The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-06

their prime and away over the line, not only in
years but physically, and in great measure We
broken down in health. and much more SO
than indicated. Those not in the war and on
the front line cannot fully appreciate the amount
Of exposure and hardship necessary, all OF which
tends to shorten our lives and render US misera-
BILE the few short years we remain. Those sur
fering from wounds received are d0ubly so, ana
are thankful for even small pittance-reduced
to MISREPRESENTATION in many cases does but little
to smooth the pathway of the man who leIb
home and friends to hold UP the flag land main
tain the supremacy of our own Coiumb la for q
thousand years TO come" yet in their prime.
Please point out one whose hair is not turning
gr ay, and the majority very much So we
meet them now and address them as boys-as
we used to in lS6l-not expecting to find them
practically old and broken down.
When we consider that nearly all die under
the age of sixty-fve years it something
Figures show that but few If any, of our gen
reached that age. The noble Farragus died at
the age of sixty-n1ne. He being the exception.
The same holds good with the rank and file. 1t
ls fixed as precedent that our lives are snort
ened three times the number of years spent in
the army in active service, which goes to make
up the fact that the prime OF life left us years
ago.
The official report of the committee on soldiers"
homes says, 1.-THE increase for admission IN the
last five years is Al per cent, and the death rate
has been 81 per cent. which is much mere than
men in ordicsry health; that the number adj
mitted for wounds has fallen off while those
owing TO age and infrmitiss have greatly in
needed or outside relief must be provided" This
is taken from the Official report to Congress. and
yet the great majority are in the prime of
life"
The dependent pension bill is good as far as
it goes and il passed will AID many of the vet
Grams for brief time before their last roll call.
and taps sounded and they are consigned to
that mansion whose curtains nevar-raise." 1t
will also lift many from out the aims houses of
the country, whore they have been for years,
much to the discredit of the country. The loyal
people of America. q rule are in favor of the
greatest good to the greatest number, and why
not apply some of the great surplus" to the
asurplus on hand, and who were promised all
and everything in the days of dire calamity
and distress. If l am correct Washington ad-
vocated service pension in the year 1856 for the
soldiers of the revolution. Why wait now
til roll call says mono here to answer2 What
the soldier expect with President in the chair
who not only brides himself on vetoing pension
bills but in those vetoes USES language deroea-
tory to the soldier who made it possible for him
to be President; and yet he signs dependent
pension bill for the soldiers of the Mexican
when he knew that the great majority of them
were rebels during the 'late unpeasantness'
solid South backed by 157 electoral votes
counts something.
The letter from Marion, in your paper of TO-
day on bill of General Hovey. hits good points.
Your paper 10 decided, and means business; just
what we need in Indiana, milk aud water
policy, but Strike-out-from- the shoulder cam
paign. May every lover of loyalty and justice
fall in and be active for right and duty all the
time, and Indiaua-the State that put 200, 900
for the principles of the Republican party the
4th of November, 1888, as will effsctually redeem
her for time to come. n. n. BoYDSToN.
WARSAW, Ind, Feb. 2.