The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-09-29
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.-The gathering
Of the old soldiers here brings together
all elements-political and social E1-
officers and ex-privates, soldiers and
sailors, veterans from the New England
states and others from the Pacific coast,
Republicans and Democrats, representa-
tiyes Of the third party. and men who
have little care for politics Of any sort.
free silver men and goldbugs, all plingle
in one indiscriminate mass Of hand shak
ing and cordial good fellowship.
Anxious About the Political Situation.
II is easy to see. however. that there
Is among them much anxiety in regard
to the political situation. There is less
Of enthusiastic talk for or against the
candidates of the parties, but there Is q
quiet and earnest undercurrent of inter
es- felt in the approaching election.
The cordial and affectionate remarks of
President T rrison in his recent letter
II acceptance. in which he spoke in
terms Of such undoubted affection for
the old soldiers. his comrades in arms,
has touched many heart. There is an
inclination on the part OF those who
take little interest in politics to contrast
his course toward the old soldier with
that of the man who preceded him in the
White House and who is now a candi.
date against him.
Unfortunate for Cleveland.
Politics is barred in the Grand Army
organization, but the bringing Of the old
soldiers here to Washington. and the
nearer view which it seems to give them
Of the various men who have occupied
the White House, is a little unfortunate
for Mr.. Cleveland. The most unpreju-
diced observer cannot help recognizing
the fact that the sight Of the White
House and the recollection Of the vetoes
which emanated from it while Mr.. Cleve-
land formerly occupied it can but have
an unfavorable influence upon the minds
of the old soldiers gathered here.
Studying the Issues-
Another thing is observable In this
grand aggregation of men Of advanced
years from all parts Of the country.
and that is their inclination to inquire
into and make a study Of the is-i.es
which enter into the campaign. These
old soldiers who are wont to discuss
wars and rumors of wars, and who in
dulge in "reminiscences and personal ex-
periences Of this sort, are now grsvely
discussing such issues as tariff. reel
procity, bank circulation, pension and
pension vetoes as the chief issues which
go to make up tins campaign, now fairly
under way. Between Commissioner
Peck'sreport, showing MARKED increase
in the earnings Of the working people.
and the reports Of government officials
showing q similar increase in the say
ings Of the wage earners, il has become
very evident that the prosperity of the
masses has greatly increased under the
present tariff.
The Record Of Quarter OF q Century.
One thing which impresses them as
they come here to Washington is the
wonderful record which has been made
by the business Of this country during
the year under the new tariff law. They
are talking freely of the remarkable
record Of an export trade Of over a bill
lion Of dollars and of a foreign com
merce with more than hundred million
on the right side of the ledger in favor
of the manufacturers and producers OF
this country.
AntebeIlum Money Discussed.
Another subject which interests them
and about which they are making in
quiries is the question Of state banks
and the proposed return TO the old bank
ing currency which proved so unsatis-
factory even in its palmiest days. These
men who fought in the war are old
enough to remember the discomforts.
inconvenience and frequent losses en-
tailed upon humble citizens by the old
system Of state bank currency. And
you do not find one among them willing
to express a desire 10 return to that un.
satisfactory system. The losses in those
days, especially TO the "plain people"
they remember clearly and painfully.
n Is So Plain Thi. Time.
As TO the tariff. your average old sol.
der is not much of a tariff fiend. yet the
question this time seems so plain and 30
forcibly illustrated by the prosperity of
the country under the Mckinley law.
and the advantages that law has giveI
us over foreign countries in the matter
of our foreign commerce. that even these
men who are unaccustomed to discus
sion Of the tariff are taking to it this |
time with a zest. When they discover
that under the first full year Of the Nc
Kinley tariff there was wonderful in
crease in our exports, a great reduction
in the prices of articles in every day use
in families, and that we are daily &c:
ting the advantage Of European manu-.
fscturers in the markets of Central and
South America through the reciprocity
feature Of the law, they express them
selves as highly gratified and disinclined
10 change the present satisfactory con-
tion.
Perhaps the feature which most inter
ests the old soldiers who are gathered
here is the pension Office and its wonder |
full system. They look with astouish-
ment upon the great machine run by
thousands OF men and handling hun
dreds of thousands of applications for
pensions. The most remarkable feature
of this Is the fact that the capacity for
prompt action on cases has more than
doubled under this administration.
.