Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-11-30
Report OF Committee on Pensions Ia
Twsnty-scyenth National En-
cnmninnnI, q. A. II.


Your committee on pensions beg to
submit the following report and reso-
buttons on the subject of pensions:
ITO bind up the nations wounds. To
care for him who shall have borne
the battle, and for his widow and
orphan" Thus spoke Lincoln the
Great, Lincoln the Just, standing
reverently, with uncovered head,
In the immediate presence of cruel
and devastating war, that had
already lasted four years, the end of
which, although so near, his prophetic
vision was not able to see; speaking
TO, for and by the authority
Of the American people, concern
ing one of the supreme duties
of tho hour and the future, when en-.
tcring for the second time upon the
discharge of u trust committed TO him
by that people
Within few short weeks that end
NO long hoped for had come; but his
dying eyes were not able TO see the
full fruition of his labors, and the
work SO well begun and carried on by
him fell into other hands, charged
implied and required; and those who
had "bornc the battle" after so many
days turned their happy feet toward
their long deserted homes"
A grateful nation met and received
them, and gladly showered upon them
h.,, Al ut,If 10 h.. lt.au hn al
SO well and hardly earned
These bearers of the battle were
then, in the main, in the prime and
vlgor Of young manhood, with all the
honors and possibilities OF life before
them, with all the hopes born of lofty
courage and patriotic and successful
achievement beating high In their
bosoms; and they little needed and
still less cared for material aid from
the country they had preserved and
made free, save where loss of life or
limb or impaired health and broken
constitutions were presently visible;
and for such, in the main, ample and
prompt provision was made by that
country.
But ms the years passed by, middle
life too frequently developed into
premature old age, and youth passed
into ripper years with galloping feet;
and alas! too soon the exultant and
hearty soldier found that in the race
of life there were weights upon his
feet and burdens upon his shoulders,
as the result of premature and over.
heavy draughts upon his vitality. thai
sadly interfered with successful com
petition in the crowd and jostle OF the
fierce struggle for advancement. And
still the nation sought TO keep abreast
of the necessities Of her heroes, ant
| by additional enactments to measnr
| ably make provision for the necessities
of those who had borne the battle. '
A quarter OF n century had elapsed
The young had become old, the middle
aged had become feeble, and the old
had crossed The river. Time, with its
ruthless fingers, had joined hands with
the ravdges of war, and the two com
bined had proved a burden upon the
agingIsoldier greater than he could
pear, anu inc cry WtHb dDTOdu tHhJ III
too many instances for the credit,
honor or good name of the nation,
many who had followed the flag and
faced the fiery furnace of battle, had
In want fallen by the wayside, and in
the poorhouses were looking longingly
for the relief and comfort Of the
grave.
Their Gympathiziug comrades and a
patriotic people, with one accord,
voiced the sentiment that such was
not human administering of the sa'
cred trust recognized and announced
by Lincoln. As to what the remedy
should be, mems minds differed.
Many, possibly majority of the sur
vivors of the war, believed that the
time had fully come when the name
of every honorably discharged sur
vivor should be placed upon the pen
sion roll. Others, denying the right
that they should receive aught from
their country through the pension
roll, stoutly resisted the demand.
1t was under such circumstances
and dealing with these conflicting
opinions, that congress enacted the
disability pension law of June. 1899,
The act was accepted by the surviving
soldiers and by the people in genera