The National tribune., 1889-10-10
RIGHT THE WRONG.
Plea for the Passage of the Arrears Act.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE; Please excuse
this intrusion. ] can't help but feel that 10 Ia
my duty TO intercede in behalf Of those noble
old heroes who staked their all for the prescr-
walton of the Nations honor and integrity
during the late rebellion.
] have been q reader Of The NATToSAL
TRIBUNE for several years, and have been de-
lighted with its contents. but must say | do
not think you urge the passage of the arrears Of
pension bill in terms strong enough. j am con-
Gdent that there are hundfcds-yea, thou
sands-of men who served their country faith
fully during the war and contracted diseases
which have disabled them during all the time
since the close Of their borviee. and who.
through a patriotic devotion 10 the country,
declined To apply for pension as long rs they
were able 90 woFk-rofused 20 ask the Govern
meut for assistance until poverty compelled
them 10 do so. Such men are surely entitled
20 just much pay as they would have got had
they applied sooner.
] will endcavor 10 illustrate my position by
giving you an example that occurred In this
immediate neighborhood. Two men Il will call
them Joe and Jake for cUnvenienoel served
nearly four years In the same company in AN
Illinois regiment They were messmates dur
ing all their long period Of service. aud have
been intimate and constant friends during all
the time since their discharge. While In the
service they both contracted rheumatism. aud
by that disease. aud have been disabled by IL
during all the time since the close Of the war.
In 1872 they removed with their families TO
Nebraska and settled on the same section Of
land and by exerting every energy left in
them have succeeded in living and securing
themselves a home.
In 1879 they got hold OF some circulars from
come pension agent. These circulars induced
Joe TO apply for Il pension, but Jake refused.
| declaring he would never apply AS long as he
was able TO do any work. Joe worked along on
| his claim for year or two aud dropped IL for
| awhile. and then took IL up again, but did not
make much Roadway until 1886, when Jake
| became 80 badly disabled that he concluded TO
ask for assistance They went TO work to-
gether and after three years of almost inces-
| SAINT toll succeeded In securing the allowance OF
| their claims at s. each per month. But Joe,
/ the less disabled of the two and the less de-
serving, got pay for "a years, while Jake go.
pay for only three years.
Jake while suffering tho creator disability
and having proved himself b be the more
| patriotic gets $500 and his c0mrade gets 81 800
Jake Is compelled 10 live in his old sod house
| 10 go TO town when he Is able TO get OUT ia
his old lumber wagon. and his children
really snffer sometimes for necessary clothing
| while Joe has been enabled 10 erect a neat
comfortable little frame house, buy himself 9
comfortable buggy TO ride 10 town. and secure
| Tor MS family suhcient clOlhing 10 give them
q comfortable and tidy appearance.
Now. TO my mind, the Government did groa,
| injustice by discriminating greatly between
these two men. ! don't think there is "A man
Ia this neighborhood who thinks Joe should
not have received his S., 800. If Joe was eutl
tied 20 that amount just as sure as there 10
God, Jake is also.
was not a soidier-in fact, tn tell the truth
WAS not in entire sympathy with the North.
horn aud reared a Democrat. ~
Democracy from tho cradle up; have Away
voted the Democratic ticket ibid not vote fol
"G0-Gshing Grover" in 1889; but am con
WINGED now that the North was right and Oh,
South was wrong; am also convinced that Oh,
Government has done a deserving class Of mer
great wrong, and would like 10 sec tina
wrong righted. -BERT SLUsER. Hildreth, Nsb