The National tribune., 1894-10-04
AN OPEN LETTER,
To the Veterans Living in
Kansas.

citizenship-that is imperative upon us,
q there is one that should be constantly
kept in mind, and performed with re-
ligious exactness, it is that of carefully
discriminating at the ballot-box between
our friends and our enemies.
For two strong reasons we should dc
this First, because gratitude is the
music of the heart" To remember
those who have stood our friends and
helped us is one Of the noblest and
manifest of virtues. Not to do it is
arrant baseness. There are few things
more despicable than ingratitude and
" benefits forgot"
Secondly, we should do it for pru-
Dental considerations, to hold our
enemies in check by letting them know
that, if nowhere else, we can, at the
ballot-box, show our power to reward
our friends and punish those who have
despitefully used us.
You, comrades of Kansas, have now
an opportunity to express the gratitude
of all the veterans in the country to-
ward one of our number who was one of
the most steadfast, faithful, Jealous and
effective friends the Union soldiers ever
had in Congress.
Mai. E. n. Morrill, is candidate for
Governor of the great soldier State of
Kansas. To the veterans of the whole
country this candidacy has the greatest
significance and importance. Probably
more than any other man now In public
life, and who served in the House Of
Representatives, he is identified with the
pension legislation now Oh the statute
books, and of which the comrades every
where have had the benefit. During
nearly all. if not all, of his service he was
on the Committee Invalid on Pensions,
and the Chairman Of the Committee in his
last two years. He gave the subject of
pensions his closest study, and exerted
himself untiringly to secure the passage
of the most liberal legislation possible.
He helped formulate what is now known
as the Disability Act of June q, 1890,
urged its passage for years. and finally
secured this while Chairman of the
Committee. While the Disability Bill
was not all that many desired, it was
the very best that could be obtained
from Congress.
For this he received the bitterest
abuse Of the soldier-haters, speakers and
newspapers. No man in the country was
better abused than he for his efficiency
in promoting magnificent act of justice
which put millions of dollars into the
pockets of the veterans Of Kansas, and
tens Of millions into those Of the entire
country. In this respect he occupies a
proud position alongside of ex-senator
ingalls, in the admiration and affection
of all veterans and loyal people.
The very men who were most bitter
in denouncing him for securing the pass
age of the bill are now laboring hard
to deprive him of its credit, but you,
comrades, know how truly and faithfully
THE NATIONAL TRIpUNE has borne
witness to you of things in the past, and
we now earnestly assure you that to no
other man in the country are you so
much indebted for the enactment of
that piece Of splendid legislation as to
Maj E. n. Morrill,.
Now, comrades of Kansas, the eyes
of every veteran in the United States was
upon you. They look to you to express
their gratitude, and vindicate them
against their enemies and traducers, by
a solid vote Of all the soldiers in Kansas
for Maj. E. n. Morrill,, the author of the
Disability Bill. In this way the whole
pension question is before you for a yer,
dict. Kansas is regarded by the entire
Nation as particularly the Volunteer
Soldier State The vote for and against
Maj. Morrill, will be largely accepted a:
the judgment of the veterans upon the
pension question. Every vote for him
will be an Endorsement of liberal pen,
sion legislation, Of the Disability Bill
and of the policy that prevailed up tc