The National tribune., 1893-02-16
but he was unwilling to go any further in tn
diractinp
VETERANS PATRIOTIC LEAGUE.


Mr. O'Neill had read the platform of the
Veterans Patriotic League. to which A. D.
Hodges. ir., acting Secretary certifes that over
60 veterans had signed the document. This
platform, in substance. believes "that every
veteran not disabled in service who accepts
pension while able to support his family, is
lowering the tone of American independence
and patriotism, and sefshly increasing the
burden Of taxation upon his fellow citizens,
and they believe that Congress is bound to
consider the intesests Of the country first, and
Of the soldiers second; and they believe that
any extension Of the pension system beyond
the point already reached. especially in the
direction of service pension, to be unneces-
sary, demoralzing and pernicous" Mr.. O'Neill
| then said that all the soldiers alive to-day
| were not members of the GAR. There are
| about 100000 soldiers alive to-day and only
100000 belong to the GAR This organiza-
| tion is divided as to the kind of pension to be
given, and he protested against their being
brought here as favoring this legislation or if
they do he denies that they represent all the
veterans Of the war.
| Mr. O'Neill thought "the men who are
strong and able bodied ought not to fasten
| like leeches on the purse-strings of the Gov
| ernment and draw from the Treasury what
| they do not need. Why, sir, did you, my
| colleague from Massachusetts, addressing Mr..
| CogswelD, who when but % years of age
| luFHcu your laW-OiUce 1nLO q recfultlDR-OUIce
and formed one of the first companies that
went to the front. the first company in the
Union. / believe, that enlisted for the war
did you have any thought then of n pension ?
| What thought of that kind had single man
in your command? What man of you all
during your four years of gallant service ever
| thought of anything but the salvation of his
country and the preservation of the Union
| And you, my colleague on the committee
| addressing Mr.. Bingham), who are to follow
me, l presume. graduating in the morning
| from your college, not even turning your
| steps homeward to see the parents who had
sent you there, but with 63 of your class
mates enlisting on the afternoon of the day
you graduated and going to the front did you
| then or afterwards ever think of asking the
| Government for pension?
"Oh, no! patriotism ought to come higher
than dollars. You never can impress upon the
youth OF this country that the preservation of
this great land is a patriotic duty when they
can look around and see penson-list grow
ing in five years from $l00,000,000 to 5000, ,000,
900.
Before / close let me again repeat that these
amendments do not affect the men who were
wounded who contracted disease while in
the service. 1t does not affect the pension of
the wife, dependent mother, father who
allowed the husband or son to go to the front
to fight their country's battles. 1t does not
anect those VINO served honoraby during the
war and who came ont safe and sound, but since
that time have become unable to earn living,
and who need the help of the Government
they absolutely take care Of all who deserve
and who need pensions.
Tonight being pension night, the House
will take recess at o'clock, and / will not
take up any more time of the House now but
may have a word more to say when we discuss
the bill under the fve-minute rule" Ap-
plause.
Without closing the general debate the com.
mittee rose, and the House, at o'clock, took
recess until o'clock, tho evening session to be
for the consideration of private pension bills.
Nothing was done at the evening session, ex-
eepttO call the roll several times, Mcssrs. Kill
gore'and Antony Texas d. being present and
making the point OF no quorum, and several