The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-23
toilet, bath, and nursery.

gigantic struggle out OF Wnlcn arises the QueS
ton which is before the committee
The great difficulty with the gentleman t.
whom i refer is that where on this side o
the House find JUST fication he can see none
And regret exceedingly that such is the fact
The gentleman has called out such rain o
invective upon his head as no member of THU
House has before certainly during this session
been so unfortunate as TO invite, and were il
not for the provocation contained in his re-
marks ] should not now presume 10 engage ths
attention of this committee for one moment
But, Mr.. Chairman, every man who is true
friend, not false friend, of the Union soldier
should rise here before this debate shall close
and in his place denounce the stigma and the
reproach which is heaped upon the Union sol.
diers and their dependents, living and dead by
the unfortunate language made use of by the
distinguished gentleman from the distin-
gushed Seventh District of New York, when
| he charges this kind of legislation as an at
tempt TO loot the Treasury" of the United
| States.
The term "looting" means pillage; it means
plumber; and this is the first time in my brief
experience that have ever heard or known of
/ legaized footing" and legalized "pillage."
| presume very few or those here on this side of
| the House who advocate this kind of legislation
are pensioners. Very few of them are partici.
pants in the benefits afforded by pension legis-
lation, and we do not resent the stigma because
of its application to US individually, but we re-
flute it, and we hurl it back as false in every
particular, in every element. in behalf OF those
whose voices cannot be raised in their own de-
Tense in this Chamber [Applause.l That, Mr..
Chairman, is our duty, and it is because claim
the privilege of discharging this duty that
stand here for the moment.
Now. what is the justification for the amend
ment introduced here on this bill, providing
that widows may in case that they have not
ven nar airnf Nit
lance which the Government is willing to give
them in the shape of pensions. We find it, Mr..
Chairman, in the fact that when the widow
aud her little ones may have few dollars of
income, under the strict construction of the
law, she is deprived of the bounty of the Gov
eminent.
Little does the gentleman from the Seventh
Congressional District of New York appreciate
this State of things. He goes to his club; sits be-
fore his grate-fre toasting his extremities with
his pedal appeDdages incased in soft silken
slippers, smoking his cigaret laughter and
slipping his wine with genial friends about him.
But go to the other place. and what do you
find? A house with but single room; moth
ing but tallow dip. if il be at night. to cast
lurid glare over the few objects in it; you find
huddled about the dying embers of once per-
haps comfortable fire the widow, with enact
ated counteDance and frame poorly clad, her
little ones shiyering by her side over the few
fragments that remain still uncoDsumed, their
dimpled fingers blue with cold, no food, no
fuel, no nothing but want and misery, not
even the common comforts. say nothing about
luxury-nothing in view but want and suf-
fering.
The few dollars income which the widow
may have for herself and her little ones are in-
sufficient, with her efforts to support and take
care of them; and yet there are two extremes.
There is a case. not isolated one for they are
numerous in this country of ours rich and
plenteous in every other respect. There is
case, Mr.. Chairman, which appeals 10 the favor.
able action of this House on this amendment
Now, Mr. Chairman, who are the men and
what are the elements that oppose liberal PEN
sion laws? Why they are class who live
wholly within themselves. They are class
whose hearts do not beat in sympathy with
their fellow men. unless they be of that class
whom they number among their "chums."
They are those who were opposed to the Union
during the struggle for its preservation. They
are those who opposed protective tariff that
would give this country prosperity, because
that enabled the country to pay the pensions
and would overcome many of the objections
made by the gentleman who urges the depleted
state OF the Treasury as a reason why we should
not pass this amendment
Mr.. Hatch reviewed in eloouent lanpnage
some of the stirring events OF the civil war
Mr.. Hatch. We are one people We are a
Tree people IN every sense OF the word and all
Of our vast territory is and whatever territory
we may acquire in the future will be dedicated
TO freedom forever Abraham Lincoln pro-
claimed freedom to 100000 slaves, and the
Union army, taking new hope, pressed forward. |
carrying freedom and victory together, and |
made them one. And that memorable appeal |
TO arms also decided that no State could secede |
from this Union.
Yes sir; all these things have been made |
possible-are, in fact accomplished facts |
through the sacrifices, the sufierings, and the |
bravery and heroism Of those old pensioners /
and their comrades; and say 10 you that. for |
one, am opposed TO the pension of a single one /
OF these men being taken away from him unless |
he has fair trial. fair chance given to him for
defense, aud a fair court 10 hear him. APP |
plause. Therefore, / am in favor of the |
amendment Of the gentleman from Illinois |
Mr. Graf Loud applause on the Repub-
lican side.
Mr.. Davener PA, r.. Does my friend
from New York Mr.. Bartlett apprehend-
does he for one moment coInprehend-who it
is that he is insulting by calling them hooters
Of the Treasury" and "organized pillagers Of
the TTeasury"2 Aye, although be may not
have been disposed to risk his younger days in
the army Of the Union, yet he was Of age sufi.
cicpt TO have at least read and known the his
tory OF his country to have known something
OF the men whose surviving comrades he calls
with their widows and orphans, Hooters Of the
Treasury"
The sons and widows OF these men and their
surviving comrades are the ones who are
charged here with being hooters of the Treas
ury. Their comrades, their husbands, and
their fathers-many OF them lie dead. They
are required 10 prove that death came in the
line of service. Many Of them sleep in un-
known graves in front of Richmond Many of
them sleep in the Wilderness, aud at Gettys-
burg. and along the banks Of the Ohio and the
great Father of Waters. amid the pine woods
u Georgia and the Everglades OF Florida.
They sleep in honored graves, although un-
known. Their sunken graves may be I'M.
marked by any stone monument, but will
say TO the gentleman from New York IMr.
Bartletti that in the heart of every loyal
American citizen there is erected to their
memory monument around which the flowers
Df remembrance will bloom in eternal yerdure
when the remarks of the gentleman, hope,
will have been forgotten.
Mr.. Linney. Mr. Chairman it NAV appear a
little odd for a Representative upon this floor
roEl the State of North Carolina, who himself
eryed upon the other side in the late war be.
.weon tue States. 10 make an argument upon
he SUBJECT OF pensions or TO attempt TO do so.
The consideration moving the heart of any |
yreat Government TO pay this class Of meritor.
Gus citizenship is public service, and when !
bcse services are performed by soldiers they
equire the exercise of the very highest quail
les OF the human heart-courage. constancy,
'atience-and in this country the very highest
OF American manhood are displayed |
n the performance of the duties of the soldier.