The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-05
6 alt Lake Old Soldiers Of the
Grand Army
Issue a Circular Letter in Reply
To
GEN. SICKLES EFT AL,
OF the ssUnfOn Veterans Patri-
otto League of New York.
Which Insfnuated That All Sill
YER Men Are Traitors.

dterS' Bryan silver cluD met last night
and promulgated its reply to General
sicklss and other veterans who are sup
porting Mckinley. The reply is ad-
dressed to Major General Daniel E.
SickIes, president, and Major Generals
William 3. Franklin and Horace Por-
ter. vice president of the Union Vet
erans' Patriotic league, New York, and
says:
Comrades:-The members Of the Old
Soldiers Bryan Silver club Of this city
have read the address TO the Union vet
Grams Of the late war, issued by you
under the date Of August 8th. in which
you urge all old soldiers to organize
themselves into clubs or associations to
be called The Union Veterans Patri-
otto league" for the purpose Of more
eff ctively aiding in the election Of
COmrade Major William Mckinley to
the presidency Of the United States at
the approaching election in November.
In your address as published in the
newspapers you proceed to give your
reasons why the old soldiers should
support Mckinley, and as you are gen
tleIDen OF at least ordinary intelligence
we take it that in issuing your address
You knew which Of the alleged reasons
given are true, If indeed any are true
and which Of them are false. We desire
to reply to some of your statements and
point out their falsity. and will endeav-
or to do so in language as courteous at
least as that used by yourselves.
Your Opering sentence is as follows:
Conrad s:-Your country is again in
peril. n the present presidential cam
paign dangerous combinations again
threaten the integrity or the govern
ment. Misguided men conspire to bring
reputation. dtshOnor and financial ru-
in upon the nation once saved by your
valOr."
Further on you appeal to US ito lay
aside all partisan differences. to prefer
country to party now, as you did in the
dark days of the civil war
The ubstance of the foregoing IS that
the adherents Of Dir. Bryan are engag-
ed IN a cause which is dishonest, dis
honorable, unpatriOtic and in fact trea-
soUable. and the old soldiers are ap-
oe2led to as body of citizens to or
SariZe to prevent the dire results Of
5Cch tt e2~O7a able conduct. Now, we de-
GU &c the foregoing as absolutely false
IL 7veTy particular. You do not believe
ySflr own utterances. If you do. If you
be ieve the adherents Of Mr.. Bryan are
n king reasonable and dangerous
com bfnatiO~s" against the integrity Of
the govern ment so that it is in peril
you are derelict in the discharge OF
your duty as good citizens in not ad-
vlsing your soldier comrades to organ
lie mlurary companies, regiments, etc,
TO sQuelch this incipient rebellion and
save the country a second time. The
fact that you do not make any such
suggestion shows that you do not be-
neYe that any such peril exists, or is
likely to-
Again. you say in substance that If
Bryan should be elected every per-
Eiouer, every depositOr in a savings
bank, every policy holder in an insur-
ance company, etc, would lose one-ha1f
Of what is due him by being paid in
b0-cent dollars" To say that such z
statement is pure ''bOsh'' is mild critic
ism. Did either of you ever see so
cent dollar Of United States coin 2IIave
either of you any such United States
dollars to sell? If you have not, viii
you undertake to purchase and deliver
them after Mr.. Bryan's eleCtiOnP Pen
s1ons are not now and nevtv have been
paid in gold, but are paid in silver Or
currency; but the holder Of government
bonds gets his pay in gold if he de-
mands it. AS TO depositors in savings
banks, we venture to assert that rot
one old soldier in a thousand, exclusive
OF the major generals, has now or ever
has had a dollar on deposit in a saw
ings bank. and as to the soldiers pen
stons, we have no doubt that they
win always be paid in as good money
IN the future as they have been in the
past The soldiers and the labOring
people generally are more anxious to
obtain prices for their labor OF the pro-
ducts Of their labor, which viii enable
them to live and support their families,
than they are about the kind Of money
that may be paid out to those who have
money on deposit in savings banks or
Invested in life Insurance BY reason
Of the characterization of silver and the
adoption Of the gold standard and 9TH
er legislation faVOring the rich at the
expense of the poor, not only have
wages been greatly reduced, but the
opportunity to procure work and earn
wages at any figure. even in "5O-cent /
dollars" has been destroyed. until to-
day vast numbers Of Industrious men
are idle and distress and suffering are
widespread This club has only been
orgaized about two weeks and has 211
members, 1913 being Republicans q |
Democrats and Is POpulists all Union
veterans of the late war. and represent !
ing a considerab Bile lumber of states. to
wit: 81 are from Ohio, IS from Illinois
28 from Indiana, "A from Iowa, Il from
New York, and I from Michigan. Tbs
rest are from various other eastern /
states.
The veterans Of the late war, east and
west. are generally poor men and sup
port themselves and families by thei
daily toll, which by reason of the hard
times, caused mainly by the adoption
OF the gold standard. daily becomes mOrl
and more difficult, while their capacity
for toll mental or physical is rapidly
dimir ishing by reason of adva0c Gins
years. and hence we suggest that 1t
would be fully as patriotic and far
more merCiful if you would devote you
wealth and influence in trying to cause /
silver to be remonetized and restored
to its former place in our monetary
system. so that the gray-haired and !
poverty stricken veteran and his fani-
ly may be able to earn living by hon
est toll, than by playing into the hand
Of the ShylOcks, money changers an6
other non producing parasites OF LON
bard and Wall streets.
We therefore respectively suggest
that you change the name and purpose
OF the clubs you are attempting to or
gaDize from The Union Veterans Pat
riotic league club and that you dc
~ - vow T0vver as fndfVidueIs an6
members of the club to, secure the trf- |
n4Mpn OF the right
Attest: T. c. BAILEY, sec'T