The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-27
GIRD UP YOUR LOINs.

| the prospects OF the near future?
Do they reflect that in all probability the
SD Congress will meet and begin its work
in September?
Do they recall the conduct of the cam
paign when the present House was elected
| Do they remember with sufficient distinct
ness that in majority of the Congressional
Districts the leading featnre of the CAM
paign was unstinted abuse of the pension
Do they recollect that the papers from
| New York to Oregon and from Michigan to
Louisiana seemed to vie with each other in
ISLANDERS and calumnies to prejudice the
| public mind against the whole pension
the Potomac and the Ohio Rivers where the
controlling part of the House was elected,
there was not voice raised in their defense
and scarcely man was elected who was not
an avowed enemy of pensions, and pledged
pension expenditures. with looping off OF
pensioners by the hundred thousand?
Do they recall that even in the North and
West-even in their own homes in the States
whence they had gone to fight for the Union,
in the States whittier they had immigrated
after the war, and helped to build up 10
prosperous Common ealths-abuse and de-
criaI OF the Nations Justice were the rule,
and the friends OF the soldier seemed almost
everywhere in the minority?
Do they sit down together and consider
one with another what they have reason to
expect from Congress elected under such
circumstances?
If they do not they are strangely indffer-
ent TO the dangers which menace them.
Certainly, if the virulent utterances of the
leading public speakers and the Influential
newspapers are to be regarded as foreshad-
owing the policy of Congress- the outlook is
dark indeed, for these mean that the entire
pension system must be rent and riddled,
Topped, cropped, and crushed until every
vestige of the Iaboriousiy-ga legislation
Of later years is torn away, aud the admin
istration of pensions eTamped back again to
the narrow, unjust, and illiberal bounds
from which it was expanded by the earnest
work and persistent agitation of the veterans
and their friends in Congress after Congress.
Undoubtedly there are men in Congress,
and not a few Of them, who would gladly
abolish the entire pension system, except for
the Mexican war. There are many others
who are resolutely in favor OF the most cruel
reduction of the amounts pa d for pensions,
and the number of pensioners, and of at
taching the most humiliating conditions to
such pensions as are doled cut. How far
these will succeed in their designs we can
only surmise-and fear.
Certainly, the prospect is not cheering.
the most sanguine can see few elements of
hope in it.
But to our minds there is but one course
for the comrades. Above all things they
mast not allow themselves to be discouraged.
They must look the situation sguaIely ia
the face, and stand firmly together for their
own defense. They have seen dark days
before, and by united effort have plucked
the flower of safety from the nettle danger.
They can do so again, if they only viii.
There are still over 100000 soldiers living
in the United States, and they are most
powerful political factor, if they will only act
together With their own votes and those
they can influence, they have fully one
fourth the entire vote OF the country.
Bot 10 accomplish anything they must act
in unison they must draw the bonds of
comradeship tightly, and everywhere present
q solid front to the common enemy. There
must be no division of councils anywhere,
no aid or comfort given the enemy in any
quarter.
Theslanders and calumnies against soldiers
and pensioners as class must be sharply
resented. No man-no speaker or editor
should be allowed to feel that he can insult
American manhood with impunity Let
there be a stop put to this wicked vaporing
about deserters, bountyjumpers coffee
coolers The man who utters such calumny
trsduces the whole country, and would de-
base the manhood Of the Nation.
Now is the time for every man to show
himself true conIrade. We are entering
upon campaign which will prove decisive
victory OF disastrous defeat. If il is to be
a defeat it will be final overthrow, for our
enemies viii never allow Us upon the field
again. We are too old to hope to make
good in the future any reverse we experience
now. We must put forth every effort to win
noie, and no eOmrade can be Indifferent Or
lukewarm in the conflict Every one has
| precisely the same interest in the struggle.
| Though he may not want pension now,
| the time is close at hand when he will. If