The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-07-10
sERvIoE PENSION AND THE GRAND
ARMY,

la an Interview with Department
Commander Bowling, who was N the
city this morning, he said the dlaap'
pOintment Was very deep and bitter
among tho real veterans OF tho war
over the defeat OF thh Service Penhl0n
bill and the passage Of the Pauper Pen
sion bill "A Service Pension, which
shall place every h0norably discharged
Union aoldier upon tho pension roles OF
the government, graded according 70
length OF service, was the pension bill
demanded by the Grand Army OF tho
Republic.
Such a bill would pension the lighting
soldiers OF the war, those who went IN
10 win, and fought their way through
siege and battle until they had brought
the war 10 a aneeehhful close,
Such bill would make lighting roll
OF honor, upon which every man who
had fought 10 save his country would
be proud 10 DO enrolled, II would be u
distinction greater than could be be,
slowed by an prince or potenlate OF
tho earth aud place these men where
they belong, on the aiming rolls OF
those who won victory from the Jaws
OF defeat,
such a bin, demanded by the Grand
Army OF the llepublie, In state and Ma
tIOnal En0ampmenta assembled, q
Republican Congress, by tho votes OF
men like Mckinley and GrOhyenof, dc
feated and passed, instead, tho Depend
ent Penalon bill, whereby every man
who a6ryed but ninety days, 10 disabled
now and willing 70 swear he 10 pau
per, viii got u pension, The
passage OF the Pauper Pension
blll win have the effect 10 delay the
passage of u Service Pension bill, and
thus the men who deserve 10 DO enroll
ed In the honorable list OF pensioners
for actual fighting service, must take
baok seats In favor OF the men who
dropped out Ia the lrat campaign, or
got In by the skin Of their teeth lust
before the war was over
The veteran Department Command
or Bowling, who saw four years ser
vice, like his immediate predeoeaaor,
the gallant General Hurst, IN one OF the
original Service pension men. ITO says
there viii be atirrlng tlmea NJ Boston,
whore the Grand Army Pension Com
mittee win BIO called 10 account for
their failure 10 follow the instructions
of the National l1nGampment, ana press
the high cause OF Service pensions,
The following cOmmenta from q cir
eular letter issued 10 the Ohio Post
by Department Commander Dow
ling, giving the text OF the De-
pendent pension bill, shows how the
veterans must fight their way through
II they are 10 get Justice from the men
who make the laws!
No one regrets more than your DO,
partment Commander the failure Of
Congress, up 10 the present time, 10
pass a per diem service pen0lon law,
that would have placed every soldier,
sailor aud marine on the pension rolls
nc some fixed rate per day, for each
days service, between April 1861, aud
| July, 1865, In addition 70 any pension
granted because OF an existing disabll'
| ity. Such q law 8hould commend u.
self TO the judgement OF every patriotic
citizen, ana II 10 not too much TO hope
that such q law will be enacted, but II
II Is, II must come through the persist
ence and determination not 10 be de-
MED, Of those who wore tho.blue. Com
rades must stand shoulder 10 shoulder,
Establish recruiting bureaus, and gath
or into the order every worthy exsol'
dler Of the Union army emphasizing
the fact 10 our National law makers
that we are swelling our ranks, and
preparing TO battle with ballots for the
lustice 80 long denied us. Comrades
should not lose sight OF the fact that
upon our numerical strength rests the
hope OF our salvation, aud when our
lines begin 20 weaken and wayer, by
the dlminishment of numbers, In IKE
proportion will our influence diminish,