The National tribune., 1892-09-29

resort readily to perjury to circumvent and
rob the Treasury. It was most malignant
slander upon the saviors of the Nation.
When the bill was returned to the House
with the veto, motion was made to pass it
over the Veto This received 175 votes-36
of which were Democratic. Against it were
| 125 votes, so that lacking the necessary two
thirds it failed to pass over the veto.
| 1t is difficult to speak moderately of the
enormity of this cruel wrong to the soldiers
of the country and their dependent ones. 1t
| was vicious blow which sent dismay and
heart sickness into hundreds of thousands of
homes. 1t snatched away hopes that men
broken down in their country's service and
all to the Nations preservation, had been
cherishing for years, that the Government
would at the last hour come to their assist
ance with payment of enough of the great
debt it owed them to alleviate their wants
and give a measure of comfort to their de-
clining years. Fully 100000 veterans were
kept for years out of their share of the Gov
ernment's justice, and during that time fully
100000 of them sank into their graves eter-
nally defrauded of their rights aud en-
bittered by the thought that the Nation, to
which they had given all in its hour of
need, had cruelty forsaken them in their
day of distress. All this was Grover Cleve-
lands cruel work.
Let us contrast him with the other candi-
date for our votes. At the outbreak of the
war Benjamin Harrison-older by four years
than Grover Cleveland-had been married
for eight years, was the father of young
family which strongly needed his care, had
acquired fine standing in his profession,
and was holding an important Office which
aided his professional advancement. He
gave all these up at once to 60 to the assist
ance Of his imperiled country. In the field
he showed himself among the bravest, the
most untiring, the most jealous, the most
faithful. His whole heart was in the cause
for which he fought, and no man did
better service on Ecore of sanguinary
battlefelds than Benjamin Harrison.
Since the war his heart has ever been
true to the men who stood with him
upon the battlefield He has constantly
pleaded in forceful words for justice 10 the
men to whom the Nation owes everything,
and the modest bronze button Of the Grand
Army of the Republic is never absent from
the lapel of his coat. As soon as he entered
the Presidential Office he began restoring
the comrades and the widows of such who
had been displaced by Cleveland, and put
them back by thousands. He modified the
Civil Service regulations SO as to greatly
favor the veterans. An honorably- discharged
soldier who had been separated from the
public service without fault Of his own-no
matter how long the separation had been
was allowed to return to it without under
going a Civil Service examination. Ex-
soldiers could pass the examination at
lower percentage than civilians, ard be
preferred to them in appointments. BY
recent order the same privileges have been
extended to widows OF soldiers. He has
surrounded himself with ex-soldiers in all
the Executive Departments. Five of his
eight Cabinet officers are soldiers of fine
records, and the same proportion obtains in
the subordinate offices, the heads of which
are his appointees.
Shortly after his entry into office the De-
pendent Pension Bill was again taken up,
its scope greatly extended, under the title of
the Disability Bill, and it was passed. He
signed it at once, and directed the officers Of
the Interior Department charged with its
administration to give it the most effective
application. BY this tens of millions of
dollars which had been lying idle in the
Treasury under Cleveland, or loaned out to
favored National banks for reloaning to the
people, were distributed to the veterans of
the country and their dependent Ones and
thus were not only the Nations obligations
discharged, but the money was set actively
to work promoting the prosperity Of the
whole country.
This, comrades, is a brief comparison of
the character and records of the two candi-
dates for our votes That It is entirely ac-
curate the memory of every American citi-
zen will attest. Being entirely true, can
there be any question, comrades, as for whom
| we should cast our votes? We think there
cannot be. 1t is simply question between
| true-hearted, jealous friend and an i'm
placable opponent and enemy. Shall We
take the one from the place where his
friendship has been of incalculabIe benefit
to US and replace him by the other, who
never failed to do US the utmost harm that
lay in his power? 1t seems to us that there
! should be but one answer TO this question,
and it is question which overtops all others
| in interest to the veterans and their friends