The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-06-03

scales the hundredth part Of hairs
breadth. Ask the man of sound body
to exchange with the old soldier. Think
you he would do it? No; he would
spurn even the thought Of it. Picture
to yourself a procession Of all the old
veterans in the land marching by. One
carries an empty sleeve. One is bent
double with wounds and another hob
bles along on wooden leg. | might
continue the enumeration until / had
named all the disorders incident to hui
mainly and some Of them would be
found lurking about the person of some
one in that procession. Would you ex-
change your sound body for the dis
eased body of one of these veterans for
the sake of the paltry pension which
he draws from the government? Would
that this were all, but during recent
years these pensioners have been
branded as imposters, and spies and in
formers have been placed on their
track. Over fifty examiners, during
Cleveland's last administration, at an
expense Of over $500, 900, made an ex-
haustive examination of some 966, 600
old soldiers and found 39impostors. Out
| of nearly million men only 80 impos-
tors! That investigation was an insult
to the bravery and patriotism of the
men who saved our Nation. [ have an
old aunt living in the State of Wiscon-
sin who was made a widow by that
war 80 years ago. The government
drafted her husband and it became nee
essary for him to leave home, wife and
children, and go forth and defend the
old flag and die for his country. I was
little boy then but L remember that
parting scene as distinctly as though it
were yesterday. [ saw that uncle march
away. saw him wave his handker-
chief back as he turned the corner and
was lost to sight forever. [ shall never
forget the sorrow that was left to that
family. A few weeks later word came
that all that was mortal of her husband
had been consigned to an unknown
grave somewhere in the south. A wild
ow and three fatherless children all be-
cause Nation must be saved. For
more than thirty years that Widows
main support has been pension of So
per month. All! would she not ex-
change that pension, yes, and 10000
like it, if she had them, for the return
of that husband. There are thousands
of such widows in the land and each
has suffered more than tongue can tell.
Would you deprive them of that pen
sion? Would you take the pension
from these old veterans? Now, I ask
what right has the individual who sent
substitute or went to Canada when
the Nation needed his services, to raise
his voice against pensions? A pension
cannot restore the dead, cure the dis
eased bodies, heal the broken hearts or
fill the vacant chairs.
Friends, these old veterans are the
only living reminders of that great war
but they are rapidly dropping by the
way, and soon the place that knows
them now will know them no more.
Every Memorial Day finds fewer num-
Der in the ranks. Let us honor and re-
spect them while they remain with us.
Veterans, your work is nearly done.
A few more reunions, few more greet
ings here and the last of the Grand
Army of the Republic will have sound
ed taps-lights QUITO be awakened on
the eternal camping ground by the an
gel of peace, to respond to roll call, an
unbroken Army, in the presence of
your Great Commander"