The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-03-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON D. G. /
March 10, 1880. (

Editor Register: should like to
give my comrades Of the Grand Army
of the Republic and the ex.Union SOL
diers Of the Second District little ad.
vice. 1t may not be palatable, but 1t
IL wholesome, and trust they will re
ceive it in the spirit In which 1t ID ten.
dered No man dare deny my deyo-
ton to their interests in the past, or
desire to serve them In the future.
The question of pensions, q service
pension In particular. seems to be de-
manding and receiving . large part of
the attention of the old soldiers of the
State, and from this distance We are
led TO believe that the needy, the wild.
ow and orphan, have been lost sight of
and that the able bodied claimant of q
service pension has elbowed his way
to the front.
The fact that the ex.soldiers are ask
ing fer . service pension is all we'll and
good. l do not believe with General
o. o. Howard. that we should wait
until 1915, but that now IL the time to
agitate the question; but when one
reads the Incorporate language. the
threats and demands which, | a great
measure accompany this agitation, as
shown by petitions cent to Congress
and in letters received by Senators
and Representatives upon this subject,
the true friends of the soldiers are
cast down, and in many instances
compelled to hang their heads in
shame. The ex.soldiers in Kansas
seem to be about the only ones who
have lost their heads, and this is large
~ due to the agitation and direction of
q few fellows who desire notoriety. 1t
il we'll known that the entire delega.
ton from the State of Kansas are
themselves ex-soldiers, who have prov.
en- their fidelity to the interests of
their constituents, 80 largely composed
of ex-soldiers, and why these men
should receive threatening letters, is
beyond the comprehension of the av-
erage mortal. 1t should be remember
ed that, large and influential as it is,
the delegation from that State is not
all Of the national Congress, and 1t
should also be remembered that there
are many in both houses who are actu-
ally hostile, and still others who are
luke-warm. Now, with what salts
faction can these members from Kan.
cas- present these petitions and letters,
which are insolent on their face, to
these men and ask their co-opera.
ton and assistance In pension legisla-
zion: We do not forget thst these
congressman are our servants, but
they are not dogs or slaves, that we
should demand these favors, or If you
please. rights, in Al insolent manner.
The delegation from Kansas il being
deluged with letters from ex-soldiers,
who threaten that, il the present
session Of Congress does not pass q
service pension bill, they, the mem.
bere. peed never return to the
State, and that the Republican party
will be swamped and buried out Of
sight. Great God! Where would the
pension business of the country be II IL
was dependent upon the Democratic
party for support Do the ex-eoldiers
think that theirs are the only interests
to be looked afte., when they and their
families do not compose more than
one in ten Of the people o. this great
nation? Do they think II is all Of life
10 be q Congressman? Let me assure
you, honorable - 1t is, IL il no bed of
rosee, and . very thankless job at best.
especially wheu one il abused by Lis
own friends.
ROW. I am not Q Congressman.
neither do / ever expect to be, but
must. as an ex-eoldier, protest against
the intemperate manner in which my
comrades ere conducting the Service
Pension campaign, and not only the
c0nduct Of the advocates Of q service