Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-20
NO COLLARS FOR THEM.
A Futile Attempt to Coerce Veteran
Soldiers.

| X,
"as matters of vital Importance" to
soldiers would be discussed. At the
appointed hour the hall was packed. No
one was admitted but those holding the
postal cards, on which was filed in the
blank space their name and regiment
The chairman of the meeting stated the
object was to increase the membership
OF the soldiers and sailors league, an
organization which had it's origin in this
city, and which was now issuing chart
ers throughout the state and the Union.
ITS aims were to see that all comrades
There there were opportunities, should
secure positions, and among other
pledges was one that they should swear
tealty to the Republican party. After
stating the objects of the meeting Mr..
Y ii. Donnell was called upon for a
tpeech. As usual, he went back
and recounted the trials of
the bows in blue. He was followed by
Judge Smith in the same vein. A COM
mittee was then appointed upon resolu-
tions, who retired to prepare a report.
In the meantime Ex-Governor John J.
Gosper was called out. In substance he
said that it was and had been a princi-
pie OF his life that everything else be-
ing equal" he had always given the
preference to the soldier.
When he had subsidized, Colonel H. G.
Shaw arose and with determined en-
phasis, said he ''liked to see man live
up to his profession;" that he had
applied to the board of edu-
cation for the position of
clerk OF that body, as the new city
| charter provided for such an officer.
Mr. Gosper who had so fervently pro-
claimed his devotion to the principle
of giving soldiers a chance, was mem
Der of the board of education. He
asked Mr.. Gosper to help him get the
place. But Gosper did not exhibit any
intention to help his comrade at that
time. Gosper was probably not then
hunting soldiers votes. He was in a
position to practice what he was now
preaching, but Governor Gosper's
In fact, the speaker suggested that
where they could give comrade
lift, got the big head. A soldiers sand
sailors league, made up of Gosper's, he
suggested, would soon go to pieces.
Colonel Shaw's pithy speech created
quite sensation. 1t fell like bomb
shell in the camp. Governor Gosper
turnedvery white and climbed on chair
to talk, but Colonel Shaw insisted that
he had the floor and was going to have
his say out, and that then the soldiers
friend, Mr.. Gosper, could purge himself
of contempt for soldiers who desired
his aid in getting public employment.
| AT this juncture someone moved
| recess, giving the committee on resolu-
lions time to report. However, in the
meantime resolution was introduced
| by Comrade Kuntze, calling for an ex-
planation of Hon. H. II. Markhams
action in regard to the non-removal of
the present governor of the Home,
which was almost unanimously recon-
mended by the reports of the committees
OF the G. A. r. posts of this city, the
ladies' Relief Corps and the grand COM
mander of the state. This resolution
was referred to the committee, which
reported it back, with other resolutions
of endorsement of the Republican state
ticket.
In substance the meeting was called
to place collar upon all old soldiers and
sailors, and pledge them to the support
of the Republican party, whether they
were so inclined or not. Here the fun
came in, and the whole meeting became
turmoil. A sentiment was developed
that was not entirely in sympathy with
the Republicans, and that the means
being used to coerce soldiers into the
support OF the ticket was not justiiable.
Col Shaw was seen last night by a
HERALD reporter. He decided to speak
on the subject of his controversy with
Governor Gosper, saying that he was
satisfied with having stated the facts in
the case to his comrades. "I was at
q hn T hoI
received an invitation stating that bust
would be transacted. The managers
explained that the object of the meeting
was political. They invited those pres
ent to enroll themselves in an organiza-
ton of veterans known as the Soldiers
and Sailors League, to act with the
Republican party, and whose chief aim
it was stated, is to help ex-soldiers and
ex-sailors to Office and employment. l
am in hearty sympathy with any
movement to aid my comrades. am
Republican and l shall work for the
election of Mr.. Markham and the rest OF
the ticket, but 1 declined to become
member of the soldiers and sailors
league. stopped soldering 25 years
ago. This is government of citizens
and not government of soldiers and
sailors. The citizens of the United
States are all equally patriotic today. 1t
is a big mistake for any one class of
people to claim they are more patriotic
than any other class, especially when
the other class have had no opportunity
to show their patriotism. Such a
claim is manifestly offensive to
the great mass of American citizens,
now in middle life, who were children
when the fighting was going on, and
that younger generation of voters who
were born four years after the last hos
tile shot was fired. The Grand Army of
the Republic very sensibly takes no part
in politics. The veterans have ample op-
portunity to do political work by join
ing one or other of the many local
political clubs or leagues. AS ex-sol-
diers they ought not to antagonize any
political party. The public sentiment
OF the country towards the soldiers of
the war is of the most kindly character,
and if this sentiment is to be nourished
and maintained we must avoid building
up anything that looks like soldiers
vote. AS sure as we do. SO we shall SOW
dragons teeth. Before l could raise a
moustache was wounded and a pris-
oner in the hands of the enemy.
The scar shall carry with me to the
grave. Still l do not think that
the fact that went to the war when it
was nv duty to 90 to the front gives me