St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-02
Chairman Kay, Of the Vet
Grams Union, Writes a
Ringing Letter.
A Soldier Who Believes in the
Honesty and Patriotism
Of Cleveland.
He Will Work and Vote for
the True Friend Of the
q Veterans.
Instances Innumerable OF
d HarriSon'S SnubS Of the
4 Veterans of 1854.

Veterans Of 1854.
New YORK, Nov. Joseph w. Kay
has addressed the following open letter
to the Democratic national committee:
Hon. William f. Harrity. Chairman
Democratic National Committee-Dear
Sir: This is campaign of education.
War veterans, like other people, are
interested in knowing the truth. AS
one of these, who believes that "frater-
nifty means something" and favorS the
election of Mr.. Cleveland as president,
take pleasure in enclosing my check
for 800 to aid in spreading the doc
trines of Democracy, the hope of the
common people.
The Republican party has sadly fallen
from grace. 1t is no longer party
of patriotism. Love of the veteran man.
ifesting itself in political campaigns on
the part of the leaderS-some OF them
comrades. they say-only to be relegated
to the rear for four years more when
the election is over, is tireSome. For
many long years the pathway is streWn
with record of broken promises and
the wrecks of deferred hope, which sell
dom ended in fruitiOn. This is particu-
larry true in regard to the employment
of veterans in the public service. The
Republican party, which claims all the
presidents, with one exception, from
1861 to 1892, has frequently since the
death OF Mr.. Lincoln, demonstrated its
lack Of true patriotism by depriving
veterans of the
Right to Preference
in public employment given them under
the provisions of section 1854, Revised
Statutes U. S., passed March 8, 1865, en-
tirely disregarding their claims thereto.
This, too, for factional as we'll as party
reasons. The record of Gen. Harrlson's
administration i'll this respect has been
bad. 70 stand by him as a repre-
sentative of the party responsible for
all this-veteran though he be-in this
campaign means, in my Judgment, a be-
littling of the ties which bind veterans
to one another Fraternity is not shown
by words alone. And, unfortunately,
all veterans are not comrades in the
true sense.
"Resign or be dismissed" was harsh
language when addressed to Comrade
James Tanner, commissioner OF PEN
sions. for endeavoring to carry out, in
good faith. prediction promises which
he-authoriZed by Gen. Harrison-made
in Indiana in 1888. He did not deserve
such treatment.
The dismissal of Comrade Henry A
Phillips. as chief of a division in the
pension Office, was fragrant insult to
another worthy veteran.
But these were wrongs to the lndlvi-
dual.
The refusal, in 1890, of an appoint
ment as deputy marshal at 50 day to
Charles A. Scott, sergeant Company Il,
Sixty-second New York volunteers-a
disabled yeteran-a Republican Endorsed
by the ward association and county COM
mittee of his party, as also by twenty
four past and post commanders, e. A.
r., was not justice. President Harrison
was asked to remove the marshal for
this open disregard of the statute. At
torney General w. H. Ii. MilIer-a vet
eran, it is said-rnled that section 1854
was
s.CIearIy Not Mandatory,
And President Harrison sustained
him in this view of the case. This, too.
notwithstanding that Benjamin Harri-
son, i'll 1882, then a. senator from In
diana, as chairman of the committee
OH military affairs" United States SEN
ate, had reported to that body that mo
law could be made more mandatory"
veterans menace to the patriotism they
are representative OF. And its approval
by Gen. Harrison was not fraternal
act.
1t was not fraternal either, for vet
eran, Republican,, the present secre-
tary of the navy, to say to g. Hull
Grant. soldier who lost an arm in the
service and who had asked for place
in the navy yard, Join the ward Or
ganiZation." Nothing in the statute
requires this.
Just this kind of fraternity and dis
regard of the rights of veterans has
wronged thousands of other deserving
veterans during the past three and a
half years.
Gen. William De Lacy, an applicant
for appointment as deputy collector of
customs at New York, was told by a
Republican high in his party councils
in Brooklyn during the present admin
istration, that 1.-the soldier claim is
Only sentiment" Was it for ''Senti-
ment" that 100000 men laid down their
lives?
Sat On the G.. A. R.
The chairman of the legislative CON-
mittee of Kings county, New York, of
the Republican party, in 1890. boosted
that they Qhe committee) had ''sat
down on the q. A. II. at Albany" Its
meaning was that legislation was de-
feated permitting commanders and
ouartermasterS of posts to relieve ill
digent soldiers aud sailors, their fami-
lies and the families of those deceased"
in the cities of New York and Brooklyn,
as was done elsewhere in the state.
Was this patriotism?
The Republican senate of New York,
if,1 n
nations to public offices made by Hon.
David B. Hill, then governor, of such
veterans as Gems. Daniel E. SickleS,
James McAleer and John Cochrane,
Col. Frederick ID. Grant. Majs. Charles
j. Fox and Hosea II. Rockwell, Capt.
John +. Little. Richasd A. Schooley,
Azariah Brundage and James w. Webb.
Many of these were earnest Repub-
IicanS.
For this failure on the part Of its rep
notwithstanding of them wearing the
badge of the G. A. R.-the Republican
party is proven unworthy of confidence
in national affairs. Their acts belle
their professions.
But this is not all.
Branded as PaIpers
? The Republican assembly of New
York, in 1888, deliberately and by
STRICT party vote branded as pauperS
1900 veterans, inmates of the soldiers
and sailors home at Bath. Since then,
even now, they are disfranchised. 1t
was the political crime of the century
to do this; one which affects the rights
of citizenship of every surviving sol
dier and sailor whose misfortunes may
require that he should seek refuge at
such home in his declining years. Was
this an evidence of love for the veteran?
During Mr.. Cleyeland's administra-
ton as president it is my testimony
and the record will sustain it-that
greater number of war veterans were
preferred for and held their places in
public employ than under any presi-
dent since the war. Then the manda-
tory character of section 1854, Revised
Statutes United States, was recognized.
In the cities of New York and Brook
lVn-DemOcratic StrOnphOldS-and paD-