The Republican journal., 1896-05-14
Congressman MilIiken on Pensions.
A Speech Delivered In the House of Representa-.
tIyeS April 27th

tyes April 27th.
Mr.. Mlliken. Mr.. Chairman. | have
the highest respect for the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. Talbert He is op-
posed to the increase of pensions, and he
has the courage to honestly state to this
House his convictions. | have no criti-
cism to make ON account of his affection
for his old comrades, for ''blood is thicker
than water" and am glad to see every
man feel an affection for those with whom
he has labored and suffered. But how is
it with our friends generally on the other
side? | have seen pension bills consider
ed in this House for good many years.
The same opposition comes each time.
Our friends on the other side say they are
in favor of doing everything for the old
soldier; they stand up, as my friend from
New York did the other day, and urge
that the Democratic party is better
friend to the Union veterans than the Re
publican party; but one thing you will OBJ
serve, Mr.. Chairman, they always find
some reason why the pending bill should
not be enacted. Why, sir my friend from
New York offered bill last week as
substitute for the pending bill. He knew
his substitute could not pass this House
1t was intended only as a club with which
to knock in the head the bill that is pend
ing.
Gentlemen ON the other side of the
House are ever ready to asseverate with
great emphasis and much patriotic dis
play that they very earnestly favor pen
sioning the ''real soldier" the ''brave
SOLDIER the ''soldier that did honest ser
vice But when you come to reduce
their propositions down to their real in
tent and meaning you will discover in
every instance that they do not mean any
body that is included in the bill before
the House, let that bill be of whatsoever
character it may. The fact is that we
meet with opposition from the other side
on all important bills which are presented
and considered here for increasing the
the pensions of the soldiers or to facilitate
the allowance of pensions under existing
law. Each man has his particular excuse
for his opposition. it may be one thing
with one man and another thing with an
other: but it always comes from the Dem
ocratic side of the House, and it ALWAYS
has to be met by the Republicans.
| repeat that | honor the gentleman
from South Carolina for standing up here
like man and having the courage to saw
~ .iA'e Nv 10 cPIootNl W lllC luCICdSc
OF pensions, unlike most of our friends on
the other side, who claim to be really ach-
ing in their hearts to increase the old SOL
diers' pensions and facilitate their allow
ance, but who can never bring their minds
to support any measure for that purpose
which is being considered and has the
least chance OF being enacted into law.
Why, sir, L have stood here MANY a
time and heard the Union veterans called
''co1fee coolers and ''bummers, and all
that class OF pet names. But, Mr. Chair
man, L am proud of one fact-and it is
recognized by this country, too-that all
these insults to the soldiers, these attacks
upon their characters, these slanderous
words. as unjust as they are infamous and
indecent. have never come from the Re
publican side of this House. (Appause.l
Sir | have been here for thirteen wears:
have heard all the debates on this sub
Ject during that time: and when gentle
men stand up here and claim that the
Democratic party, as represented on this
floor, has been the friend OF the soldier
they have tile gall and the assurance
to deny the absolutely established facts of
history: history with which the people OF
this country are 100 familiar to allow
themselves to be deceived by such false
and absurd assertions.
favor the passage of the bill before the
House because | am satisfied that it will
secure more speedy adjustment of pen
sion claims than can be reached under the
present law. And this | regard as a CON
summation most deyoutly to be wished.
y great majority of the veterans of the
L Mon armies are becoming old men. In
the ordinary course of nature we can
hardly expect for them many more wears
OF lite. III we could have the Government
confer upon them just recognition of
thelr services we must provide that it be
done soon, or it will not be done in this
world.
Thousands of them are now waiting,
suffering, for the relief which their eal
liant services entitle them to, with yery
little prospect OF receiving it in time to do
them much good.
AS their age advances their intirmities
Increase. Many of them who came out of
the army buoyed up by the vigor and
elasticity of youth find themselves de-
bilitated, decrepit, suffering, and unable
by heir labor to earn the comfortable
livelihood which they, above all others,
most richly deserve
Each year and month finds them less
able to support themselves and those de-
pending upon them than the year and
month before. Time, which finally de-
pletes the powers of all men, is sapping
the vitality of the veterans of the Union
armies more than any others. 1t is de-
veloping the effects of the hardships and
sufferlngs OF war and the infirmities caus-
ed by life in the camp, on the march, and
in battle.
Their wounds are, many of them, sorer
to-day and their diseases incurred in their
military service have grown worse than
they were on the day of their discharge
from the Army
These men must very soon receive the
Government aid in granting them just
and we'll deserved pensions or become de-
pendent upon charity for support, and l
do not believe that any brave and worthy
soldier should be driven to be beggar or
made to enter the portals of the poor
house. (Applause.)
This great nation, cramped as it is in its
resources by the wretched economic pol
ICY OF the party in power, is still amply
able to properly care for those who in the
day OF its danger saved it. They gave the
vlgor OF their young manhood to its de-
tense. With unsurpassed courage they
clung to it and supported it. They came
home not to make excuses for defeat.
They accomplished their patriotic mis-
sion. They brought back the flag of their
country vindicated it's cause trinmnbapt