People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-10-07
the pension business before him as q

Olu party, SuCl Was IDe Case 10 tlls
city during the campaign last fall
and in wuich l became involved 10
some Of the hottest discussions Of my
lie.
ITerily believe that thousands oil
old soldiers are held 10 the Republi-
Can party today just by such means
coupled with Tue fear Ut losing Ghell
pension (lr they are lucky enough to GEL
small plttauce IF one), while other.
Who have applied for their just right.
10 the pension office and been denied
them time and again, are held there
tne ny promise UtlIberal pensluns If the
party gets 10 power, las was the case
last fail, coupled with the fear OF
denial if they dare assert their Goo
given right 10 vote their sentiment.
as free born American citizens.
That such Is the case | am vel
satisfied from what | saw and heard
On the streets of Wichita last fall and
| believe farther that the fact Of my
opposing the party so strong last fall
during the last campaign was the
principal cause OF my claim under
the original law being denied again
under Commissioner Evans this sum-
mer. Be that as it may | am ne
party slave. Neither am | willing
nor ready to bow my neck TO the yoke
Of Wall street, England, the ReDGbli,
can party nor any other power il
this country simply to yet pension
aud so help me God never will.
have said the Republican party
vas great on promises but never ful
flied them. Let us see.
| remember away back 10 the co.:
when gold was 81 so and greenbdCks
81 cents, and The government Was pay
ing the old soldier his hard earned pay
in the deprecated paper money; then
the Republican party promised to pay
Us II gold the difference between gold
su0 the deprecated paper. Old com
radeS have they done it? Will they ever
do it? | Can tell You: Never, no never,
They 90 not even want to pay the old
soldier the pension he is entitled tC
under the law aud when they do they
make it As little as possible. This
western agency at Topeka pays out
sl5. 600, 600 every year and this gives a
large circulation, and it would pay
out $40. 100000 If every old soldier gor
his rights.
This agency includes Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Oklahoma, Indian Territory
Colorado, and New Mexico. Besides
the pensions are paid to persons living
n every state and territory in the
United States except Alaska. Give
every old soldiers now an applicant
his rights and what a vast sum Of
money it would put in circulation
every three months.
But this is not their purpose. Theil
policy is TO keep out Of circulation al
the money they can, and feed him Oh
promises to get his vote, and when
Lhe time comes TO consider his claim
he is kicked out with the assertion
that nothing alleged in any of hi,
3tIidaYitS is found on the records, anC
he IS asked for pluOf which it is DOW
atterly impossible to get, simply as al
excuse To get out of giving him hi
rights. and they know it full wei
when they ask it.
Ties thoughts have been suggesle C
nv my experience with the pension
Office. | filed my claim under th,
original law October 10th 1891, ant
,ftpr nearly six years fight an
kicked out a second time, this las
time last June and under the McKin
ley regime which promised such liberia
pensions. aud in the face of five aft
davits including one from my age
aud venerated mother who nursed m,
while lay senSeleSS and SightleSs fo
fifteen days with measles while in th
army. Her testimony is kicked GU
and am told the records give n,
account Of it. A great many thing
IRE not on the records which shOult
no there. The truth is, am not on
# the faithful and my name wa
among the list sent to Washington
last winter while c. |. Long was still
there, as a Republican OF this cit,
said was being done here last winter
and he would see that they got moth
ing. The simple truth is this land
m k the assertion without fear 0
su"c ASsful contradiction the pension
Office. like every thing else controlled
by the Republican party, is fast be
coming a political machine wher
favOrs are diShed to party slaves, whel
1t should be free from any partisan
feeling in the administration of it
affairs.
TO say the political views of the oil
soldiers are not known there is merel,
TO assert without proof. No class o.
men are more closely watched, es
pecially during a campaign, state Of
national. than the old soldier and h
receives according as he votes at tn,
polls.
The Republican party has proven
Itself of late years to be the enemy o
the old soldier. A case is in point a
stated by Congressman J. D. Botkin
there are over two thousand pepsioI
bills now on the calendar of the hous,
awaiting action. Why, il the part,
is such a great friend Of the old soldier
could or would not Gar Reed tn,
speaker. appoint the necessary com
Tittee to consider them il nothing
else? Will some good brother pleas
tell US?
The Republican party il a great bal
of wind the friend of monopolies, cor
paratiOns, trusts etc. And II il doe
not mend its ways and come to tn
rescne of the masses, in 1900 tn
people will explode it with such TEL
rifle force that the PARTICLES of it vii
never be found.