Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-14

different departments and relative per-
.centages are given in the annexed table.
OF course the new departments Of North
Dakota, IRdian Territory and Oklahoma
took their memberships from the de-
partments Of Dakota, Kansas and Tex
as, and allowance will be made for the
changes made thereby In numbers Of
those departments.
While our numbers make up 4 vast
army, ii Is confidently believed that
not one-half Of those who are eligible
belong To this organization. Many live
remote from posts; many are physically
unable to attend, and many, through
lack Of means. do not feel that they can
pay the expenses incident to member
ship.
recommend that as far as practica-
Bile, posts carry upon their rolls all
worthy members whom they know to
be personally unable TO pay these ex-
penSeS. OF ,ourSc, all who aHc able to
and do not pay their dues should be
dropped. but great charity should be ex-
erciScd in the cases OF those who are
not.
wish TO urge upon comrades the inn
portance Of securing, at the earliest pos
sible moment, the individual record OF
the services Of the enlisted men. The
history of the war will never be written
until il includes such record. Let them
be deposited with their posts and they
will be preserved.
THE PENSION QUESTION.
The subject of pensions has been, as
all are aware, the all-abSOrbing one OF the
year. During the early days OF the
present Congress it became evident to
the Pension Committee, whose report is
before you, that the service bill. 50
much desired, could not be enacted into
law, many members Of both branches
of Congress declaring that they could
not vote for an amount that, taken with
the regular expenditures Of the Govern
ment. would exceed its revenues. am
aware that many are disap-
pointed, but the committee has
been pOwerlesS to accomplish more
than has already been done 1t is now
believed that the expenditures in pen
sions, under existing laws, will exceed
$50. 600 600 annually. More. than 300,
600 applications have been made To the
Commissioner Of Pensions under the
new disability law, and he informs me
that applications are coming in N the
rate Of 10000 per day. Large as this
sum IS, it is great qualification to
know that it is distributed among our
own people. Four times a year this
money goes To all parts OF the country.
There is not a community which does
not feel its influence and to which il is
not help. 1t pays the necessary bills
to the merchant and the farmer, who in
turn are able to pay their debts, and SO
on. While these are not reasons for
paying pensions, they are source Of
consolation to the people who bear the
burden.
Since the war the nation has doubled
in population and more than quadrupled
IN wealth. Its prosperity is known to
no other land, and am sure its people
are gladly contributing 10 the support
Of those who at every scaritce made IL
possible for ii to be what it is.
Much misapprehenSion exists. | think,
concerning the disability bill heretofore
referred to, passed under date OF June
y. 1890. Let me quote from section %:
"All persons who served 90 days or
more in the military or naval service Of
the United States during the late war
of the rebellion, and who have been
honorably discharged thcrcfrOm, and
who are now or who may hereafter be
suffering from mental or physical dis
ability. of a permanent character, not
the result of their own vicious habits.
which incapacitates them from the per
formance of manual labor in such a
degree as to render them unable To
earn support, shall, upon making
due proof Of the fact, according to
such rules and regulations aS the
Secretary Of the Interior may provide,
be placed upon the list Of invalid pen
sionerS Of the United States, and be- en-
titled TO receive a pension not exceed
ing twelve dollars per month, and not
less than six dollars per month, proper
toned to the degree Of inability TO earn
support"
Under the official rules and regula-
tions attached To the bill are the follow
ing: This law requires in a soldiers
case,
u. An honorable discharge.
80. That he served Al least 90 days.
-. a permanent physical or mental
inability to earn support but not due to
vicious habits. 0tneed not have Origi-
mated IN the seryice.n
BY a careful reading Of this law and
the official explanation above quoted, 1t
will be seen that, no matter what a
mans financial condition may be, If he
be physically disabled from performing
manual labor he is entitled to "A pension
the condition being first, physical disa-
bility. not necessarily contracted in the
service; and second, that proof Of such
disability may be made upon certificate
from his physician probably, and with
ont the testimony Of his former com
rades. Should any member OF this en-
to-day receive permanent
injury, mot the result of his own vie
ious habits" he would be entitled To a
pension. Let us be just to our lawmak-
ers. even though they have not given
us all we asked. No country on earth
IS or ever has been nearly as generous
to its soldiers as ours.
OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY.
As the years pass. the interest shown
by not only the comrades, but by the
citizens generally in the services OF this
hallowed day vastly increases, both
North and South. wherever the grave OF
a Union soldier is marked. As an ex-
ample, the Chaplain Of the Department
OF Michigan reports that In his depart
ment over 3O3, 900 citizens and over 3d.
600 children participated in memorial
exercises the present year.
The Quartcrmaster General purchased
and sent flags to the cemeteries in the
South. which were placed at the head
of the graves Of our gallant dead upon
that day. | hope this may not only
grow into custom, but that IL may be
ordered that. in communities where it
IS not probable that flags will be fur
nished for this purpose, the Grand Army
OF the Republic will see to it that they
are supplied.
II has been my pleasure in going over
the country TO find in many cities and
towns, and also in the country, flags
floating over the public school houses.
Let us hope that the time will soon
come when this beautiful custom will
be universal. and that the Union flag
may not only be found upon school
houses, but in every home, and the love
for the old Stars and Stripes shall pre-
vail everywhere.
There has been expended in charity,
according to our official records, during
the past year, s217,650.52. OF cosrse
this Is no measure Of the money collect
ed and expended in a private way, nor