Milford chronicle., 1889-12-06

Inc law now provides pension for every soldier
and sailor who was mustered into the service of
the United States during the civil war and is now
suILerng from wounds or disease having an origin
In the service and in the line Of duty Two of tbe
three necessary facts, viz, muster and disability
are usually susceptible of easy proof; but the
thifd- origin in the service is often dificult and
IN many deserving cases impossible 70 establish
Ihat very many Of those who endured the hard
ships oL our most bloody and arduous campaigns
are now disabled from diseases that had a real hut
not traceable origin in the service do not loubt
Besides these there is another class composed
OF men many Of whom served an enlistment of
three full years, and of re-enlisted veterans who
aaded fourth year Of service, who escaped the
casualties Of battle and the assaults of disease
who were always ready for any detail, who were
In every battle line Of their command and were
mustered out In sound health, and have since the !
close of the war, while fighting with the same
indomitabie and independent spirit the contests
OF civil life, been overcome by disease or cas-
ualty
am not unaware that the pension roll already |
involves very large annual expenditure neither /
am deferred by that fact from recommending |
that congress grant pension to such honorably |
dlscharged soldiers and sailors Of the civil war as
having rendered substantial service during the |
war are now dependent upon their own labor for
a maintenance, and by disease or casualty are in
capacitated from earning it. 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 upon the local
relief given ndiscriminately to paupers instead Of
upon the special and generous provision OF the
nation they served so gallantly and unselhshlv
Our people viii am sure, very generally an /
prove such legislation. And am equally sure
that the survivors Of the Union army and navy
will feel grateful sense Of relief when This
worthy and suffering class Of their comrades is
fairly cared for
There are some manifest inequalities in the ex-
isting law that should be remedied. To some of
these the secretary of the interior has called at
tention
It is gratifying to be able to state that by the
adoption Of new and better methods in the war
department the calls Of the pension Office for in
formation as TO the military and hospital records
of pension claimants are now promptly answered.
and the injurious and vexatious delays that have
heretofore occurred are entirely avoided. This
viii greatly facilitate the adjustment of all pend.
ng claims.
The president then speaks of the four new
itatesl
Protection Of Railroad Employees.
The attention Of the interstate commerce com.
mission has been called to the urgent need Of
congressional legislation for the better protection
y the lives and limbs of those engaged in operat
ng the great Interstate freight lines Of the conn
~ and especially Of the yardmen and brake
nen- petition, signed by nearly 10000 railway
was presented 60 the commission. ast-
nH that stens might be taken 70 bring about The