The National tribune., 1885-07-30

place, and THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE fer
vently hopes that they may be successful
"HOSPITAL RECORD"
To THE EDITOR: In your valuable paper of the
10th find an article written by Alfred Koch. 12lst
Pa, in which he thinks the recommendations of
enough He refers to a case of a soldier who served
through most ofthe hard battles the war; who was
never sick disabled, and one who has hospital
record to back his claim for pension. The lack Of
q record in hospital now defeats his claim. How
many thousands such cases are there to-day SINH
lar to this one? know of many Of such cases. My
own is similar one. was one of a company Of
LOG who went out in 81 Bat II of the loo came
home at the close of the war. was engaged in II
of the hardest battles of the war; and can show as
good q record as any mans. But was never in the
hospital but twice during my service-once at Nash
vile in 1864 for gunshot wound, and once during
the year Of 1862 for injuries received Popes
treat from Cedar Mountain. Said injury was a
hernia on the left side from which have suffered
ever since. was in three separate hospitals, and
still our honorable Commissioner claims have
hospital record to prove up my claim, but saysthat
must produce the evidence of an eyewitness to
prove up my claim. This cannot give now, as
% years have passed. The cause of putting to SO
much trouble is that am trying to reopen a re-
jected claim that begun in 1875, which would entitle
me to arrears. Had commenced anew would
have been on the pension rolls long ago. as men,
bers of my Post here have applied within the last
six months and are now drawing pensions. have
a number of affidavits now on file in the Pension
Office, which are evidence enough to hang me by
the neck until dead if was being tried for murder;
but because did my duty as a soldier and did. not
shrk and bum in the rear and play sick and at
tend the "Quinine Cal" every morning my claim
is no good. Comrades, the day is almost here when
we will be looked down upon in disgrace. just
read the article in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of the
10th, headed THE Greatest Of These is Charity"
by the Editor the treatment of the Pennsylvania
soldiers.-ELIsHA B. SEAMAN. Co. A, 18th Ohio,
Fredonia, Kan.
Our correspondent states nothing but
what is true Everybody admits that the
recommendations of the GAR. Pension
Committee did not go far enough. No one
comedies that more freely than the Commit
tee ITSELF But it was question of expe-
diency, not justice. In this world it is wise
to only ask for what there is fair chance
of getting. The Committee considered this
carefully and, the sequel proved, wisely.
AS it was, only part of the recommends
tions of the Committee were accepted, and
these only had chance of success given
them by being tackled on to the Mexican
Pension Bill. They were defeated in the
end, but they will be resurrected at the
next session Of Congress, and be pressed
with even more vigor until success is at
tanned. A great point was gained by get
ting all soldiers to unite upon them, instead
of scattering their forces over a score of
schemes, as had been the ruinous practice
in previous years. If we can get the prin-
is, that every honorably discharged soldier,
who is now disabled and dependent, shall
be pensioned; that the pensions of widows
and parents shall be raised from So to $12 a
month; that pensions to idiotic, insane or
crippled children shall not cease at the age
of 16, but continue as long as the incompe-
tency lasts; and that the fact of mans
Surgeons shall be rrima.facie evidence of
"prior soundness;" then we shall have Sc
cured an immense relief to the soldiers
of the country, and having secured this,
we can then address ourselves to carry
ing forward other projects for giving the
soldiers justice.
We also concur fully in our correspond
ents structures on the requirements for o
Hospital record" This is one of the fragrant
injustices Of the Pension Bureau-practices
that we have fought savagely against It
has seemed as if the Pension Bureau
deliberately put a premium on shirking,a and
malingering. But few, comparatively, of
the men who fought the war through have
any hospital record" As long as they
could walk they would keep out of the hos
pital, and frequently when they could not
walk they were kept in their tents and cared
for by their comrades, whose nursing they
preferred to that of the lazy and unsympa-
thetic care of the hospital attendants. It
was so, even, with gunshot wounds. If q
wound was not severe enough to give them
furlough most boys would prefer to re-
main with their company, and did remain
there at times when suffering from terrible
hurts. OF course, these men had no "hos-
pital record, !" while the fellow who appeared
with Surgeons certificate every time be
was detailed for guard duty and every time
march was ordered-who hung around the
hospital continually and whined of his
rheumatic I" and his "diarrhearn has a
splendid ahospital record"
Recently many Of the most obnoxious re-
quirements of the Pension Office have been
greatly modified, and we hope for still
greater iberality. Gen. Black was genuine
fighting soldier, whose body was repeatedly
manned with rebel lead. His sympathies
are all with the men who bore the heat and