Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-06
The Republican Party and Sold ers'
Pensions.


SO persistent have been republican
professions Of devotion to the welfare
of ex-Union soldiers, so profuse then
platfa-m promises, so emphatic their
asser IONS that officials Of other par
ties co uld not he entrusted with these
sacred interests of the natiou's de.
tenders, that the great mass of veter.
ans looked forward to the election OF
"Oomrade Mckinley" "a the begun
ming of a most liberal pension period.
The republican national platform of
1896 says:
THE veterans Of the Union army
deserve and should receive fair treat
ment and generous recognition
Whenever practicable they should be
given the preference in the matter Of
employment, and they are entitled to
the enactment of such laws az are
best calculated to secure the fulfill
ment of the pledges made 10 them in
the dark days Of the country's peril"
The state platform adopted at
Hutchinson the 9Th of last June says:
I'VE favor the most liberal con-
struction Of all pension laws, in the
spirit OF their enactment, without
technical distractions or require
ments We urge that prefence be-
given to honorably discharged soldiers
and sailors in all appointments OF
state and nation, as provided by law"
But all these promises and pledges
have been rudely broken. "Comrade
Mckinley" is the frat president since
the war who failed to give The old
soldier generous recognition" in his
first animal massage.
From two to five old soldiers, wor-
thy and capable were candidates for
each position on the state ticket before
the late renuhlicau convention, all
were turned down except one who
was given the least desirable position.
Within the pstronizing territory Of
every postofiice IN Kansas are old
soldiers with firpt-clsss fitness 10 serve
az postmaster. but republican con-
gressmen and ex.Congressmen and
congressional candidates working
through republican senator upon a
republican president and postmaster
general, have turned down almost all
such candidates and "preferNnce was
given" In dapper Young politicians in
omen violation OF law and platform
pledges Those political .Iealers muai
he rewarded or rlacated. or both, and
must have the offices The old SOL
diers are supposed In he loval repub-
leans who care nothing but platform
promises
Every old soldier knows that The
present is the most niRgardly and
cruel administration of the pension
bureau since the war. From every
section of the United States have gone
protests against Mr.. Evans infamous
methods and demands for the removal
The state eneampment Of the Grand
Armv of the Republic held al Witch
ita, Kans. April 20 to % Of the cur
rent year adopted the following res
olutions:
"The administration of the pension
bureau has been dllatory for years
disappointing and unfriendly to the
thousands whose claims have been
rejected or neglected Rules Of evil
dence have been enforced with narrow
constructions, calls for evidence have
been based upon slight and formal
defects in evidence already suppliedi
the rating of boards of medical ex-
sminers have been arbitrarily rejected
overri5den by the medical examiners
of the department, rules OF practice
have not been made known to the
soldier or widow claimants, and they
have heen held to q kno Wedge Of the
practice which could not he presumed
10 have, and The bureau has failed tc
administer the law in The in the spirit
of gracious candor which belongs tc
orr national pension laws; the bead
of the bureau has been indiscreet and
apparently unsympRthetic, and his
uttarsnces have wounded the sensl
biItias of the soldiers"
The American Tribune, Crane
Army paper published in Indianspoli'
in It's issue Of February II, 1893
printed the following resolutions
adopted nv Shiloh Post, No. 40, o.
Newnort. Ind:
"Wheress The ax- Union soldiers o.
this country rejorced when the ac
was known that William Lochren hac
heen removed az Commissioner o
Pensions and H. Clay Evans shbsti
tuted in his stead. and believed they
had a true, patriotic friend who would
deal fairly and honestly with them
now find out tn their sorrow that the'
have hepn sadly disappointed, ant
instpad of dealing fairly and squarll
with ihnaa who are at his mercy. b
ia putting every obstlcle IN the wa!
be posaiblv cen to prevent the adm
dicsting of old pension CLAIMS AM
mansion incresses Of soldiers who srl
dasarvinO. in MANY caaea. ct NOR
than twice or threo times the rat
now pad them We have hacom
vorv tired Of aaaing the old penNoDor
Of the late war tradnced and de