Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-12-12
Q in many deserving cases, impossible 70

establish.
That very many of those who endured the
hardships of our most bloody and arduous
campaigns are now disabled from diseases
that had a real. il not traceable, origin in
service we do not doubt. Besides, there IS
another class. composed of men, many OF
whom served an enlistment of the three full
years, and of re-en1isted veterans who add
ed a fourth year of service, who escaped the
casualties of battle s and the assaults of dis
ease, who were in every battle line of their
health and have, since the close of the war,
while fighting with the same indomitablo
and independent spirit the contests of cvy
life, been overcome by disease or casualty.
am not unaware that the pension roll al
ready involves a very large annual expendi
ture, neither am deferred by that fact from
recommending that Congress grant pension
to such honOrably discharged soldiers and
sailors of the war as, having rendered SUBJ
stantial service during the war, are now de-
pendent upon their own labor for main
tenance and by disease or casualty are inca
pacitated from earning 1t. Many of the men
who would be included in this form of relief
are now dependent upon public aid and it
does not, in my Judgment, consist with the
National honor that they shall continue to
subsist on the local relief given indiscrim-
inately to paupers, instead of upon the
special and generous provision OF the Nation
they served so CALAMITY and unselfshly.
Our people will, am sure, very generally
approve such legislation, and am equally
and navy will feel a sense of relief when this
worthy and suffering class of their comrades
Is fairly cared for.
There are some manifest Inequalities in
the existing law that should be remedfed.
To some of these the Secretary of Interior
has called attention.
1t is gratifying to be able to state that by
the adoption of new and better methods in
Office for information as to the military and
hospital records of pension claimants are
now promptly answered and the injurious
and vexatous delays that have heretofore
occurred are entirely avoided. This will
greatly facilitate the adjustment of all pend
ing claims.
NEW STATES.
The advent of four new States, South d.
kota, North Dakota, Montana and Washing
ton, into the Union under the Constitution,
in the same month, and the admission of
their duly chosen representatives in our
National Congress at the same session, is an
event as unexampled as it is interesting.
THE WORLDS FAIR.
The proposition to observe the 4OOth ami.
versary of the discovery of America by the
opening of a Worlds Fair or Exposition in
some one of our great cities will be present
ed for the consideration of Congress. The
value and interest of such an Exposition
may well claim the promotion of the General
Government.
CIvn-eERvIcE.
On the 4th of March last the Civil Service
Commission held but single member. The
vacancies were filled on the eth day of May,
and since then the Commissioners have been
industriouSly, though with an inadequate
force, engaged in executing the law.
They were assured by me that cordial
support would be given them in the faithful
and impartial enforcement of the statutes
and of the rules and regulations adopted in
aid of it.
safe or satisfactory advance until the
present law and its equal administration are
well established in the confidence of the peo
pie.
1t will be my pleasure, as it is my duty, to
see that the law is executed with firm
ness and impartiality. If some OF
it's provisions have been fraudulently
evaded by appointing officers our re-
sentiment should not suggest the repeal
Of the law, but reform in it's admin istration
We should have one view of the matter and
hold it with a sincerity that is not affected by
the consideration that the party to which we
belong is for a time in power.
THE NEGRO QUESTION.
The co1ored people did not intrude them
selves upon us; they were brought here in
chains and held in the communities where
they are now chiefly found by cruel slave
code. Happily for both races, they are now
free. They have, from a standpoint of ignor-
ance and poverty, which was our shame, not
theirs, made remarkable advances in educa-
ton and in the acquisition of property.
They have people shown them
selves to be friendly and faithful toward the
white race under temptations of tremendous
strength. They have their representatives
ia the National cemeteries where a grateful
Government has gathered the ashes of those
who died in its defense. They have fur
niShed to our regular army regiments that
have won high praise for their commanding
officers for their courage and soldierly qua
lties and for fidelity the enlistment oath.
They do not desire to quit their homes and
their employers resent the interference of
the emigration agents who seek to stimulate
Enc !, a int fhSt.l fI,i,
in many parts of our country where the col
ored population is large, the people of that
race are, by various devices, deprived Of any
effective exercise of their political rights
and of many of their civil rights. -
The wrong does not eXpend itself upon
those whose votes are suppressed. Every
constituency in the Union is wronged. It
has been the hope of every patriot that q
sense of justice and of respect for the law
would work gradual cure of these fragrant
evils. Surely no one supposes that the pres
emit can be accepted as a permanent condi-
ton.
1t is said that these communities must
work out this problem for themselves. We
have right to ask whether they are at work
upon it. Do they suggest any solution
When and under what conditions is the
black man to have free ballot? When is he,
in fact, to have those full civil rights which
have SO long been his in law? When is that
equality OF influence which our Government
was intended to secure to the electors to be
restored?
earnestly invoke the attention of Con-
gress to the consideration of such measures
within it's well defined Constitutional pow
ers as will secure to all our people q free
exercise of their rights of suffrage and every
other civil right of the Constitution and laws
of the United States.
STEAMSHIP SUBSIDIES.
RECOMMEND that such appropriations be
made for ocean mail service in American
steamships between our ports and those Of
Central and South America, Japan and
tho Important islands in both Of the
great oceans as will be literally re-
munerative for the service rendered
as will encourage the establishment,
and in some tair degree, eQualize the chances
of American steamship lines in the competi
tions which they must meet. -e---.--
That the American States lying south Of
us will cordially cooperate in establishing
and maintaining such lines of steamships to
their principal ports, do not doubt.
We should also make provision for naval
reserve to consist of such merchant ships of
American construction and of q specified
tonnage and speed as the owners will con-
sent to place at the use of the Government in
case of need as armed cruisers. England
has adopted this policy and, as a result,
can now, upon necessity, at once place upon
her naval list some of the fastest steamships
in the world. A proper supervision of the
construction of such vessels would make
their conversion into effective ships of war
very easy. ts..st.s - -