The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-10-08
Mckinley on Pensions.
He Tells the Sandusky Veterans that He Wants
Their Money to be Worth 100 Cents on the
Dollar.

Thelr Money to be Worth 100 Cents on the
Dollar.
CANTON, O., Sept. 20. Following is
Gov McKinley's address to the Sandusky
sol diers' delegation to-day:
My Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen:
| wish | might be able to make fitting and
suitable response to the gracious words of
congratulation and goodwill which have
been spoken in your behalf by Sergt. Hop
kins and Mr.. Hull. 1t is, indeed, kind
and generous act of comradeship that
brings on this unpleasant day the mem
bers of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors
Home of Sandusky to this city to pay me
visit My comrades, l fully and hearth
ly appreciate it.
No body Of men who have visited me in
the last three months have given me more
pleasure or touched me more deeply than
my old comrades of the Sandusky Home.
When you entered the service you were
younger than you are now. 35 years ago
most of you enlisted and 81 years ago
most of you were mustered out of the ser
vice. You were then fresh and young,
with the red wine of early manhood mant-
ling your cheeks. You are older now, but
your heart warns to the country and the
flag just as it did in 1861 When you en-
tered the service, it was not for fame. You
entered not for the pittance that was paid,
you entered not for glory or for popular
applause, but you entered the service
from the purest and highest motives of
patriotism, that no harm should come to
your country. That was the motive of
every old soldier
Think what the great army, OF which
you were a part, was willing to do. They
Will 10 Cix 70 md o1+l
strength; they were willing to die that the
American Union might be saved.
SO near to Grandeur is our dust
So close to God is man;
When duty whispers, TO- thou must"
The youth replies, 81 can,
And so nearly two millions of men when
duty called, no matter what the exacti0ns
demanded, We're ready to answer to the
call of country and defend their coun-
ty's free institutions.
| have always been in favor Of pension
ing the deserving and disabled soldiers of
the Republic, and favoring their pensions,
| | am now in favor Of having their pen
sions paid i'll a money whose value does
not depend upon mere fiat, which cannot
be deprecated by fiat. l am opposed to
cutting down pensions in that way.
| want the pensioners, who are among
| the largest creditors OF the Government
| to-day. as | want all the creditors of the
! Government, great or small, to be paid III
the best money in the world, dollars worth
| 100 cents every day and everywhere | am
/ glad to have this large body Of veteran
| soldiers declare. as your spokesman has
| declared, that they are still in favor OF
| the country and the country honor. A
color bearer during the war, while in front
of the enemy, in his anxiety to accomplish
something, with two or three hundred men
marched in front Of the lines and ON
toward the enemy works.
When the General commanding, from
the rear, called out, Bring those colors
back to the line the Sergeant answered
promptly with the voice of command that
went back to the General: Bring the
line up to the colors We are carrying
! the same old cOlols to-day that we carried
30 years ago. Boys, bring the line up to
the colors. | beg that you convey to those
dear old comrades who could not come
with you on this inclement day my best
wishes and warmest regards and my sin
cere prayers for their health and content
ment; and | also beg that you convey to
that dear old commander, Gen. Force,
my sincere respect and best wishes, and [
hope you will take back with you pleas
ant memories of your visit to Canton.