The National tribune., 1892-03-31
A PATRIOTIC CONGRESSMAN.
Views Expressed by Haj. Picker Before Lincoln
Post. E.AR.


Mai J. A. Picker, Congressman from South
Dakota. addressed Lincoln Post, 3, at their hall
Wednesday evening. March 9. The comrades
wers highly pleased with his earnest aad
forcble presentation of the claims of the Union
soldier on the Government, and he was warmly
congratulated by the comrades, aud q cordial
vote of thanks rendered him.
The Major said he was a member of Phil
Sheridan Post Faulkton, S. D., and that from
the Far West he was pleased to bear tidings to
comrades of the Capital City. Heproceeded to
express his earnest convictions as to some of
the debts the Nation owed the Union SOL
dier. The magnitude of that army and its
achievements grew greater as the years went
By. We do not realize or grasp its results, and
it will require five generations to understand
and measure the magnitude of the war and the
greatness Of results achieved-an army OF
300 regiments of infantry, 276 regiments of
cavalry and 900 batteries.
Gen. Grant, in 1865, commanded the largest
army known since the invention of gunpowder;
and. he continued, you men, my comrades
were members of that army. That army saved
and perpetuated what has become the greatest
Nation of the globe in that which goes to make
Nation great. An American citizen can be-
gin to understand how Roman citizen felt
when he said it was greater to be Roman
than a King. Through your courage, yaior
anu Has IL tIiu3 Sfcdt
He commended that as a simple act of justice
tho Nation should grant every soldier service
pension, but if the pension granted under the
present laws is greater than the service would
be- it should not be lessened.
He asserted that every Southern State except
one was granting Confederate soldiers PEN
sions; certainly a Nation which the Union
soldiers saved should care for its defenders.
He deprecated the cry of too much pension
Iii, nd oud fho fol 70 re
WIS simply an attack upon the whole pension
system. The cry that pensions were largely
granted to undeServing and shOrtservice men
was false and uhfounded. He claimed that
every man who, in those pcrilous days, took
the oath to obey the orders of his superiors
and 20 wherever and into whatever danger
ordered, was worthy Of the considerations of the
Nation. He quoted from Commissioner Raum's
last report as to the length of service of men to
whom pensions were being granted as follows:
Il will be observed that of the L. 402 soldiers to
whom certificates were issued under the general
law, S7l were to persons who had served a period
of six month aud under, while II OBJ were to those
soldiers who served for period of seven months
and over and that the largest number of certificates
issued to soldiers of particular length OF service
was 905 TO those W Ho served 81 months and S78 TO
those who served Sc months. The remarkable fact
Ia disclosed that 90 certificates issued to men
who served from, I6f months to 476 months. 1t
also appears that of the III. 04 persons to whom
pensions were granted under the act of June %.
$780, l63 certificates issued to soldiers WHO
served six months and under, 26 G99 were issued
TO persons Who served IL months and under. while
a 905 were issued to those who served l3 months
and over and that the largest number of certificates
issued any class was 4,693 to men who served 36
months
It is a somewhat remarkable and interesting CO.
incidence that the age attached to the greater
Der of persons pensiOned under both the old law
and the act of June q, 1890, was AZ years.
Isubmt that the data incorporated in these tables
s,ovs the fact that the pensions row being granted
old rat a. IN mat IN
persons whose terms were short and who saw but
little service during the war. The great msjority
of the certificates now being issued are to veterans
of the great struggle for the Union. and many Of
these would have gone to their graves in want
but for the just. humane and timely enactment of
the act Of June q, 1880.
The objections to pensions did not come from
the people, but was principally from tie money
centerS, ana from men VINO feared IL would
cost them dollar.
There were no millioEares in the army and
very few rich soldiers, yet to advocate some
organ ization to reduce PENSIONS after all the
difficulties and details of proof now required,
under the plea that men were now unjustly
pensioned, was to argue that soldiers were vii
lains and perjurers. and that the conduct of the
Pension Office was a stupendous fraud. 1t was
simply an attack upon pensions all along the
line-an attack upon soldiers. Attacks and
SANDER of soldiers during the war was treason;
it was not loyalty now.
He said be had introduced bill in Congress
providing that the Union soldier should be adj
mitted to the Worlds Fair free. He believed
it Just compliment, and due the soldier. that
he be invited to come and examine at Chicago
the great development aud advancement of the
Nation he had saved. Soldiers, under the Civil
Service who had been discharged for wounds
or disabilities, were preferred in appointment to
office. He believed any soldier who could pass
that examination should be so preferred, and