The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-12-28
Wyatt THEY SAID.
Stirring Words of Championship for
the Rights Of the Veterans.

Mr.. Baldwin, of Wisconsin, in the discussion
Of the pension clause of the emergency de-
fciency: bill on the 18th Of December used the
following language and elected the following
reply from Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa:
On Saturday last charged the gentleman
from Iowa Mr.. LACEY with toe much indul-
geuce of sentiment in his treatment of the pen
sion question. Natursily the gentleman from
Illinois [Mr. Cannonl would indulge in senti-
meDt. He was not soldier, and therefore has
q sentimental idea of the dangers. the priva-
fions the baTdships of the soldier. But the
gentleman from Iowa was a soldier. He doub:
not has about the campfres of his army post
Sighting over his battles again, agreed with the
boys as we all agree that our years in the army,
despite the hardships. the privatiOns, and the
dangers, were the hsppiest the jOlliest, and
the best of all our lives.
The labOrer on our streets, in our mines suf
fers greater hardships. greater privatiOns, and
is liable 10 greater dangers in some instances
than were the soldiers of our army during the
war. And if they knew the difference in con-
ditiOns, would gladly change their toilsome
days, tbeir dscomforts and privations for the
better conditions of the soldier.
speak as one who had his full share of the
priyations. the haTdships. and the dangers of
the Iron Brigade, member of a regiment OF
that brigade that, believe. did more fighting
than any regiment in the United States SERVICE
aud by the record of the War Department lost
more men in battle than any other regiment in
the Union armies. Nearly four years service,
twice wounded, II months a prisoner in South
ern prisons. / think / am competent to speak Of
the hardshps, the privations, and the dangers
of the soldier, and yet all these have / suffered
to an equal extent in my experience in camp
IS a civil engineer.
Why, Mr.. Chairman, to many the war was
p1 mir Ind I haUf Ia
gentlemen to discard some Of their sentiment
and get down to business on this pension ques-
tion. And will these gentlemen claim that all
this great army of pensioners are disabled as
result OF their army service? Do they not
know that the tendency of army life was TO
better the physical condition of men. and TO
lengthen rather than diminish the length of
life?
The Chairman. The gentleman has 10 min
utes of his time remaining.
Mr.. Cannon. of Illinois yield 10 minutes
TO the gentleman from Iowa mr.. Hepburnl.
Mr.. Hepburn. Mr. Chairman. We have long
been accustomed to such assaults upon the PEN
sion-roll as has been recently INDUCED in by
the President of the United States. For long
time ii has been the habit of many gentlemen,
members of this House. and in other places. TO
lnoulge in assaults upon the pension-rOll. We
have become accustomed to is.
assure the members of this House that there
pension-roll should be purged of everything
that brings upon it dishonor. and no member
of the House upon this side would object to the
erasure of every unworthy name upon the
roll.
But the opposition that there is to the prop.
osition before the House is the settled belief
that it is not for the purpose of simply taking
from the rolls the names of those that ought
not 70 be there, If there be such, Init it is for
the purpose of harassng disturbing, and ter
ForiziDg those whose names are or ought to be
there. Two hundred and forty thousand dol
lars was borne by the last appropriation bill for
the purpose of this class OF examinations the
sum supposed to be ample for the purpose for
the entire fiscal year; yet we are now told that
that ia already or will speedily be exhausted.
What has become of il?
1t was deemed amply sufficient for the legiti-
mate purposes of investigating in the field, for
the purpose of the investigations in regard to
these claims that have been pending and are
now pending. The exhaustion of the appro-
priation shows that il has been used for the
illegitimate purpose of trying to spy ont try
ing to find in an improper and ignoble way
something that will justify these charges that
have been so lavishly made.
Now, the gentleman from Minnesota mr..
Baldwin, comes in with q new assault upon the
pensiOn-rOll. No one has heretofore been ready
20 decry the services or TO beittle the sufierings
and fortitude OF those who aided in putting
down the most gigantic rebellion that was ever
known.
All, gentlemen, was not that Herculean
taskf The records Of time show no such
achievements were accomplished by the
Eederal army. Think of it! Eleven millions
OF brave, chiValric, warlike people absolutely
overcome in the short space of four years
IhHk Of the difficulties that Nature threw in
She way; the broad rivers the ranges of mount
aims, the narrow canyons that had 10 be passed, |
sealed, and crossed by the invading forces,
every one Of them defended by brave, chivalric
men! In other couBtTies-in the late war
between France and Germany-there were
broad highways of travel. there were bridges
there were environments for their troops; they
had 10 carry no commissary supplies; they
lived upon the country. dense population
gave camps and shelter to the invading troops
Not so with Us. And yet the gentleman
from Minnesota tells Us that this was mere
piay-spell; protrscted, prolonged picnic; a
mere hilarious and joyous occasion. Why,
does not that gentleman know that 81 600
brave men. his comrades, persisted on the field
of battle; 43 600 died Of wounds received in
battle; $4,000 persisted in the prison-peng Of
the South; 25000 il lie estimated, died from
casualties, and 235 600 died of disease contract
ed in the service while their names were still
upon the muster-rolls2 -Four hundred and ten
thonssBd men of that grand army persisted
while their names were still upon the muster
roll.
Think Of it! If you could resummon their
Shades If you could place them in their old
places, constituting grand army corps, armed
and equipped with necessary train, as it
should he supplied with, and started upon a
march for the City of Boston, the rear-guard
would not have left the City of Washington
when the advaBce-guard would have reached
ITS destination. This great destruction of life
rs more than p per cent Of the actual partici-
pants IN battle; and yet the gentleman from
Minnesota tells ne that this was protracted,
prolonged picnic, that their service was scarce
Iy such service as entitled them to recognition
now from grateful country.
All and gentlemen of hlsi lk inveigh against
the magnitude of the pension. roll Ono hun
ofed aud slxty-fve million, they tell US and
sometimes over, expended, aud sometimes
under their breath they tell US squandered for
HE payment Of pensions.
Why, gentlemen, the pension-roll is a neces-
eary part OF our system of military defense
Onr fathers starred upon the theory of a small
standing army and a large volunteer force for
purposes OF emergency. YOu must be Just and
true TO the old volunteer soldier if you expect