The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-06-15
RsPUslIcAN LOVE FOR SOLDIERS.

Capt. Alfred e. Lee, Grants Consul
to Frankfort on the Main and a brave
and unimpeachable old. line soldier,
pays his respects to the blatherskite
Republican politicians, who prate of
their "love and affection" for the SOL
dier, coupled with scattering review
of pensions and pension degradation,
A portion follows:
"The attention of the old soldiers of
the country ought to be called to the
exhibition of love and affection that the
Cleveland administration has for them"
Communication to the Ohio State
Journal.
The "love and affection" which Re-
publican politicians have for "the SOL
diers of the country" is something phe-
nomenal, as the undersigned has abun-
dant reason to know. 1t is only sur
passS by the "love and affection" of
the pension agents at Washington,
some of whom, by means of the COM
missions which they have gouged out
of "the old soldiers" In the collection of
their pensions have become million
aires. A conspicuous example of this
"love and affection" was furnished by
the late lamented Harrison admins
tration In the removal of General Corse,
the wounded hero of Allatoona Pass,
from the Boston postoflice. 1t was
admitted that Corse was one of the
best postmasters that Boston eyed
had, and his removal was prOtester
against by many fair minded Republi-
cans, but all that weighed not feather
with the greedy Republican partisans,
and the narrow minded Indiana petit.
yr,h. hu hn g
monopoly, to domineer at the White
House. They wanted Corse's head, and
they took 1t as mercilessly as they would
have taken that Of confederate or a
defaulter. Many similar instances, less
conspicuous perhaps, but equally fla
grant, might be given.
Another striking Illustration of the
SURPRISING affection which the blather
skite politicians of the Republican per.
suasion bear toward the "old soldiers,
Is found in the pauper legislation by
which they have reduced the veterans
who did the fighting, to the same pen
sion level as the .shirks, deserters and
hospital bummers, who either never
smelt gun powder or avoided smelling
it whenever they could possibly do SO
To the national treasury, which il
was intended to deplete, this Legislation
is a fraud; to the fighting veteran;
which it in effect degrades, it IL
an outrage. 1t has loaded the pen
sion roll with men whose disability
If they have any, is the result Of
their own misdoings, and has beer
contracted long since the war CLOSED
1t has enabled hundreds of men o.
practically no service to draw larger
pensions than can possibly be OBJ.
tanned by contentious veterans wht
served the whole war through.
That no deserving pensioner is in the
least danger Of having his nam,
striken from the pension roll every
sensible person knows. aIt is only thl
undeservlng who are insperil of sucl
treatment, and it is from them anC
their partisans that the outcry against
purging the roll proceeds. This clas:
will continue to howl and throw dus
in the air, but only the weakest ant
weak-minded will be deceived by tn,
performance. The public opinion IL
favor of limiting pensions strictly tt
those whose services and actual servict
disabilities have merited them is over
whelming and any organization or po
litical party, which undertakes t,
| withstand il will 90 TO the wall,