Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-10-27

the one leged DeiDocThiic SOiAtleI anu
statesman was chairman Of the pen
sion committee of the House Of Rep
resentatiyes when this measure be-
came a law,-and it was generously
supported By these very "Rebel Brig
adeers" your circular 30 bitterly de-
nounces-as were all the measures /
have enumerated and many more
which time and space forbid me to
mention.
10th. The act of Aug. 5, 1892,
peDsioning those brave, devoted, no
BILE women of our land, who acted as
army nurses during the war, was pass
by Democratic House Of Represen-
tatiyes.
18th. 1t was reserved to the pres
emit administration, DEMOCRATIC IN
ALL ITS BRANCHES, 70 pass the act of
Dec. 81, 1893, MAKING A PENSION A
VESTED RIGHT. In the light of that
law, how Low and vEYAL must the
brain of that man be, who undertakes
to drive (by waving the bloody shirt
brave and intelligent soldiers from
the support of party that has never
failed to stand by them.
18th. Under the first administra-
ton of Grover Cleveland ,824 private
pension acts became laws, while dur
ing years of Gen. Grants admins
tration, the years Of Mr.. Hayes and
the years of Garfield and Arthur
but ,529 private pension acts became
laws. In other words, there were 295
more private pension acts that became
laws under the four years of Demo
cratic administration than became
laws in 16 years of Republican adj
ministration under Presidents Grant,
Hayes. Garfield and Arthur. And yet
your bloody shirt circular tells us our
duty as old soldiers is TO vote with
the Republican party. You tell us to
"yote as we shot" As for myself l
propose TO DO so. / shot during the
war to maintain the Union and secure
good government. l propose now to
vote in the same direction and all the
unpatriotic circulars the Republican
machine managers can furnish me
will not drive that determination.
had the honor to serve 3 years
during the war for the Union, and
am in close touch and sympathy with
my late comrades in that great strug,
, gle. have closely watched the at
, titude of both parties, both as to theil
promises and performances and have
vet to see where the honest soldier
has secured any better treatment
from the Republican than from the
Democratic party. Every Democratic
national platform since the war has
declared in favor of just and generous
treatment of the old veterans. Every
Democratic Congress has been true &c
the promises of the party.
With 6s,900 pensioners drawing al
average of Sl70 each year in Indiana
3s,1O4 receiving 1852 each in Iowa
lO2,9s4 averaging s16s.25 in Ohio
SO, 4O4 averaging 1884 in PennsYl
vania; 10000 averaging each SIG
per annum in Massachusetts; 62.4SC
averaging $l60.34 in Illinois; 1850
! getting each and every year Sl5s.6(
in Wisconsin,; and the soldiers in al
the other States equally as well pro
vided for and A PENSION HAVING BEEs
MADE VESTED RIGHT BY THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY, l cannot see why amy
honest pensioner should vote the Re
publican ticket in order to protect hi'
pension.
While l have every confidence il
and respect for the masses of the Re
publican voters | have no patienc'
with the seltappointed machine lead
ers who are constantly trying to en-
gender disrust and i'll feeling between
the different sections of our common
country. Very Respectfully,
JOEL NJ. WALKER,
Late Capt Co, b. % Regt lows
Infantry Volunteers.
Kendrick, Idaho, Oct 9th, 1894
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