Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-09-21
PIES for Pensions.

At the G. A. r. encampment In In
dianapOlis Commander-in-chief Weiss
sert devoted his annual report almost
entirely to pensions. On this subject
he said that PENSIONS are the natural
results OF war and that 1t was supposed
that when all the requirom nts had
been complied with and o certificate
issued, the pensiOner was not subject
to the whims and caprice OF officials,
but recently scores OF veterans, many
suffering from wounds or disc ase in.
Cured while In the service OF their.
country, have been cut of from the
pension roll without first making prop
or investigation. He especially called
attention to the fact that the Ffty-frst
Congress passed, by q large majority,
the disability bill, supplementary to
previous pension enactments, and then
arraigns those who were not friends Of
the country during the war and have
taken every means to create public sen-
timent against pension laws, and, 1t is
needless to state, do not confine them
selves TO facts and were not in the
army on either side. No facts, Mr..
Weissert said, are advanced to sub
stantiate statements made against the
pension roll. He added:
More recently We learn that thousands Of
s w9rssy ss ssidis sn.., we 70 4. l, sass,; ssRsnse = at ,Ss
pension bureau. have had their pensions.
stopped upon 2 pretext Or mother. b
p PEN 2 o9 i ~ . 81 our county ~ si nMsct sns ,nt Tor
somehow the indiscriminate taking away OF
pensions Affects only those who served In tbs
SON who served ssd1 in the i Mexican war thirty days
gets . pension, irrespective Of disabilities or
anancis condition. although many never
against the Mexican war pensioners. while
the mon who fought In the late war AGAINST
treason and rebel Ion are abused and traduced
that pensions are paid by . voluntary tax; that
NO man need buy the articles taxed for thAt
purpose, and that every Southern state except
%sn s nissf fought ~aiao ss.i nn'9 sSs 6 Ssnasloni1 Il e .r .ns
or navy service impaired the health OF vcter-
ans 90 - to prevent them from earning .
under expense on account Of that service,
they are Justly entitlei to all the government.
that has pronted by such service. csn give.
We're 1t not for the service rendered by that
country was seriously threatened, there
would now be no country to fulfll the prom
Aster threatened to overwholm the nation.
While perpetuity is the reward Of their ser
i.ns:;r o e. the s'1 rspnSlis . Ss%epq ss : sns.r 20 10 70
Republic Il unAlterably opposed to the grant
entitled 70 psn 81 on.'u under MA the laws nci b sa': III
remedial statutes should receive . broad and
generous construction 80 ~ to carry ont the
humane intentions Of the lawmakers.
Tho Grand Army does not favor giving pen
sions to those who ~ any time deserted their
country in It's hour Of )need, whether prior to
or during the war. Neither does It favor PEN
si0ns for bounty Jumpers or shirks. Neither
docs II favor sny system that permits those
whose loyalty WAS ever justly questioned to
pass upon the merits OF veterans who served
honOrably In the Union army. or which takes
sion. lawfully granted. without nrst investi-
eating the case and permitting the pensioner
to be heard, which should be done ct the ex-
penae OF the government, which demands the
aditional proof. In such case II would be only
just for the government to inform the sus-
pended pensiOner what further steps It de-
cancelled until the government has proved II
fraudulent or undeserving. Action should at
once be taken to secure the reinstatement Of
all worthy veterans who have been dropped or
suspended from, the pension roll.