The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-04
ASKING FOR ARREARAGES.
Old Soldiers Who Want the Law Giving Them
Pensions from Date of Disability.

The meeting Of old soldiers yesterday after
noon in the Criminal Court room proved a very
animated one. If there is any person who has
doubts that the soldier element is not thorough
ly aroused upon the pension question. he would
have had them effectively removed after listen
ing to some of the vehement utterances made at
yesterdays meeting. About every chair in the
courtroom was occupied by some ono who
had once shouldered the muskst and worn the
blue. A temporary organization was effected
BY the election Of Joseph A Sims. of Delphi, 30
chairman, and Garret NJ. Waldreth as secretary.
The president briefly stated the object of the
meeting to be the consideration Of the means
for having restored the arrearsge of pension
pointed at once to prepare . series of resolu1
tious to be forwarded to Congress. The sug-
gestion met with unanimous approval. and the
committee being appointed adjourned to aroth-
or room to do its work. In its absence num-
Der Of speeches were made upon the character
of pension legislation. r.
Mr.. Houser, of Upton, favored the idea Of ell
the soldiers writing letters to ConRressmep' and
asking them upon what theory or by what
logic they justified the continuance of the pres
ent infamous statute concerning PENSIONS He
declared this couatry had the most incongruous
zation. Men who had been imprisoned for
eighteen months in Libby prison were now re-
ceiving no pensions. and there was nc place
this side Of hell where man would remained
worse than In these rebel prisons" There were
from $4,000 TO IL, 600 soldiers in the poor houses
to-day, as the statistics showed. linen who were
made paupers In defense of the government"
Other addresses Of similar spirit were made.
One soldier. after referring at length to the
suffsrings Of the soldiers, especially those who
had hnon INN Cd htvpc ztff ehaf Aaela
ration that tho Democrats were in the main
responsible for the trouble in regard to PEN
sions and declared he would never vote the
Democratic ticket again This called forth .
the meeting. but the reformed Democrat jumped
up again and declared he would not be downsd
and that he would re-assert his resolution. -
Another speaker said the complaint was some
times made that the government had used
money enough TO paw the pensions demanded
He was In favor II that was the case. of blow
ing il up out of the ground. He did not favor
the suggestion OF writing to congressman. He
had become tired of doing that He was in fs-
yor OF passing resolution with fire in it, and
of supporting the bill to be presented.
The committee on resolutions then entered
and made o report, reciting how and why
the arrearage clause was repealed. Continuing,
the report stated that the Necessity for the re-
peal had ceased to exist aud that In face OF tho
enormous surplus in the United States Tfsasu-
ry tho clause could be enacted. In eonclu-
sion it was stated: I'VE are ready for the judg-
Inent In the past we have been promised in
eloquent diction contained 10 political platforms
that this wrong should be riRhted. It has not
been done. These repeated promises have become
wearisome. We therefore repeat that wsare
ready for the judgment. We are ready now.
If our case is not good in law. equity or morals.
let it be so adjudged. If our case is established
we ask for judgment. 1t may be asked whyew
did not apply while the arrears acs was in force,
to which we reply that being conscious OF the
burdens of tho government under large war
debs and heavy drains upon the treasury
for its maintenance We refraned from,
demanding what We knew at the time TO be our
legal rights. and to which. under the existing
laws. We were entitled, and for the additions al
reason. that with the increase OF years comes al
so an increse of our disability.
I'VE therefore respectfully request our Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress to care
fully consider the facts here stated and to use
their influence to secure the prompt repeal OF
the Limitation clause of the pension laws which
were in force prior to July /, $780,
After voting down amendment TO make the
resolution demand instead of request, the
temporary organization was continued as one of
permanent character. with the committee on res.
olutions. Robert E. Smith. A. o. Miller, George
w. Epperson, James l.. Morrow and Nathaniel
ID. Cox as the executive committee. The asso-
citation is TO meet again at the call of the chair
man.