The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-12

income. and they seem to be more
willing to give the surplus to the
British importer than to the soldier. They say
the revenue cannot be reduced if these liberal
pension bills are passed, and rather than not re-
duce the revenue they delay or defeat the PEN
sion bills. Now, want to call your attention to
a movement which l think was the most un-
friendly towards the soldier that has ever been
suggested in Congress. An amendment to the
rules of.the House was reported by Mr. Morri-
son, from the committee rules. Let me
read it:
Resolved That it shall be in order, when any gen.
eral bill or proposition to increase the rates or
amounts of pensions to grant pensions to persons
previously entitled thereto by law is under con-
sderaton, to amend the same as to provide by tax
alton otherwise for the payment thereof; but no
such amendment shall be in order unless the
provided for shall be thereby set apart for the
sole purpose Of paying such increased pensions.
Do you gather the effect of that amendment
1t means that whenever this general pension bill
/ have spoken of, or any other shall come up in
the House, it shall be in order for any member
to move, as an amendment to it, revenue bill,
upon the pretense Of raising the money necessary
to pay the pensions. 1t would be in order to
move as an amendment Mr.. Morrisons tariff
bill. or bill providing for an income tax,
or bill increasing the tax on whisky,
Now, do you think that would help to pass
pension bils9 Why. instead Of the pension bill
being debated upon its own merits, the House
revenue bill attached to it. What was the pre-
tense for this amendment? 1t was this: That if
we were going to pay these increased pensions
we must raise the money to do it. Ii 1t Is neces-
sary to raise more money to pay the soldiers
what is Justly due them, / will vote for
it Applause. But I want the money
raised in that way to go into the general Treas
ury. / want the debt we owe the soldier paid
like any other debt out of the general Treasury.
We take the money raised from the tax on
x1hi fha f1~i COW Ho1l Of TOW and
put 1t into the general Treasury. and whenever
any one comes along who has q debt against the
governments bond, or interest on bond-we
take the money out of the Treasury and pay
him. l would like some Democrat to tell me why
this rule should not apply in the payment
of pensions to our soldiers. Why ls
this discrimination to be made against himq
| Why is the taxpayer to be set grumbling at him
alone2 Why shall not he have his honest debt
paid out of the general treasury If it is good
plan to put tax bill upon bills appropriating
money, why not apply the rule to the river and
harbor bill as we'll to the soldiers pension bill!
1t was the most unfriendly proposition towards
the solder that has ever been made in Congress,
in the House of Representatives, including Mr..
Matson, of Indiana chairman of the committee
on invalid pensions OF the House.
But do we need more money to pay these pen
| sions9 Why, my comrades, Mr.. Morrison al
this last session introduced tariff bill which he
| $4,000, 600 per year. Why then, Mr.. morrison
do you want to attach special tax bill to these
| pension bills when you declare to the country
| that we are now getting 500, DOC, 600 per year
| more revenue than we need? Mr.. Morrison also
| declared last session that we had 300 00(
| surplus in the Treasury. All, the boys will not
| be deceived by these pretenses. There were a
great many green boys went into the army
but none came out. The pension committee OF
| the Grand Army said of this attempt to dis
criminate against the soldiers pension.
This proposition is not to increase the revenues of
the government for general purposes by new taxation
but in effect declaration that while all other ex
penditures of the general government for salaries
public buildings river and harbor i'm provements and
the like, shall continue to be paid from existing
of revenue the debt due to the soldiers and
faith of the Nation has been pghted the pensions to
the who gave sight and hearing limbs and health
and who offered their lives in defense of the Nation
shall ercilessy stand aside unless subjected the
invidous distinction of special method of taxation
That every obligation of the national government
shall be met from the usual and ordinary revenues
but the obligation to the soldier be singled out and
alone made to bear the burden of new aud specia
| tax.
That In the payment of pensions and pensions alone
one class of the people shall be arrayed against an
other-the taxpayer against the benefciary-by pro
yiding as to PENSIONS and for other form of in
debtedness, particular tax for specified purpose
Speaking In behalf OF comrades OF the Grand
Army of the Republic, we protest against this meas
the most ubiquitous possible. aud which the
Union veterans or the country Will resent and re-
pudiats.
Now, my comrades. these are some of the
things, hastily thrown together, which show the
attitude of this administration toward the
Union soldiers of the country, and, in con-
clusion, ask you to think upon these things;
to consider whether. in the votes you are to
give in November you will vote your approval
of what this administration has done and omitted
to do in the interest of the Union soldier. My
comrades, it will not be long until
we are all gone. We are passing
away. We do not want to be greedy. We never
| have BEEN You were paid pittance for the
| fighting you did. Many Of you left lucrative
employment and good wages at home to serve
the country for pittance. You endured hard
country might live, and now. in
these times when peace is over
the land, in these times of abundance,
in these times when there is surplus in the ma
tional Treasury, and discussion as to how it
should be used, it is certainly not TOO much to
ask that the man who did his duty as soldier
during the war may be succored in his distress
by the government he saved. That is all, and to
that reasonable request every patriotic man and
woman in this land will respond. Applause