The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-10-21
TRUTHS SLOGAN.

Mnelng speecn Dy Judge McD0n-
aid Of Minnesota.
Democratic Nominee For Congress in The
Third District.
Upon being called before the conven-
tion which placed him in nomination
for congress in the 3rd Minnesota dis
trict, Judge j. i. Mcdonald of Shako-
pee, proceeded to the delivery of an
able and patriotic speech, from which
the following. pertaining to National
affairs and the welfare OF the country
is taken. For words of truth and wis
dom these remarks are indispensable.
and apply as well to he campaign is
sues of our own state. as to those Of
the state in which they were uttered.
Let every man read this mastery.
statesmanlike address:
PENSIONS TO VETERANS.
The fact that among the vetoes by
President Cleveland of bills passed by
the last congress were some vetoing
private pension bills. has brought the
subject Of granting pensions to SOL
diers again prominently before the peo-
pie: These vetoes have been used by
the professional politician in an at.
tempt to create prejudice against not
only the president, but the party which
elected him, and it is but another form
Of the stereotyped effort to use the vet,
Grams of the late war to gain party ad-
vantage. Il is not my purpose to de-
fend all the vetoes Of President Cleve-
land, whether they relate to pensions
or other subjects. But those persons
who attempt to create the impression
that the president or members of the
Democratic house of representatives
have not proven themselves to be as
true and warm friends of the sick and
disabled soldiers as their political op-
ponents, do them great injustice. ANY
fair-mi1ded man. who is familiar with
the facts relating to the legislation upon
pensions, and the action of the presi-
dent thereon, must conclude that such
persons are, If informed, dishonest
in their assertions. These vetoers are
represented to be an evidence of an un-
friendly spirit towards our Union sol
diers, who are entitled to the undying
gratitude of the American people for
preserving our government and saving
the Union. Nothing is more at vari.
ance with the truth. and the facts show
that if q comparison is to be instituted
between what President Cleveland has
done and the action Of his predecessors
he is entitled to be considered one of
the best.
FRIENDS OF THE SOLDIERS
The facts are, IS stated by Harper. s
Weekly. that the committee OF the
Democratic house reported favorably
over seven hundred private pension
bills against four hundred reported by
the committee of the late Republican
house that many were rejected as ut
terly undeserving Showing how great
is the pressure OF unfounded claims),
and that, of the seven hundred, the
president has vetoed but ninety-mOst
Of which had been rejected by repub-
lican commissioner of pensions. Thus
while President Cleveland has signed
GA pension bills in sixteen months,
Gen. Grant approved only 542 in eight
years of his administration. Such facts
dispose effectually of the unworthy par
tisan assaults upon President Cleve-
land as hostile to the soldiers. The
bare mention of these facts is suf-
ticient to show how unjust it is for
these partisans to indulge in such
wholesale denunciation of the president
as has been attempted. For myself,
always Gas my intimate friends well
know, have had fixed and emphatic
views upon this subject. NY opinion
and belief has always been. that we
! these brave defenders of the Union for
their services IN our behalf. Many OF
those who exercise the elective fran
chise to-day. were, in the dark days OF
the rebellion, either residents of for
eign land, or
| TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER
now the sacrifices which those brave
men made in defense of their country.
But we who were here then, and who
had arrived at the age of maturity, can
never forget the services and sacrifices
Of these patriot heroes. They were
told, when they enlisted, that a CRATE
full country would always remember
what they lad done. and fully recon.
pense them if they returned from the
war, and honor their memory and pro-
tect and care for those dependent upon
them il they fell in the nations defense.
| While connected with the service
| enlisted and mustered into the army
many of them, and while doing so felt
warranted in v0uching to them that
these promises would be faithfully full
tiled, and as today remember those
brave men going forth, relying upon
those promises, and the trying parting
scenes that were SO often enacted in
their loved ones, and what they endur-
ed, feel, as have always felt. that it
was religious duty on my part. at
every time and on every occasion when
an opportunity presented itself, to do
all in my power to redeem those sol
emn pledges. The man or woman who
today would be opposed to granting a
pension to every Union soldier deserv-
ing of the same, surely cannot reflect
upon what these men underwent-the
hardships, privations and sntferings
which they endured. Who is there to-
day that for the highest pension that is
allowed to a soldier would bo willing
to leave his family and friends aud go
forth to risk his life in battle and by
engaging in campaign in the most
unhealthy portion Of our country? How
many would be willing, for q pension
to spend i've years
ALTERNATELY FIGHTING AND MARCHING
in the burning sun and dronth Of sum-
mers and the mud of winters (where it
rained all the time it wasn't freezing),
Il