Omaha daily bee., 1886-08-14

ministration which aided to elect to whose
principles L am committed. Five hundred
thousand men are in arms against the rebels,
but twenty millions are in arms against the
crew OF plundering dealers.
Referring still further to his service in
the house of representatives, General
Van Nyck was the same earnest advo-
cate for
LIBERAL PENSIONS TO SOLDIERS.
In July, 1870, he said:
For what better use can the money collected
from the nation be expended than in doing
Justice to the soldiers who fought our bat
tleS, thereby gladdcning the hearts of the
widows and orphans OF those who lie buried
in the moat and under the fortress wall?
There was a time when such questions did
not agttate TIE American congress, after Bull
run, ChickahOminy, Lookout Mountain and
Atlanta aud the Wilderness. No eNpet
arthmctiCian then stopped to figure the cost
OF the war, this body was then full of prom
ises of reward for the living of gratitude and
competence for the families OF those who
fell Alas how has that promise been kept?
Ask the soldier who lives to die 10y degrees
on his. crutches. ASK the widow and or
phan who eat the bread OF poverty, because
the father and husband now fills u soldiers
grave, who feel the stings of poverty more
keenly because the nations promise has
humble meal with bitter tears
bitterer by reason of the neglect and forget
fulness of the nation which owes them so
much. Such economy vii blast and impovcr-
ish nation. The people want reform aud
economy, but not here They ask us to inter
pose no miserS S plea, when the crippled sol
dier, the widow and orphan ask for bread.
To monster corporations sitting in the yesli
bule of the capitol, already gorged with
plunder, we show the spcndthrift's reckless
extravaganza while towards those to whom
we are indebted for the life of our nation,
we reckon to the last farthing, and grudging-
ly account dollars where they lavishly gave
comfort, home and blood.
HOMESTEADS TO SOLDIERS.
During the same session on the bill to
give homestcads to soldiers, he said;
II desire some measure that will benefit the
soldiers and not the brokers and harpieS who
for their own enrichment would stand be-
tween the honorable sears of poverty of the
nations defenders and the bounty OF the
government"
For twenty years General Van Wyck
has been advocative the same senti-
mcnts. During his term III the senate
he has been active member of the COM
mittee on pensions, and the special act
for nearly every soldier during that
time in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri,
has passed through his hands, been re-
ported by him from the committee, and
by him in the senate. He was among
the first to introduce a bill to increase
the pension to widows, he reported it
the measure in the senate. He also in.
troduccd Il bill to give ptnson to all de-
pendent and disabled soldiers, no matter
when or the cause of the disability. In
the senate he advocated an amendment
that no pension under that act should be
less than $S per month, which finally
prevailed ut 81 per month,
General Van Wyck was n friend to Ne
braska at that time. On February 81,
1871, when Mr.. Taft the then represent
ative from Nebraska in congress, was
endeavorinI to increase the appropria-
ton for the postoilicc builiing at Omaha,
he said
"rhe growth of Nebraska already justies
all asked for by the gentleman from that
state. While we are lavish in our appropria-
ton in other localities, let us be just and gen
erous to one of the youngest in the sister
hood of states, which has sprung up as If by
magic on the plans of the west
The increase was voted.
Let us 70. forget from the early dawn
of the republican party he has never fal-
tered, whether it was the domination OF
slavery or corporations that threatened
the prosperity Of the nation. In 1866 he
advocated a bill to provide a commits
sion to regulate the charges on the Union
Pacific railroad, which PASSED the house
and caused reduction. He said:
According to the report OF the company the
road is to cost $50, 100000, and they have TO
build it $S2,U00,00O from the government.
They have $50 100000 put in their hands for
that the eXorbtant rate Of 10 cents per mile
for passengers, and Is cents per ton per mile
for freight be taken Off, that the people may
have the benefit, they pittnll!y a!luds e = the
WHRfy %y yH haTs es 3mss sa yng the
| produce to market because they cannot af-
ford to pay the charges on this road. The
men who go in advance of civilization to
make our plains fruitful are the men who are
| subjected to this eXtortiOn.