Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-05

we're fhinsT Of the past; that the South
cherished NO znimasisiss, that spirit Of
harmony should be cultivated. and that the
bloody shirt should forever be laid away.
We have notice.. however, that If the South
has any spirit Of fraternity its way Of show
ing IL 10, 70 say the least, very
peculiar. In every possible way Il
makes manifest spirit Of hatred for those
sho, in any way, AIDED ia the sappsession
Of the Rebellion. The North has been
generous TO fault in dealing With those
Who bore arms against their country, and
sough. 10 destroy 1.-THE bitterness tina, has
survived The fight Of years Is to be.
found today, aInos, wholly. in the
Southern states. We believe that
no one will be disposed 10 question the fact
that the present hostile movement against
our pension system Is a ,bing Of Southern
birth, eraffiiy, bot persisteftly fostere'i By
ex-sebeis al the national capital, ansii they
succeeded 10 enpafting il into settled
policy Of the Democratic pafty-if, indeed,
anything can be- SAID to BE- settled with that
Organization.
In Grover Cleveland this spirit Of h0stii-
ity To Union veterans finds htiing expon-
snt. He il Northern man with southern
IDEAS and prejsdiees, The men who most
eneetasIiy dominate him are from that Sec
ton. His administration has already be
come notorious for its .ubseryiency to
Southern dictation. The best po-
sitions in the public service
have, 10 an almost unprecedented degree,
been conferred upon men from that section
During the war Hr. Cleveland was what
was known as a copperhsad--a Northern
has first term as the chief executive of the
aation. he dill not undertake to dis
gsise his deep seated hostility 10 the
veterans of the I Hion. A large
portion Of has valuable time was spent in
vetoing pension aid voted by congress 70
deserving veterans and their dependents
# was not surprising that the men who de-
Tended the union In its hour ofperil should
have been turned against a president
thus dominated by the reycngeful feel
ing that permeated the South, and
which was shared In by its Northern sym
pathizers. At the next national election
they voted against him almost to man,
and contributed powerfully to his defeat
He came back therefore, to the executive
office with his old hostility to | nion seter
ans intensified by the feeling of
personal slight, aud Is ready
10 throw the great influence of his
official position into the infamous work of
breaking down the system of pensions lay
which the government OF the | nited States
eadeavOrs, IN = small measure to Indicate
for it can never repay-its appreciation Of
TIE great debt il owes To those who came to
thctr country rescue in the hour of need.
an grandly preserved il 10 it, integrity At
the very head of the great department,
witch embraces the pension department, he
places citizen of Georgia, one of the hot
beds of the tonfederacy, and state whose
eifhens still cherish to large extent the
anlmosiiics engendered by civil strife. How
large a sympathy for Union veterans may
W. expect to emcnatc from man coming
from such surroundings. What greater proof
of Mr. Cleyeland's implacable hostility 10
the survivors of the lnion armies, could
the country desire than the mere selection
Of such a man for this position We are
net calling in question either the ability or
the disposition of Mr.. Smith We assume
ID 10 he may have come to the
responsible duties of his present po-
sHiDn with purpose to al
IN ulster them faIny Certainly we hope
Il y such may be- the case. The fact re
m'ius, however, that he is Southern man,
reared amid the Influences of Southern
al atmosphere, and 1t is not to be ey-
=, ,,ed affection for the veterans. who, IN
ii cause of the Mon, invaded bis state
an laid it waste. The onslaught upon
our pension system is a well organized con
sI,facy formed by ex-rebels, and pushed
{, ward under cover of their northern SYM
pa hiLers. 1t remains to be seen whether
or not it will succeed in accomplishing It's
utiiuly purpOses