The state herald., 1890-05-09
THE MORRILL, PENSION BILL.

THE MORRILL, PENSION BILL.
The proceedings incident to the pas
sage of the Morrill, service penson bill
III the House on "Wednesday will he
very encouraging to the soldiers. Be
fore this there has been much speech
making on pension bills, many Con
gressmen caring more to go on record
in speeches than for the passage of the
measures advocated. Mr. Mckinley
expressed the sentiment of the old
soldiers when he said "What the
country wants is results, not speeches"
There is, without doubt. among the
old soldiers considerable opposition to
the service pension bill, but the events
of the last few months have demon
strated that the majority of the old
soldiers, and those most intimately
associated with them during the war
are in favor of some such bill us that
I ported by Mr.. Morrill, This bill pro-
vidcs service pension If IS per month
for old soldiers over 90 years of age
and for the widows of old soldiers who
have reached the same age. One good
feature about this bill is tha, it will
reacl, hundreds and thousands of old
soldiers who have never been among
the applicants for pensions of those
who have taken the position that it
was not the place of the men WHO did
the lighting TO ask for help, but the
duty of the government to offer assist
ance. \ great many of the most
earnest and best soldiers of the old
Union army have taken this position
from the first, and they have been
sorcly wounded nj every ta,int thrown
at the deserving men upon the pension
lists or upon The old veterans as
class.
Unfortunately, not very many of the
old veterans live to be 60 years old.
btih Nltstl wv .lNt W ilttl axe Elll
that the results of the strain. exposure
or wounds bear very heavily upon
them MS years pass. The small sum
of so5 II year, it may be said, will not
be of much benefit to such men, bat il
will be, because in the country 1t will
relieve many an old veteran from the
humiliation of fancying himself n
burden on his children or other rela.
tives. The soldiers homes can not
take care of all the decrepit or help
less old soldiers. Most nf the aged
veterans would prefer to spend their
declining years at their old homes. or
among those who are near to them.
This bill, with some IN ldillrations.
will reach the majority Of such eases.
At all events 1t Is IN The direction of
provision for aged soldiers. 1t is In
line with the policy followed by nearly
all civilized nations in taking care Of
veterans Of their armies when they
have lived beyond the age Of physical
activity.
The bill takes the place of the Sem
ate bill sent TO the House. When tha,
bill WIS before the Senate there WAS
developed IN the West strong semli.
mcnt against it, and the speeches of
Senator llawley and other Republic
aus were certainly ont of harmony
with the sentiment of the majority of
Western soldiers. No doubt members
of the House in voting for the Morrill,
service pension bill have been inlln.
enccd by letters from their cnnstitu.
ents, Certainly n great many letters
have been written not only TO Con-
gressmen. but to newspapers, enough
~ show tho sentiment Of the men who
did the lighting during the war. 1t g.
only fair that these men should have
hearing, and II Congressman have
been Influenced by the resolutions IL
doplcd by Grand Army posts or by
letters received from members Of the
Grand Army, the action taken on
"Wednesday is greatly to the credit of
the Republican members OF the House
On the general question OF pensions
the old soldiers ask only to be fairly
understood. They decline 10 put
themselves In the position of bcggnrs
aud the man who lnsinuates that they
do issomcthng Of II sneak and a COW.
ard. They nrc us tired of this eternal
Speccl'mnkIng about pensions rs the
people nj large can be, aud NO they
viii welcome the new policy OF passing
the bills without the long debates that
have hitherto given the curmios Of old
soldiers opportunity FOR 80 many
ancerS nnd licArllesa speeches. II the
country does not care TO keep H.
p'edgeg TO the old solGiers let Il say 30
and thousands on thousands of the
men who carried iiilpa, Of the mcn
who never asked qUcBlions In the hour
OF the county's peril. Will go to their
graves without murmur, but with
sore hearts II the country does pro.
pose TO keep In pledges let II do 30
Miihgu' tttt Inc utuph tI,ntt ID tttl