The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-06
ENTHUSIASTIC DELEGATION.
OLD SOLDIERS. FARMERS AND
IABORERS CALL ON MAJ.
M'KINLEY.
PENSION TAFFY FOR THE VETERANS
And Tariff Sop for the Laborer-The
Mai Dished 1t Out in His Usual
Pleasant Style-Sound Money
Mentioned.

=
today on the occasion of the visit of the
farmers and workingmen and old soldiers
of Guernsey county, who arrived here
shortly before noon.
At the Mckinley residence ex-Con-
gresham Taylor acted as spokesman for
the party, which was under Grand Army
of the Republic auspices. He spoke of
the tin plate industry at Cambridge.
Chaplain w. NJ Mcfarland, of the
United Presbyterian church, Cambridge,
followed.
Turning to Maj Mckinley, who was
standing under the folds of an old flag
waved above him by an old soldier, the
chaplain grasped McKinley's hand, and
trembling with emotion, said:
Il know of no man who has done more
to elevate and dignity labor than you;
| know of no man who has put Il brighter
crown of glory on the brow of labor
1t was with feeling that Maj. Nc
Kinley said:
1T gives me great qualification to re-
cciye this call from my old friends and
ncighbors and fellow citizens of Gucrn-
sey county. | have made visits to your
county in years gone by and know most
of YOU personally. | know something of
the quality of your population. | know
something of the spirit of your people.
know something of your loyalty and de-
votion to the Union i'll war, and | know
much of your loyalty and devotion to
good government in peace. Cheers.
And knowing you as well as | do, 1 am
certain that no power would stop you
from doing what you had proposed to do.
Il am glad to meet the representatives
of labor who are assembled here this
morning. | congratulate them on the
advance that has been made i'll the TN
plate industry. to which Col. Taylor has
referred. | am glad to know that re-
publican legislation gave to this country
an industry that gives work and wages
to American workingmen and brings hap
Eness TO American homes. (Great
Cheering).
Il am glad. my fellow citizens, to meet
my old comrades of the Grand Army OF
the Republic (applause); my comrades
of thrty-hvc years ago for the war was
commenced thirtyfve years ago, and it
is nearly thirty-two years since its close.
1t seems not SO long nor so far away, Dut
us look into the faces of the old soldiers
IplDIt NE lDtllN STU llill iSN 10 stamp
ing its lines of care upon them. Their
step is 10 longer as steady and firm as it
was thirty-iivc years ago. but their hearts
are Just rs loyal to the old flag of the
Union (Checrsl. They are just as loyal
to national honor today as they were
loyal to national unity then. (Applause).
When the war closed there were two
great debts resting upon this government.
One was the debt due to men who had
loaned the government money with when
to carry on its military operations. The
other debt was due to those who had
willingly offered their lives for the prcscr-
vation of the American Union. zap
plausc) The old soldiers waited on their
| pensions until this great debt of the gov
| eminent was we'll out of the way. They
waited patiently until the government
| had reduced nearly two-thirds of that
great money debt. CApplausey. They
| wanted every dollar of the debt pad IN
| the best coin known to the commercial
world great APPLAUSE and every dollar
| of that debt up to this hour has been pald
| in gold or its equivalent. the best recoE-
nizrd money of the world, and every dol
lar of that debt. my comrades, yet to be
paid. will be paid in the same unqucs-
| toned coin. tremendous applause and
| chccring).
Most of that debt is out of the way.
| The great debt of this government now
is to the surviving soldiers of the re
public. CAppause, There are 9!O,OCo
pensioners on the honorcd roll of this
| government today and the government
pays out of it's public treasury i'll peli-
sions over S14OOOO,OOO every year to the
soldiers and sailors, their widows and
| their orphans. Every dollar of the debt
must he paid in the best currency and
| coin of tho world (ChCCrS), There is