The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-08

Rebellion army invaIids s................ 294 AS
Widows, children, and dependent relatives. S90lO
Navy invalds ........ -....... S2SI
Navy ElCoTs, minor children, and depend
ent reiatip 1873
1elZ war Sury3vOrs---. lo6s
e1ioaa 5siS Sa5 TiaoEs wa4 sal11ors - 7555 s55
Mexican war SO
Total 4o8oU7
As the years roll on even this number must
be increased, but il viii not be long until as
other years roll on, from the effects Of wounds,
disease, and exposure. the hundreds of thou
sands viii become tens Of thousands, and the
GRAND ARMY WILL DWINDLE TO DIVISION,
il in turn 10 he reduced to brigade, and soon
but small battalion viii respond to the call
Of the roll Of honor.
Some one has well expressed it by saying:
The living records Of the war Of the rebellion
Ere like the books Of the Sibyl-Rs they diminish
10 number they increase In value.
Mr. President, q prominent metropolitan
newspaper speaking q few days ago in c0ndem-
nation of tie Dependent Pension bill that
passed Congress last session, proceeds TO com
mend the Chief Executive for his veto Of that
bill, and severely denounces the legislation
contained in tue bill now under consideration.
1t says:
II is time 10 call q halt We should go back to
the Original principle established by the fathers of
wounds disease, or death contracted while in lire
of duty in the military service.
LIS II true that there are no precedents in the
early history Of the Republic for pensions for
other causes than those enumerated?
FAR FROM IT
In the utteranoes Of men Of prominence in
both private and official station. in executive
messages, and IN legislative enactments will be
tion Of The Government pensions for disability
occurring after the war service and not by d.
rect proof attributable to II: for a dependent
condition MOTTO be traced to such service; for
advanced yeaTs lessening the ability for self
support; yea, and for the mers military serY-
ice with no resulting disability oE dependence,
have been granted by Congress and approved
by the President without censure or rebuke
from even respectful minority Of a grateful
snd aPPrec.atiFe people. ] viii not refer to the
numerous expressions from individuals but
content myself with references to language in
Presidential messages ard to laws enacted.
Prom l77s 10 1866 pensions were granted
strictly for disability incurred in the line of
duty, but IN 1895 there was significant exten-
sion Of the law Of 1893. By the act Of that
year, but the pa after the close of the Revolu-
tionary War i was provided that those who
resigned their commissions or took dis
Charges, or who, after incurring disabilities.
were taken captive by the enemy and remain
eo IN captivity or on parole should be pen
Stoned as well as those who from wounds re-
ceiyed during the Revolution have since be-
come ana continued disabled in such manner
hs 70 render ihem unabls to procure q subsist-
ence by manual labor"
THIS BROADENING OF TIE Law
led naturally to the message Of President Mon
zoe n lels-SE years after the warm which
ne says:
Our attention is called with peculiar interest 70
TIE sur 49, oi4c1rs and soldiers o. Revolu-
Eonar9 49, u il believed that among
tne sur sstsa There are some nOi provided for by
existing aW ssilo reduced 30 indigence or resl
distress. These men have claim on the gratitude
either eoCiLf, aud i VIII DO honor 10 this Nation
20 provide lor them.
In ISIS after much debate the INDECENT acl
was passed II provided pension 10 those who
By reason II reduced circumstances were in
need Of assistance for support There were
many who otjocied 10 the so-ralied pauper 2
clause a. degrading to the soldier and defIins
the DeneFoience OF the Republic: bat the op-
position = TIE bill was Dn the part Of tbosf
vino would 20 further and give q service pen.
sion 70 al be agitation that followed tht
psuper Of act % 1915 led TO laws each wear more
and more iirral uutii, In IS32, q f1ll seryic,
pension Law was passed.
An nearly every executive message durin:
these years2 service pension was recommended
Andrew JarEs1n, saying in 1929 'f I suggest ;
review o. { e pension law for the purpose o
extending Is benefits 10 ev1-v Rey0lutionar-
Soldier Who aided ia establishing our Ebertie
snd who is Gua3.e 70 maintain himself in com
Tort. Ihese relics Of the war Of independence
have strong Gains upon their
ooUSTRY's GRATITUDE AND BoUxrYD
The BIZ Of lsa2 granting service pensions to al
who served. without reference 10 either dies
bility or dependence, followed as Of coUrze
without Opposition worthy Of mention from an
soUroe. %
Senator Frelinghuysen said in the debat
upon this blli
The aot o. 1918 eracted The humiliaiIn, o,.,,..
son oi a1so.ta.' poverty. II required of The age
veteran thai .e should publicly aud IL The urese1c
OF TIE sons tv the side Of who's fafl,eS - -
fought and suffered expose The tej,..5. = - - ~
condition produce the proof of his slI,,,rie9 a.,
swear e ls Sfr. noble spirit would tsclaiun .
VIII die la EHBt FIRST. II my country eYacls sno
igncble eoneitons let her Withhold Die f1ts,n y
Eiitanes fAi5iic opinion would 40 Isfl..s.r lsrxl
s-oH - iAAiE =, -h.-lpnA4 honor and gratitude n
Deserving rene ~ Times 50 dearly cherished sboI,l
be neglected o. iDrgOtten.
1t is not needed that should do more tbe
merely refer 20 the acts bv which the sol55s,
q the Bsr Of 1912, aud finally the survivors
the war with 5tezlcO. passed through the diee
snf sSsge5 q pension for disability coutracte
IN the service 70 that for disability and depen,
SAee, and finally TO q impleSerRice pensior
Mr.. President,
4 VERY LARGE MAJORITY
Of the ezs9ldieTs Of the Republic do not h
heye that the time has yet come for grsnt;r
10 the snrllkors ot the war Of rebellion sar
Zee pension They recognize the Venero,
treatment received by those who for disabil
ties OF dlBereHt grades contracted IN the line
orty during the service are able to prove i
facts alleged by the strict iEterpretarion
laws that are themselves too strict. They ~
point 70 the quarter Of q century that has 90,
by since that dreadful civil strife ended Sri
sts eyer-lengt tlening roll Of dead comrades a.
stand ready % show the impossibiIitr of Tnal
Ing proof by reason Of the death Of the ofTic
who knew OF, the comrade who saw. or the en
geon who treated the wound received or !
disease contracted. There are many men. tod,
suffering from disabilities contracted duri,
tne Tar who have tried for years 70 find tbo
Who II living OF within reach, could estabIi
the isctS required 70 be shown By existing la
= oT these they ask relief. They 20 a step fu
tner: They demand pension for every ho
orsolG G-olschafged ex-soldier who served thr
months during the war and is suffering fra
Inental or physical disability not the result
AA own vicious habits which totally incspa.