The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-12-06

Pensions.
The law now provides pension for every soldier
| and sailor who mustered into the service OF
the United States during the civil war and is now
suffering from wounds disease having an origin
In the service and in the line OF duty Two of the
| three necessary facts, viz, muster and disability
| are usually susceptible OF easy proof but the
third, origin in the service is often dinicut and
| In many deserving cases impossible TO establish.
| That very many Of those who endured the hard
ships OF our most bloody and arduuus campaigns
are now disabled from diseases that had a real but
not traceable origin in the service do not doubt
| Besides these there is another class composed
| OF men many OF whom served an enlistment OF
| three full years, and Of re-enisted veterans who
| added 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, aud have since the
| close OF the war, while fighting with the same
indomitable 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 10 such konorably
discharged soldiers and sailors Of the civil war as
having rendered substantial service during the
war are now dependent upon their own labor for
maintenance and by disease or casualty are i'm.
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 shah continue 10 subsst upon the local
RELIEF given indisctminatsly 10 paupers instead of
upon the special and generous provision Of the
nation they served so gallantly and unsslhshly
| Our people Will am sure, very generally ap-
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.
lsting law that should be remedisd. To some OF
these the secretary Of the interior has called at
tsntion.
adoption Of new and better methods in the waI
department the calls of the pension Office for in
formation as 20 the military and hospital record,
Of pension claimants are now promptly answered
and the injurious and yexatious delays that hay,
heretofore occurred are entirely avoided Thii
will greatly facilitate the adjustment Of ali psnd
ing claims
The president then speaks OF the four new
statssl
Protection of Railroad Employees.
The attention Of the interstate commerce com
mission has been called TO the urgent need o
congressional legislation for the better protection
o. the lives and limbs OF those engaged in operat
lng the great interstate freight lines of the coun
NY and especially Of the yardmen and brake
men. petition, signed by nearly 10, 900 railwa,
orakemen, was presented 20 the commission ask
ng that steps might be taken 10 bring about III
use OF automatic brakes and eouplers on fregh
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