The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-07
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Pension Question.

L Is impossible 20 see how the position Of
tho Democratic party on the pension question.
through the action Of the majority of the House
pension committee. led by Colonel Matson. can
be regarded by any soldier or their real friends
In either party IS anything else than hypocriti-
cal and delusive Mstsons report to the House
IL . 5urlesque upon justice 20 the Union soldier
and ought to bury an and his party in indi-
ana under TO- 900 Republican majority in Novem-
Der, and will, when the old soldiers of Indiana
and their friends come to understand the full
meaning Of that remarkable document. and
the application of It's propositions 10 the
claims Of the Union soldiers for justice, and re-
lief 70 the dependent and totally disabled ones
II begins with pretense Of granting better
measure Of relief than proposed by the Grand
Army. by trying TO figure out that II cent per
day tor the term OF service will give more than
&l2 per month to the totally disabled men, as
asked for by the Grand Army. just how this
undignifed, insulting per diem, ''one-ceut
day proposition will stand fer examination let
rs see For total disability Sl2 per month was
agreed upon by the National Encsmpment a.
tia lowest amount that would procure the bare
necsssaries of life but We rot further and be-
yond what is asked by the Grand Army. says
Colonel Matson, with show of affected eensr-
osity towards the soldiers 10 his efforts at try
ing 20 please Cleveland and the Southern Demo
Gratis with q plan so hypocritical and
unjust that the soldier who will now Supports
him and his party places himself squarely in
opposition TO justice 10 his comrades. In order
TO make this lone cent proposition equal or ex
coed s12 Der month. the soldier must have en-
listed early il 81. veteranized in 81, and served
until Lees Surrender. OF the entire number
enlistine during the war not one-fifth came ont
Ia 81. as they were not all needed at once and
could not have been armed or equipped by-ths
govern ment In its then impoverished condition
OF this one-fifth who volunteered IN 81, not one
nth OF them served three years; they were
either killed, died of disease or were disabled
aid discharged. and 30 per cent of those who
served the full term OF three years are now on
the rolls In many cases. st higher rates than
Colonel Matson's report would give them
The great mass Of volunteers enlisted
after August. 1862. and would not nearly get, as
q rule, Sl2 per month under Colonel Matson's
plan. Now, after more than twenty years wait
ing for a nressure of justice 20 the soldiers who
saved the Union, the majority Of the Democratic
House pensions committee, headed by Matson.
candidate for Governor of the great State of
Indiana, insults the soldiers OF his own and
,ther parties with a proposition that ought TO
De spurned with contempt by every honest man.
The high purpose of legislation on this matter
Shonld be to save every soldier who honorabiy
wore the blue frotn having to apply for or accept
fharity from the local authorities in the poor
houses OF our counties-a direct tax upon the
State. One class OF disabled soldiers cannot be
cut down below another. The man
Dr year needs just much
bread. meat. clothing and fuel, as one who
Served three or four years, when so disabled that
be cannot earn his living But Colonel Matson
and 81 60 per month will not keep you from
starvation. when you are disabled or sixty-two
years OF age, you have the privilege OF apply
ing to the local authorities. township trustees
A<A - ,~<s 81 Asl e.. Axx1
TO carry the insulting proposition further. pro-
poses 70 apply his one-cent idea to the widows Of
deceased soldiers Common sense dictates that
when woman loses her husband she. . rule,
loses her support and her loss 10 the same and
the obligations to care for her the Same. wheth-
er her husband served three months or three
years. just how Colonel Matson can show that
one set Of men or their widows subsist on
one-fourth to one-hsf that allowed another class
does not appear, nc one but blind. unreason-
Ing partisan Democrats can figure 1t out. and yet
the Democratic party, in its State platform. an
nounces itself the faithful friend Of the SOL
der, IN . resolution about as indefinite al to
what they will do If put in power again. The
truth lie, Matson Is but an old-time Northern
doushface, that will get down and grovel in the
DIRT before the solid South ring of his party.
and would consign his late comrades to poor
houses and paupers' graves by thousands to
please that ring of his party. else he never
would have attempted TO blind the Union SOL
diers with his contemptible proposition. IL
Republicans cannot improve on his plan. they
too deserve defeat. But the party that gave rs
Lincoln, Morton and Logan yet
believe has enough OF its old time honesty
and principles left co say to the soldiers Of the
Union. Boys. We pledge ourselves, If success
full in November, to do what 10 just and right for
you ~ the first session Of the next Congress and
will put 1t into our State and national platforms
In clear. unmistakable terms" Old soldiers,
We advise ten thousand of you to 60 TO tho Chi
caRo convention and convince our Republican
friends that the soldiers ana their sons will give
them victory st the polls in November il they
tape delays out of il at the next Congress. Our
age will average fifty years by that time. and
no soldier who volun teered to help save our Union
from destruction should DO asked to wait
longer than that age. Matson's committees
proposition to pa ce Us on the rolls at sixty-twc
IL as unjust to the Union soldier as his one
cent day for totally disabled soldiers and
their widows II sixty-two. Every loyal-hearted
woman In the land ought to help rs kick the
party ont OF existence that offers suoh propo-
sition- The Union soldiers should ask for and
agree to this. viz: Make the honorable dis
charge the only evidence necessary, and place
every regular ard volunteer soldier, sailor and
marine on the pension rolls for life at the age Of
nifty years. At Is per month, giving those who
served the full term OF three and four years, say
el0 and $l2 per month as . service pension.
This will pat the whole business into three
groups and dispense at once with the injustice
and giarlng Inequalities OF the ratings in the
present system below eight dollars. This plan
IL nearer Justice than reopening the arrears act,
which would give fortunes TO few and nothing
TO ninety ont of every hundred. The people are
willing 70 grant reasonable measure of relief,
and would, NO doubt. . rule. indorse the
above propositions and sustain the Republican
party in carrying them into effect at the first
session OF the next Congress-. viii 1t do sol
Let the leaders answer with an emphatic I'VE
will, and . Republican President viii be iuaug
prated March 4, 1889, and Indiana placed il
tns with ten thousand majority In November.
TERRE HAUTE. April 80. Woo.
Doing Yanrhees Iniusfica-