Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-11-29

IIOI Ou0 WOTu VI uOpo UT liuO VI ptOu-
lee for the union soldiers Of the late
war. Dominated and controlled as
the st. Louis convention was by those
who had been in armed opposition to
the government of the United States,
ard endorsing as II did for its leader
an ex-contederate soldier, it was but
natural that it's platform should be
cold and Indifferent, without one word
of encouragement for the boys who
wore the blue, aud defended the power
and majesty Of our government.
But so far as you are concerned, l
am glad 10 have my doubts dispelled,
aud as my representative In congress,
l shall watch your work with much
interest. Yon will find many difficult
ties and embarrassment to contend
with. You will find those coming
from another section of the country,
as the direct representatives Of the Or
ganizatiOn of which you were the hon
ored president in this state, very much
opposed TO further pension legislation
in the interest of the ex-union soldiers.
But 1 trust you will be strong enough
and jealous enough to make your COLI
victions known, and that your sense OF
justice and love of patriotism will
prompt you to disassociate yourself
from your companions, aud that you
will labor with the republican MEM
bers to secure liberal and just legisla-
ton in the interest of our nations de.
tenders.
During my service in congress /
have given attention to more than six
thousand pension claims, and have
written over thirty thousand commu-
nicaiions upon the subject of pensions
alone. This, as you will observe, is a
little more than an average OF eleven
a day, each day of the week, each
week of the month, each month of the
year since l was first elected 10 con-
gress, and il is gratifying TO ME to
know, that you will take up this work
where i lay 1t down, and carry 1t OH
faithfully and laboriously.
But you call my attention to my
failure to favor old soldiers with the
post Offices at Arkansas City, Winfield,
Columbus and Cherryvale. 1t has
been my rule in post Office appoint
ments to favor the applicant whom the
patrons of the Office desired, whether
an old soldier or not and as l carried
Arkansas City by 372 majority at the
recent election, and Winfield by pa,
aud as these cities are in your own
county and where you are best known,
take these majorities as evidence that
the appointments were made reasona-
bly, satisfactory to the people who are
served. Aud 80 at Columbus. As the
contest at Cherryvale at the time l
made my recommendation was be-
tween candidates neither of whom
had been in the union service, do not
think the letter or the spirit Of any
law was violated by the appointment
made, and as I received handsome
majority at Cherryvale think my ac-
ton was sustained by the people.
AS more than four-fifths of the ap-
pointments given to this congressional
district, by this administration, have
upon my Recommendation been given
to old soldiers, we will be greatly
pleased If party Of which Mr.. Polk,
of North Carolina, is the accredited
leader, will do as well.
Again you call my attention to what
you seem to regard, by the peusion
office, as q discrimination against the
soldiers living In Kansas, and in favor
of those living in Indiana. This
charge was made when General Black
was commissioner of pensions, and
has been repeated from time TO time
since the appointment of General
Raum, but it has been 80 often ans
wered and so fully exploded that I did
net presume that any one Of intelli-
gence would repeat 1t after the recent
campaign.
1t was q "good enough Morgan" to
use before election TO deceive the vot-
ers and to gain a temporary advant.
age, but it requires much more than
ordinary gall and effrontery to repeat
1t when the people have time 10 con-
slider the truth aud to think for them
selves.
It Is true that there are more names
in Indiana in proportion to numbers
upon the pension roll than upon the
Topeka roll for Kansas. But all
should remember that in Kansas there
are hundreds and thousands of PEN
sioners whose names do not appear
upon the Topeka roll. Many Of them
were pensioned before they came to
Kansas; and their names are borne
upon the roll of Des MOines, Iowa (;
Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis; Col
umbus, Ohio; Washington, d. c, or
elsewhere.
Again, when the war closed and the
armies were disbaDded, the old men,
and The crippled and the diseased men
who had entered the service In Indi-
ana. returned TO their old homes and