The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-02-21

uei anu hiiiitary execution, 026; die
OF disease, 1926; died in Confederat
prisons, 26,16S. Add those 'missing
under circumstances which clearly prov
that they died, and those who died with
IN Few weeks after reaching hom
from wounds or army sickness, and thu
total OF deaths is set at 318, 900, which i
doubtless very near the exact fact. Ii
the national cemeteries are buried III,
3o2 known and lat, 1868 unknown; total
3lS,S7O. Deducting soldiers of the Mex
lean and Indian wars, nurses, civilian!
ana Confederates, about 285,OOO who
wore the blue" in the great war for the
Union lie in these cemeteries. Verify
the nation was redeemed at great price
But these are not the only, not even
the main figures on which the veterans
now base their claims. The most promi.
nent organization, aside from the Grand
Army of the Republic, is the State
Service Pension associations of Indiana
ana Kansas and other states, now acting
as one, and the following extracts are
from their late appeal for the passage
OF the bill introduced i'm the senate by
ingalls,, of Kansas, and into the house
by Cheadle, of Indiana:
Delay simply means waiting for
death, to save money and defeat our lust
claims. Aid, to be of benefit, should be
gwen when the energies begin to wane.
The average age of our comrades now
living is over 90 years. The early draft
on their vitality makes them premature
ly old, taking not less than five to fifteen
years OIL of the life Of every one who
served one year or more. We therefore
request this legislation now. Human life
was poured out as freely as water in the
running streams that the nation might
live. 1t was certainly as valuable as the
gold OF the money lender and govern
ment creditor i'll those days of peril.
THE SOLDIER AND THE MONEY LENDER.
The contract with all such persons
has been kept to the letter, and their
debts have been more than doubled IN
value by legislation obtained through
congress in their behalf, with interest
thereon paid promptly at regular inter-
walls, while we received our pay in q de
preciated currency, amounting to q mere
plttance towards securing the comforts
OF life to our families during our absence
from our homes in the service from 1861
TO 1850. Therefore, as an act of Justice
and equalization of the losses sustained
by us during the war, we request of our
representatives and senators in congress
the enactment of these just measures
INTO law for our relief, and we request il !
now
"All who are opposed to these meas
lres of relief will misinterpret our mo-
lives and charge us with wild schemes
Of finance and imitation. This is not
rue. We answer that, with the pres
INT revenues of our government main
aimed as they are, these claims can
De met and paid without financial dis
ress or disturbance. The sum of money
necessary, combined with existing pen-
IONS, paid out quarterly to our COM
AIDES, will Immediately enter into circu-
alton, and will go far towards reviyinp
nd irrigating the channels of trade. to
he advantage of the manufacturer, mer-
liant, mechanic, laborer and farmer
'ur ciaims are reasonable and just, and
I'll add no burdens in the way of addi-
lonal financial debts to our people, not
dollar OF which is loss to the people
leaves the country, but which. on the
ontrary, very largely assists in creating
dditional wealth and increases the ma
onai revenues necessary to pay the in
reased pension list.
After showing that an enormouslv
rge proportion Of present pension rat
lgs are for less than So per month and
cry many less than 81, the address con-
nues: This division of rating goes far .
dispel the generally received idea of ,
lie 'boundless liberality' of our govern. ,
ent to ITS defenders i'm the late war. ,
hich is further modified by the unrea- I
'nable laws and rulings thrown around .
e administration of the pension office. I
hich reverse, in their application to ,
idiers' claims, the common law prac- I
&c of our courts.
up to June 30, 1888, the almost incon-
ivable sum of $685., 00O, 900 has been
I'D to holders of our national bonds on :,
count OF the war of the rebellion =
+, l53,O9O, 1854 of this amount for interest y
one. For the same period, 1S65-1SSS. -
ere has been paid for the pension list. :,
GLIDING pensioners Of all wars. $946.. :.
Z $3.50, but trifle over one-fourth the =
lount paid the money lenders. Gentle.
en-, the time has come when nothing >,
ort of radical revision and simpli. :,
ing OF the pension laws will do Justice .,
clear the files of near 100000 pend r.
claims, which, under the present law 9.
d system of work in the pension 81
ice, will not be settled in ten years. If =,
another claim was filed in that time. =;
Putting off service pension law ten 81
ars longer means that 300, 600 more -,
diers must die without Justice.
ntlemen, you cannot afford to longer n,
'ore full and complete settlement of se
matter beyond the sessions of the o.
ty-first congress. The national debt II,
IA its interest is no longer burden II,
ne. If one half the present popula- th
a could provide ways and means to e.,
ct the great expenses Of the war no
ely it is not impossible now to paw the ali
nest debt due the soldiers who saved In
Union. IL the revenues are insult vi
ent constitutional measures are still CT,
ilable and ShouIl no neal 30 .~.e-.I | tir