The National tribune., 1886-05-20

and the men who have become disabled since the
war would come under the bill Those are the
only two Glasses.
AIr. Blair:
SO far as the observations Of the Senator from
Illinois are concerned his knowledge Of the con-
tition of the -nlderv of the country is better than
mine. would be especially anxious That no mis-
Representations should be made 10 the senate OF 10
the country as 10 the probable eNpenahufe unoer
the bill. aud have cndcaVored 10 make these Cal
culations as j think in excess Of wnat would Oe
actually called Cor should ii become law;
but this IL 70 be considered, thal the aisaDAh,y
which i think is fairly covered 10y the bill d hot
merely one resulting from accident or from actual
disease. ID would cover disability which grows
out of a resalt from increasing age, or from hard
ship aud exposure by reason of which a man
hitherto able 10 do his full days work Is able only
10 perform lesser amount. II he may DO but tliee
fourihs OF a days work his wages are diminished
one-fOurth, aud he ought TO be allowed one-iourth
OF the pension, ! should say, which would be SO
month. Perhaps that would not be proper esu-
mate bat il should be such an adjudication ia refer
ence 10 the degree of total beplossness, which is
So month. may be just aud fair under tle law.
Il believe that the amount which estimate, s2OUO0,-
000 i all the expenditure which the country viii
b. subjected 10 under the provisions of the bill.
This bill VIII reach another class that perhaps the
Senator OF Illinois did not Ia his own calculation
embrace, il viii give 10 all the men who have
really disability contracted ln te service but VINO
nave oeen unable 70 eslansh lhel claims NhosS
Gases are NOW lingering and have fingered some oi
them ipIflU on 10 yeaTs, the option oi abandoning
thalS, GN-siing Application aud making new one
nasfeae tie bill. OF course the remedy under tins
measure Il slight TO what many of them would re-
ceiVe es able 10 establish their claims by OBJ
tanning lhe proof under existing law, but no doubt
many men discouraged and heart-brolSen and IN
absOlute want VIII abandon the apparently hope
less chase of tpir rights through te existing forms
81 procedure hnu embrace tiie provisions oi TINS ACT
Tor under the provisions Of tbis act II viii only be
necessary establish the service, the honorable
discharge and the actual disability existing nt the
present time, without fault on the part oi The APP
plicant. together with dependence upon his manual
labor OF the charitable contributions oi others ior
assistance.
dependent parents viii give 10 all parents PEN
sion who lost their IA the service and who are
now dependent upon the contributions Of Others
who are not legally bound Tor their support,
whether they were thus dependent at the time when
che Child sacrificed ls iiie In The service Of the
country or not At viii be remembered by the SEN
ate that such the law at the present time that the
dependence upon the son must have existed al the
time of his death, Otherwise, the parent ~ not
entitled % receive the aid Of the Government II
seems 90 nae that tins ~ most inequitable condi-
tion oi the law.
The clainan, of pensions Is not beggar; be Is
creditor aud should be preferred creditor OF the
Nation lie olds The bond Vi s country written In
rhis own blood lie demands right aud 10 him is
due the performance OF n sacred obligation, and
not gTuluigy. And as il IL the duty of the deblor
hHd and % pay credtor, and not put the creditor
40 endless aud ruinoas loss TO establish his claim by
lntcrniuulle suits at law 30 II Is the duty OF The
state iisel az lls own expense, 10 ascertain and TO
meet al all Just claims for pensions at least
70 provide every facility for their adjustment and
70 pay the costs when the claim is delayed in the
process of adjudication.
III is tie duty OF the Government 10 ascertain and
20 pHy the pension 90 the soldiers just much as Il
is TO ascertain aud pay his wages while in the field.
ID IL practical denial of his right 90 throw obs;a-
oes IN his way by interposing trivial or technical
O1ccions or by depriving him Of the right 10 en-
ploy competent counsel and assistance in refusing
lair enumeration Tor services necessarily performed
IN order TO establish hs claim.
The question whether assistance shall be given
a. the form Of pension 10 those soldiers and their
dependent relations who are IA need OF resef Is
only TIE question who shall bear the pecuniary
B1wrnu shall colupr for he ufr
liefr Can his friends and relatives, generally as
poor as himself provide ior Al Shah Tie uncertain
charity IL the community DE depended upon TO
supply ilsis constant and ever-inoreasing demand
Will you turn over the soldier 30 the lender Of
the pauper systems Of the States? shall the Grand
Army, composed 80 largely OF the very men who
by reason oi advancing age and decreasing pro-
duciiNe powers require the aid continue 90 tax
Ihemsclvcs 90 support each other2 The Grand
Army cannot much longer march under its increas-
1ne aopu. believe that many soldiers with their
deIsenaelt relatives are to-day receiving aid from
thee varous sourccs or suffering for the want Of
tbe common comforts 81 lie as now assisted by
pensions from the Nation.
The burden exists tlAe want ia a great fact and
y manifested IN the form ~ deprivation and suffer
ing or "a De- met by the sacrifice and charity Of ndi
Nnduals and cGmnlunite--1y The pauper system Of
the state or hy the Grand Army Of the kepubiic
which has 20 largely hitherto performed the great
work, and which, IN the nature Of things, a. be-
oomes with every passing year, less and less able
The question proposed 10 the country by this bil
Ar bebaif ~ The soldiers of the for the Union
1s this shall iic Nation, which Nation re-
ocireo the benefit of their services and sacrifice,
and which hy reason thereof with all her unbound
&c rcsourccs, exists to-day-shali thc Nation. as a
Nation, pefiorln this great duty which ls moi now
performed. anc which must be performed by some
bony pa some way untold suffering A 10 follow.
lcosf D. leii undunesall this rlch Nation take
care 81 ilo lrescrVers Of iis own life? That D. the
question. b must bc answered. lnaoiion is the
worst answer. ior Il pnrayzes all other Of
help u grows more pressing every day.
Dir. Berry Ark who was an officer In the
Confederate army and lost a leg al COrinth, in
OctOber, l-02-opPosed The bin. He said:
Mr. President. no one denies that the soldiers
who gailants defended fhe Gag Ia the hour OF dam
ger emitted 60 the plntltnde Of lhe Government
No one aud leasi of al those vino We're artayed
against them in tlle late contest would wish 10
deprive them Of single honor won by their yalor
OF "a any way undcrrlltc their services 20 the
tls seek 40 lessen the igAt0n tlat the people
have ni~ays felt was due fhom. il may be ad-
nilico tisat tie cizen who voluntarily enlisted in
tne army. who endured the hardslps aud suffered
the pFivntionf incident n soldiers iife who fear
lessy exposed his life upon the battlefield and
WHO quietly and peacefully returned 10 civil pur-
euhs al the close ~ the should be hOnored
above Es fellow -citzunss but IL does moi follow
tron tins That every other obligation should be
alFegnTse and that we out Of gratitude 10 the sol
eief should be unulindiul u the rights aud unjusi
q tie claims o. the vast number VI people of Tins
Lepubac who were not sO.dicTn
For the soldiers Oi America entertain the great
go rfspei tiier love for their country their devO-
ton a. duis their readiness 20 obey orders 10 Dla
hno hoiIeinlne-sln defeat, and their moderation Ia
tie hour 81 victory, all worthy Of the highest
commentator and Il seems somewhat strange
tiiai men of their character and sefsacrifong dis.
position should demand Of Congress the passage oi
BIZ iiint involves expenditure 20 great Ilat tbs
committee has declined 80 estimate tie amount
do not iilzc 20 believe that 40 brave as those
who r0lhp posed fhE y mon army would Wlsb fO bf
defeuafnt upon their fellow cilzcns; THAI tliey
wouid be willing a. be relieved from daiy lal,ol
ahu dHy tDi. f thereby additional labor and .reairl
Toll stDiia e imposed upon lnhofing men, upon
their friends and nei8lBOrs, many thousands 81
whom tud d already difficult % meet Legitimate
demands, and WHO often sOrely pressed 10 nuf
rnppur ilf themselves aud the wife and childrcr
wiso look to tsiem fOT bread.
Tie haiion Lac already shown gratitude ans
generosity - tae soldier la degree not equalet
fIs aslg other nation. The amount paid FOR ,,fn
h0nsto ihc yth day of june las5. b. reported 10 Il.
tle siir ~ SOD 2 oiOls lt H. estimated that undea
the pres it ays Ne viii have paid by jane Iss7
tiJ oal.1iVi1 ~ ~ also estimated that tle l,l,llli
faioi.s pending tpr pensions which will b. allowed
tae iuorearc ln the widows pensions and tie pri
Naif bile PASSED go tae present session viii ssgci
tss hnlouni Taid annually ~ 500 G91 OJ0
rteaNii2 hiid continuously. Congress by Congress
hne getI la year tte amount bas been increased
5'cmoer.iia nna Republicans. either from a seutl
sptpt 81 gfiuac t0f scrrieer rendered tle couutrl
i thr Aclaier ~ from the iess worthy motive =
etsutuiug tr soldier vote and te soldier iufueuoe
ifaFe disputed with each ot3rf who should te flr-
~ lfrleafc iic number 81 soldiers drawing A tsof,
ri5r from iie Government aud FRS 10 islcieass ill
Hfftnlni fraia ~ each; and hilc this feeling ia
ls.tnilco nfld lcgis. alton lls been secured rihou
eAciiif i1I tie ro aers Of te inte ws.T tlc claim
~ i4lc nnNinrt 81 tfle Mexican Nnf those who \
gailaDtis uud successfully bore our flag a. yeaF
oeuiod.
liseeins 10 me. and think large portion of n
Linel lelu people are ~ the same opinion thai "A
Dfae hss coine "a CALI halt ID seems 70 nle tha
eu - tllC great ioiiiigr. f5eole rec rs
~ n iui - Co. i,raies that We SHOULD assun,