River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-04-12
DEMOCRATS AND REBELS.


A Bold Scheme To Pension the Survivors
Of the Lost Cause"
Give the Democrats full possession
OF the Government and with such a
majority that they would feel compare
lively independent of political chances,
and there is no predicting how great
would be their concessions to the OK
rebel element. The head Of the party.
as in the ante-bellum days, is in the
South, and it is only fear of an
aroused Northern sentiment that keeps
the organization as a whole decently
within bounds. The attempt of The
Administration to return the rebel iiags
was an unmistakable indication of the
disposition of the Democracy 10 con-
ciliate the ex-Confederacy and make
fast friends of the men who came from
battle-fields where they were butcher
ing Union soldiers.
The air is full of signs revealing the
drift of Democratic sentiment The
assaults upon the Grand Army, led by
such ex-Confederates as Senator Vest
and Endorsed by leading Democratic
papers. coupled with President Cleve-
lands vetoes of pension bills. conveyed
in sneering and abusive messages, show
how the defenders of the Union stand
with the party in executive power.
Senator Ingalls, was right when he said
in his speech: "The South does not
like Union soldiers. The Democratic
party does not like them. 1t never
did"
But the Dem ocratic party does like
ex-Confederate soldiers, and the DOM
inant section of the party. located in
the South, loses no opportunity to pre-
fer for political office the men who
wore the grey and sought the life of
the Union. At the same time the Union
is studiously ignored. For part proof
of this read the biographies Of Demo-
cratic Senators and Representatives of
this and preceding Congresses The
surest passport to Democratic favor
seems to be ii record of devotion to
the ''lost cause. And there are many
Democrats to-day who would readily
approve the granting of pensions to
ex-rebel soldiers but for the fear of TIE
wrath that would be evoked from loyal
people at any such attempt.
II is not surprising, then, to read in
the american Magazine an argument
in behalf of "A proposition that $25. 000,-
600 of the National Governments sur
plus be distributed among the sick
and destitute survivors of the war,
mo matter whether they served in the
armies of the Union or the Confed-
eracy." What splendid entering
wedge this would be toward oblit-
Grating the distinctions thus far
maintain ed between patriots and
traitors OF course, the man who
wrote that article is a Democrat; his
appeal will find welcome in Demo-
c,atic hearts only; and if the project
be ever realized it will be carried by
Democratic votes in Congress. and APP
rroN ed by Democratic President
If that scheme succeeded, how far off
would be the day when ex-Confed-
crate soldiers would be pensioned on
the same scale as the boys in blue?
And wouldn't payment of the rebel
debt be the next thing?
1t is possible that the Republic may
some day become so deteriorate, so
lost to self-respect that it can look
upon such a state of things with COM
mendation. l so, it would have been
far better that Grant and not Lee had
capitulated at Appomattox. The way
in which to answer all such movements
in the South as those above referred to
and the rhetoric published in Northern
magazines is to turn the Democratic
party out of power. That step would
insure acomplete immunity from every
chance liable to compromise the honor
of the Nation. -TrOu IN L. Times.