The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-20

Hoveys bill become law. When furnishing
supplies or any other civil service of the govern
ment ceased to be satisfactorily remunerative,
the contractor or employe could quit. Not so
the soldier. When. by reason of the depreca ted
currency with which he was paid and the in
crease 10 the prices of all the necessares of life,
the soldiers family was half starving he con-
Guided to quit and go home to take better care
OF them. he was arrested and punished as de-
serter.
II is no argument to say, .If You had not liked
the terms you couId have remained at home
there we're plenty OF others ready to GO,
have been writing on the hypothesis that we
were all drafted. But sur pose there had been
no such thing a draft. and all had been voIun
teers, and all who went had remained at home
and others had gone, the personality OF the
soldier would not change the principle. But
here comes Old GRIPPE. who never has ceased to
chuckle at the piles of money he made by stay
Inc. at home and trading sharp, and awaiting
himself OF the increased prices which half
starved our families and plurts out The govern
ment paid you dollar for dollar, all IL ever
agreed to, now what are you kicking aboutE
Certainly. Mr.. GRIPPE according to the letter of
the law as IL was at that time, else there would
+ be no need of General Hoveys Dill.
And this brings us TO consider the question
from different standpoint; and do not know
that can reach that standpoint by nearer
route tnan via England and the continent
know that statistics are Dry and will not at
fict your readers in that way, but the fact that
every European power keeps a vast standing
army, running into the hundreds of thousands
is well known 1t is further well-known fact
that the $4,000 troops composing the
United States army paper, num-
bers perhaps two thrds of that num-
Der in reality. Why this vast differ
ence between the armies sof the powers Of
Europe and of the United Statess 1t may not be
80 easily understood by the general reader why
the powers of Europe should keep such large
armies. but it is quite well understood why this
country does not need q large army. 1T is be-
she has six millions OF young. educated, in
telligent citizens who are ready to volunteer. at
the call of their country, to tight her battles.
49,. f,-Itr a
glorious consciousness of strength possessed by
other nation on the globe. There no stop
ping to count the number of dollars per month,
or their probable purchasing power by her sub
jects, when this glorious Nation needs fighting
men. In view of the grand outpouring of vol
unteers during 1904 who does not believe,
aye, who does not know that there was a higher
nober. grander inducement than the few de-
preciated dollars assured as a recompense7 See
the physician or the lawyer, each closing his
Office, giving up lucrative pratice, only just
fairly established, and stepping into the ranks
for $i3 month! See the mechanic leaving his
shop where he was earning twice the amount,
stepping into the ranks to be shot at for $13 a
month! See the farmer, the laborer the mer-
chant and citizen all leaving their vocations,
the comforts and endearments of home, family
and friends surrende ring their opportunities to
better their financial conditions by the increase
In prices of labor. commodities, ETC., all joining
IN the grand chorus I'VE coming. Father
Abraham. six hundred thousand more" and step
ping into the ranks to be shot at for $l3
month! Nothing grandsr ever was or ever will
be known!
In view of all this can this great Nation afford
to be unjust to any class of her subjects, and
above all to those men who fought her battles2
True. the letter of the law has been fulfilled,
the thirteen dollars has been paid but after all.
is it just} II there are those who think it was
or is. would ask, cannot the government then
afford to display as great measure of generosi-
ty to ner old defenders, they did to her in
her hour of distress. by rallying in such mag
nihcent columns to her aid, regardless of the
number or kind of dollars that were to be their
compensation
OF the patriot would ask is it, or not, wise
to encourage the spirit displayed by the people
of this country during the late WARP Should we.
a patton, encourage the development of such
patriotism as characterized the great Union
armyP
An individual performs some great act of
heroism and he is rewarded. Many of
eminent generals have been rewarded by cleo
tons to high Offices. had special legislation in
their favor while matter of fact they per
formed their duties no more conscientious
IL than did tens of thousands Of private soldiers
who stood up to he shot at for $l3 month
Our Nation to-day is grand, rich and powerful
beyond the dreams of the most visionary at
the close of the war; She has an unmanage-
able revenue, and surplus in her treasury
that is challenging the wisdom of the sages of
all political parties as to how it shall most wise
~ be disposed Of: l think l fairly represent
half million old soldiers who have to earn
their bread IN the SWEET of their brows, when I
say pass General Hoveys bill.
LoGANSPoRT, Feb. 10 WOoLLY SHIRT
The Value of Protective Tariff.
To the Editor OF the indianapolis Journar
Having a lecture engagement at Sueboygan,
Wis, / visited the large chair factory while
there. The manager of the factory showed me
chair that was being manufactured there
called the Vienna chair" He said fog many
years this chair made at Vienna and
shipped to this country and sold to jobber in
New York for $50 per dozen. The factory at
Sheboygan commenced the manufacturing of
the same chair. and put them in Now York for
s24 per Dozen The foreign factory then put the
price down to $50, and the American at Sheboy-
gan put the price at SIG, and holds the trade.
But he does not make cent the chair. 1t
comes out about even There is SO per cent.
duty on the chair. which keeps out the foreign
article.
He says if Clevelaud's policy prevails in Con-
gress and the protection is abolished, the cheap
labor abroad will put the chair in New York at
less price than he can pay, and then he will
cIo hic md fhal IF bo