The National tribune., 1890-03-27
GIVE THEM THEIR DUES.
4 Demand for Legislation for tho Veterans.

EDIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: would like
to give the readers of your paper my idea re-
garding the way the old soldiers have been
treated since the war closed. Many of them
came home apparently in good health, and went
TO work to earn their living and lay up a COM
petence for time of need. They worked on for
a time and they found that they were failing,
butwere too proud to call OH the Government
they had helped to save from ruin while il was
struggling with an enormous debt. Time passed
| on, and the Government began to extricate it
self from its great obligations; bankruptcy no
longer threatened it, and n surplus began to
gather in the Treasury. The old soldier began
to feel his army life moro and more every year.
He had spent the best days of his life in the
service of his country, and now the poorhouse
began to loom up before him. He began to think
the country owed him something for the two,
three or four years of hard service in the field,
and his pride gave way as he looked Mt wife
and children ragged and hungry, while the
bondholder's family Jared sumptuously. While
he thought it was right and just that the men
who lent the Nation money in the time of it's
great need should have their pay to the last
cent, he also thought that the Government
should not let him or his family suffer while
millions of money was boarded up III the vaults
of the Treasury. He therefore makes applica-
ton for pension. Then he found out what it
was to got pension. He must furnish evil
there before Board of Surgeons for fear he
might not be thoroughly examined by the first
board, or they might be little inclined to re-
port him n little more disabled than he really
was, so that it might cost this great and wealthy
Nation few cents a month moro than it ought
TO.
When I get to thinking about the way the
soldiers are treated by the Pension Bureau,
almost wish they would have to fare as hard as
some old crippled and diseased soldiers have to
do, and if they are not treated more literally,
| am afraid If the country should ever need
men to fight its battles again, they will not
leave happy homes to rush to the front. They
will say my father suffered in want III his last
days, and guess | will stay Mt home. If go
into the army and come home broken down
in health, will have to starve go TO the
County house." Why is this the case, and who
is responsible for IL? Are the laws so stringent2
If they they are, shame on the law makers. 1t
Is high time something was done to make them
n little more reasonable. Congress has got to
do something for the soldiers this session, or
they are going to resent it fercely, for many of
them have waited patiently long time, but
their patience is nearly worn out. If we are
going to have anything to keep us from starry
ing or going to the County house. we want 1t
little while before We get where we do not need
it.
But, say some, you were only gone two, or
three, or TOUR years, ana you got your pay lot
your services. Yes we got our pay, but what
kind of pay did we get? Thirteen dollars per
month, while young men at home got from SO
TO $50 per month, with good bed To sleep in,
while we had to sleep on the ground, in the mud
and water. or get few rails TO keep out OF the
mud, and lay on them If We were lucky enough
10 find them. But. says another, you have had
all che opportunities since the war that tho
rest OF us have had to get competence for
time Of need. Let US look into this matter a
little farther. When most OF us came home we
were not in condition, physically, to do bard
work, but as soon ~ We were able and began to
look around. VIC found our places filed by 9TH
ers so the old soldier had TO bide his time.
His little savings from the army were spent
before ho could find place to earn anything.
So | say the bondholders have had their just
dues, and now let the old brokeudown SOL
dicrs have theirs.-IEoSARD Brooks, First
Sorg't Go. b. t7th Ohio. Spencer. N. Y.