ent representing about eleven hundred or
CARNATIONS. The object of the convention
is to take action looking to secure pensions
for all soldiers and sailors of the late war.
General j. II. Carnalan was elected CHAIR
man and John O. llardesty Secretary. The
States were called. showing delegates pres
ent flom New York. Massachusetts, Yer
mont. Maine Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mich
igan, Iowa. Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas,
Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland,
and the District of Columbia. The call for
the convention was then read. and a COM
mittee Oh resolutions appointed, to consist
of one member from each State, with 5. S.
Burdette, of the District of Columbia, as
Chairman. The following resolutions were
presented by the committee:
We. the cx-soldicrs and sailors of the Uniou
army md navy in the war OF the rebellion of
1S6l-1SGl, now in m~aSS-cOnvcntiOn assembled,
present to our comrades and our representa-
lives in Congress Our views and our desires on
the question of pensions. Believing that our
comrades who arc now suffering from disease
or wounds are cntitlcdto the kindcst consider
alton at the hands Of Congress-; therefore,, be
Rcsolrcd, That we ask tho following amend
| mentS to the present Pension laws:
l.. That every person who served in the mill
tary or naval service of the United states for
the period of three months during the war of
the rebellion and has been hOnOrubly dis
charged thcrefrom. and who is or shall be-
upon his own labor for support, shall be PLACED
upon the list of pensioners of the United
States and be entitled to receive a pension
q rate propoltionatc to the degree thereof.
.. That all widows or minor children OF SOL
diers and sailors who as such are now rccciv-
Ing under the existing laws the sum of eight
dollars per month be entitled to and receive
the sum Of twelve dollars per month. and all
such widows or minor children who shall here.
after be found to be entitled to tho rate Of
laws shall be entitled to and receive n rate Of
ten dollars in lieu of said rate of eight dollars.
3. That if any invalid pensioncr has died or
shall hereafter die, leaving Il widow or minor
child under eight years of age. both of such
pensioners, such widow and such minor child,
shall be entitled, in the order of succession
named, to the original pension in their own
name, without being required to prove that
the death Of such pcnsioncr was due to his
military or naval service forthc United States.
4. That the pensions granted widows on ac-
count Of minor children shall be continued
without limit rs to age wherever it shall APP
pear that such minors arc of unSound mind
or physically helpless so as to render them in
capable of earning subsistence.
s.. That in considering the claims of depen-
dent parents, the fact and cause of death, and
tho fact that the soldier left no widow or
minor children having been shown it shall be
necessary only to show that such dependent
parent is without other present means Of COM
Portable support than his or her own manual
labor.
6. That in all applications where it appears
that the applicant was regularly enlisted and
mustered into the service, that fact shall be
of his enlistment, but such presumption shall
be subject TO rcbuttal by record or other com
pctcnt evidence.
Believing that the foregoing embrace only
the just and equitable demands of the vet
Grams of the late w,r, and as all legislation to
this end must depend upon the active CO.
operation OF the Legislature and officials Of
1.-THE country, we earnestly urge upon the SOL
dicrs and sailors of the war against the re-
pcllion to give their support at the polls only
to such party Or candidates us are and ever
have been in favor of such Just legislation in
the interest OF the men who stood in defense
OF the country in the hour of need.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted, and MI. Blirdette, Chairman of the
committee, was instructed to bring the mat
TEL to the attention of Congress.