The National tribune., 1896-02-13
AN OPEN LETTER.
To the Congress of the
United States.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
We desire to make a distinct and
personal appeal to each one of you on
behalf of the Service Pension Bill. There
are many pension measures now before
you and pressed upon your attention.
They all have merit; some more than
others, some less. The intention of all
of them is good, and the passage of any
one of them would be distinct help to
the veterans. But they cannot all be
passed, and the great danger is that in
the confusion and perplexity of so many
varying bills none will be successful. 1t
is this that we fear most.
1t is exceedingly important that this
session of Congress shall not be allowed
to end without the adoption of some
measure of general relief to the veterans
of the country. eneed scarcely dilate
upon this subject. You are too recently
from the presence of your constituents to
need to be informed by us as TO the
depth and intensity of their feelings upon
this question of Justice TO those who
rescued the Nation from destruction. In
/ dienation at the manner in which these
have been treated by the present Adj
/ ministration was one of the most potent
influences which contributed to the as
founding defeat of the Democracy in
the elections, and the surprising successes
of the Republicans everywhere. 1.-The
mandate of the people" was clear, un-
mistakable and imperative that some
thing far-reaching and fully satisfying
should be done for these deserving men.
They wanted them placed finally and
forever above and beyond the vicissitudes
of politics, out of the reach of inimical
politicians and hostile place-holders.
Nothing less than this is consistent with
the dignity and gratitude of the Nation.
You have recognized this fact yourselves
in the number of bills introduced max
ing pensions a vested right, and in the
attention you have given these.
We desire to impress upon you, with
the utmost earnestness, that the measure
which will nearest fulfill all the con-
ditions, which, far nearer than any other,
will satisfy the people who gave you
overwhelming majoIities, is the Service
Pension Bill. This will bring more re-
lief to an infinitely greater number of
persons than any other. 1t will reach
vastly more deserving and urgently
needy cases than any other. 1t will
place pensions ON rock foundation that
the winds of political adversely cannot
prevail against. 1t will make the relief
immediate and mandatory, without any
circumlocution or weary delays. And,
finally, it will give the most widespread
relief, for the least money, of any
measure that can be passed.
We entreat you to consider this mat
ter carefully. When you 90 back to
your constituents next Summer you
must have something substantial to show
them as having been done for the vet
Grams. Nothing less will satisfy them.
Mere introduction of bills, mere speech
making. mere piecemeal legislation,
no matter how good, will not suffice.
You must, in your account of your stew
ardship, have something far-reaching
and general, something the good of
which every man can comprehend, some
thing that has been an immediate and
direct benefit to every village and every
community in your district This APP
plies only to the Service Pension Bill.
Think at what little cost all this can
be done. 1t will only cost S9,600,000
to put 100000 pen on the pension-roll
at IS month. 1t will only cost &c.
100000 to put 100000 on the roll.
This is but little more than was given as
bonus few months ago to the money
lenders who furnished some gold to the
Treasury. 1t will only cost s19, 100000
at the outside to put on the roll every
man in the country who served 80 days
in the army and is not now in receipt of
a pension. This will clear up the whole
business, give every man something at
least TO live upon and tide him over
/ Il A 4