The Somerset reporter., 1889-05-30
SELECTED.
Soldiers Ponsic ms.


sion bureau, Commissioner Tanner said
"For long years | have had one con
scienlious conviction in my heart, which
has grown with the years, and which is
stronger in my heart to-day than ever be-
fore, namely, that it is the bounden duty
Of this great republic OF ours to see To il
that no man who wore the blue and laid
it oil in honor shall ever be permitted to
cran under the roof Of an almshouse for
shelter. The wolf of want must, in com
mon decency, be driven from the door OF
the manned or diseased veteran, and from
the doors Of the widows and orphans of
those who have already laid down their
lives. only few weeks since read the
cold, deliberate announcement in the dis
patches of the Associated Press that the
brick walls Of the vaults of the treasury
at Washington had absolutely been bro
ken down by the pressure of the silver
boarded therein and last week, in II New
York paper, | read that other cold all
nouncement which caused the blood u
boil in my veins, that man of good
character who had trod many a battlefield
at the head OF thousand men that he led
to the front as colonel commanding, who
had conducted himself in all walk, of life
with honor, who had simply been unfor-
tunatc in business affairs, was found by
an officer of one Of the charitable institu-
lions OF New York city, with his old wife,
ekiug out miserable existence in an at
tic room, trying to subsist ON twenty
cents day.
We hear a great deal to-day about the
pension list of the United States 1t is a
great list am here to assert that it is i
roll of honor. Among the scores of thou
sands who are upon that roll of honor
there are 50 ,S7l, no one of whom draws
from the treasury of the United States
SIS. 10 per month: 81 of them draw 81.
u month; 1913 OF them draw 81 90 per
month; IS OF them draw 81 sc 20 per
month OF them draw SGT per month
OF them draw - 80 per month / OF
them draw 50 % per month; Of then
draw SIP - per month; 81, j02 of then
draw 50 per month; = Of them draw 81 -
per month, and 2s3 of them draw ) pei
month
Mr.. Chairman, think that in this great
assemblage there sits no man who appre-
ciates more highly than do natural en-
dowment and intellectual development.
And lift my hat in awe and | bow in
reverence to that extremely cultured in
tellect which can make the fine distinct.
ion of two-thir,ls of cent per month in
the disability of men who stood on the
same battlefield
For twenty years, and under varying
circumstances, | have pleaded the Caust
of my comrades who wore the blue
For twenty wears have been able only t.
plead, but now am thankful that al
these finger tips there rests some power,
and as that power Is mine broadly say
that propose just as soon as possible to
call in every one of the certificates of pen
sion, the figures of which | have named
and reissue them on the basis of the
truth that no man ought to be down on
the pension roll of the United States foI
less than the miserable pttance of ) pei
week, though | may wiring from the
hearts OF some the prayer, God help the
surplus"
This, and some other things too numer-
Gus to 20 into in detail, | propose to do
if my life be spared and my official eXis-
tence be not cut short. No good citizen
of the Initrd States will dispute for an
instant but that it is wise political ccouo.
my to care tcnderly for the men who have
bon dc the heat and burden of the day
From the lips of my predecessor in this
Official position which | hold have tn,
statement that from statistics gathered
by him that there is no doubt but that al
least 10 900 honorably discharged soldiers
and sailors of the Union army and navy
Law down their heads this night on pallets
of straw and eat the bread of charity in
the almshouses of the 1t ited States. Ii
is shame to us, North and South, and,
God willing. we will right it.
am clearly of opiniou that | voice the