The National tribune., 1896-01-09
FIRST OF The GREAT WAR BOOKS
SERVICE PENSION.
What the Comrades All Over the COun-
try Say About II.

am pleased to see that the old veterans are
beginning to awaken to their interests in the
matter of pension legislation. L hope this
interest will not abate, but continue to increase
until all are thoroughly aroused to the i'm
portance of the subject Now, Mr.. Editor
have q few IDEAS that / would like to air a
little before they mildew on my hands. I
| fully concur with you that in order to sue
ceed we must be united, present q bold front,
| aad move forward in one solid phaanx. In
the past, we have allowed our political pre-
judices to divide US to our own hurt. The
| comrades should act promptly and in concert
But what do we want? What should we
have? What ought we to demand from q
generous Government? 1 concede that it
would be difficult, if not impossible, to enact
q pension law that would meet with uni
versal approval, our conditions are so un-
equal and various. 1t seems to me that what
we need is q pension law liberal in its pro
visions, and that will reach and do Justice to
every old soldier, regardless of length of
term of service. There certainly never was
suggested more just and equitable pension
law than THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE Per Diem
law. This seems to have the approval of the
veterans generally. This, and this alone, will
satisfy the great majority of the soldiers,
while n general law, such as that named by
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, giving to every
one who served 90 days So per month, with
out regard to disability, would be acceptable
to those who served only a short term and
those who are not now drawing pension, or
are drawing less than So 1t would GER
tainly be very hard to interest those who are
already drawing from 50 to $50, in pension
law that would in no way affect their per-
sonal interest. suppose the great majority
Of those who are now drawing pensions are
getting s., or more. 1t seems to me that we
need duplex law, service and disability law
combined. Let us have the Per Diem Bill,
with minimum rating of So for all who
served 80 days or more, and with it
disability clause, so that if the soldier has
pensionable disabilities they be added, at
their present rating, to the service rating, one
pension for two causes, the same as q
pension for the loss of an eye and arm. 1t
does seem to me that bill of this kind
would be interesting to all old soldiers, and
would relieve long felt want.-Jos. w.
Hill, Co. e.. 4th Ill. Cav, Beallsville, Pa
7 am heartily thankful to you for your
editorial and open letter on Service Pension.
/ saw long and hard service, and spent IA
months and 1S days of my service in the
prison pens of Castle Thunder, Danville, An
dersonville, and Florence. / am drawing no
pension, neither have | trade of any kind.
/ have to perform the hardest kind of manual
labor for wages that will hardly keep soul and
body together. The Government that we
helped save will surely not let us 90 to the aims
house in our old age. If they will not give us
Service Pension they ought, at least, to pay
US for the time we spent III Southern prison
hells. God speed you In your noble work.
You have been our only friend in need, and
/ shall remain on the list of THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE as long as God gives me strength to
earn a dollar Keep the ball rolling and you
will have the gratitude of every loyal man
and woman in the United States.-R. J.
Long, Co. K, 45th Ohio, Chico, Cal.
am glad to see you are leading the Service
Pension move in Congress, and want to add
my own voice and influence to the good work.
| have n pension of Sf7 per month under the
old law, and would be glad to see every old
eomrade of the army on the roll of honor and
pension. | hold that pension certificate is
u certificate of honor, and not of fraud and
dishOnOr, as our present Commissioner of
Pensions holds. Give us a common-Sense
Service Pension law of 50 or $40 per month
That will not require dozen lawyers to tell
what it means, and it will be justice to the
old boys in blue.-Wm. Query, Sergt, Co. X,
23d Mo-, Saltwater, Okla
/ am very much pleased with your advocacy
of Service Pension. | served three years in
the 33d Mo-, and am so disabled that | can
walk but short distance. L have had my
application in now for eight years, but have
been unable to get anything, though have
furnished afidavits from score or more of as
good men as live as to my condition.
Entrekin. Wellington, Kans.
1t is pleasure to all the old soldiers to
think there is probability of Service PEN
sion Bill being passed this Winter My idea
is to give n man who was disabled during
the war $12 month; SO month to those
who have been disabled since the war, and SS
to those who are not disabled.-H NJ Hutch
inson, Co. C, 10th KY, Elk Fork, Ky.
The Service Pension is u good thing, and /
hope it will pass.-Chas. Stearns, Valley City,
n. ID.
/ think the Service Pension is good bill
Every honorably-discharged soldier should
have s. per month, regardless of length of
service / am broken down. / can't work
any, and can't get pension. Bow
man. Silver Mills, Pa.
/ am more pleased with THE NATIONAL.
TRIBUNE than ever. | am with you in re-
gard to Service Pension Bill / shall take
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE rs long rs live |
am IS years old Jan. S.-Platt H. Smith,
Co. L, 18th n. Y. Eng, Sabineyille, Pa.
The pension laws already on the statute
books, if properly carried ont, would meet
all the requirements of the veterans. But
every obstacle is thrown ir the way of a man
getting his rights under them. Congress
ought to order Investigation of acts of the
Commissioner for the past three years "A H.
Chase, First Lieut., Co.H, 9th Me. Graceville,
Minn.
am for straight Service Pension. Let
us go for this first. 1t will put Cleveland on
his mettle. A veto would break the cameis
back, sure.-J. III. Fish, Co. G, 1st Mich,
Saline, Mich.
j 2 Alhe Co C Ath Iowa Mimic y. 70