The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-27
AN OPEN LETTER.
To ALL WHO WORE THE BLUE UNI
FORM OF LOYALTY.

more as comrades-as men VINO ohco
touched elbows in a mighty, united ehoft
for our country. and were bound together
as by hoops of steel with an overwhelming
purpose
Then no politicians came between us "i'n
selfish appeals for their own aggranaiIe-
ment. No parties held us apart with theii
abstract theories and sounding platforms.
Then we cared little for what men SAID
only for what they were and would do.
Let rs dismiss the specious arguments Oh
these selfseeking men now, and commune
together as we used to around our campfires
on the plains and hills of Dixie.
This campaign has an intense personal
interest for u.s. Ourselves and our interests
are involved more than anything or any
body else.
False, misleading, and distracting issues
are cunningly pressed to the front to con-
fuse and bewilder us. Do not let dust be
thrown in your eyes by this. Before us is
but one absorbing question, which obliterates
all Others even as the serpent which sprang
from Aaron's rod swallowed up those cast
down by the false magicians
This one overpowering question is whether
the attitude and policy of Grover Cleveland
toward us and ours and his personality shall
be Endorsed by our votes, or whether we
shall at the polls express our approval OF
the attitude, policy, and personality of Ben
jamin Harrison.
Never before in the history of American
politics have there been two candidates for
the Presidency about whom the people
could be 30 well informed az in the present
campaign. Each has held the office. and
each points to his record while in Office for
full information as to what he will do If re-
elected.
On the one hand, we have Grover Cleve-
land, a stay -at-home and Copperhead during
the war, whom not even the strong persua-
sion of the draft could force to the field for
single day, and sullen soldier-hater ever
since. As Mayor, as Governor. and as Presi-
dent he dealt us vicious blows, individually
and collectively, whenever opportunity
presented, and he went out Of his way to
make opportunities. Studied insults and in
iuries characterized his whole official career.
He brought ex-rebels to the front, and sent
Union veterans to the rear. The favors Of
his Administration were for the men who
fought in the rebel army to destroy the
Nation; frowns, Sights and cruelties for
those who fought in the Union army
for it; appointments, promotions and dis
tinctions were showered on the one class
dismissals and prosecutions on the other.
He gladly approved the Mexican Pension
Bill, which placed 10000 persons on the
pension roll, the majority of whom had
striven to destroy the Nation, and the wild
ows of such. The husbands of many Of
these fell fighting against the Union in the
rebel army. In message full of duplicity
and teeming with insult he refused pensions
to 81, $40 Union soldiers and their widows
and robbed 100000 more who died in the
years elapsing before Harrison's election
| and his signature of the bin. To vote fol
Cleveland is to approve all this, and to slim.
ulate him to greater hostility If reelected
Almost without exception the papers and
politicians who are supporting Cleveland
are venomously hostile to the whole pension
system. They labor necessarily to preju
dice the people against it root and branch
They demand sweeping reductions in IL
which will undo all that has been gained
by years of effort On the part of veterans
and their friends. If Cleveland is reelected
not only will oil hopes of further pension
legislation be at an end. but it will be i'm
possible to retain much of the benefit o
what is already on the statute books to tn