New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-12
A PLEA FOR PENSIONERS.
GENERAL SHAW URGES GREATER LIB
ERAI,rTY FOR CIVIL WAR VETERANS.

honor at reception last evening in the list Regi-
ment Armory. Thirty -fourth-st and Park-aVe.'
given by the 1902 Grand Army posts. Fully three
thousand representatives Of the various posts were
present The speakers were General Shaw. Colonel
Joseph W. Kay. the Department Commander' Zen
er4i George B. Loud the Inspector General IT, A.
r. and Colonel John W. Vrooman. OF Herkimer
General Shaw with the members OF his STAN
Was escorted 10 the platform promptly at $50
O'Clock by Colonel Joseph A. Goulden. chairman OF
the Grand Army Of New-York. The Commander
in Chief was greeted with cheers In welcoming
him. Colonel Goulden urged the old soldiers 10
stand shoulder to shoulder as OF Old He re-
minded them that they were marching down the
hill of life and would have successors. When
General Shaw responded he announced ai'er
thanking his hearers for their reception that ne
had duty to perform before he went furtner. he
then after speech OF high praise. presented 10
Commodore John II. Starin silver loving cup IL
was General Shaw said. in recognition OF Commo-
dore Starn's kindness and friendship for the Grand
Army.
Three cheers given for Mr.. Starin, and after
he responded with few words OF thanks
three more cheers were given. General Shaw then
began the address which he had prepared he said'
with a view OF presenting the Nation the opin-
ions OF the Grand Army with regard to pensions
He said in part:
In 1861. two famous bonds came into viewIthe
flesh and blood bond and the financial bonu. ne
first stood for American volunteers the gTsaiest
defeeSo of royernmen OF liberty and humanity,
and whose sacrifices won for us hS T, " sSh and
blood bond furnished its hundreds Of thousands Ss
of martyrs battle fields in hospitals nen la ae
lis lifelong agony in almost countless sufferers
after the ns OF Of w pain through ali their lives
Two pledges formed the basis Oh TINS ,pd bs
6UnG5he s needy and worthy survivors their
heirs and that the first aonors OF cit ne Ma
for the Union The first pledge has ds been e o nG
r. mill
deserving and needy veteran Is placed on the pen,
S S,on NO honorable QUESTION Then the bond includ
ed the payment Of from slS to SIC a month for war
Wbe the money thus paid sent to the
at home helped 70 @ te 200 per cent above
the range of market values when the war began.
Snancia i' Bond is famous ali over the world. Its
equal was known in the history or nalohs
maturity and the cost to investors. when issued.
ranged from 35 cents up gold value on r oSdr
almost solid ranks TO the polls after me close OF
the when the gold basis Of this bond nTas,ns
and interest in gold Thus the sav9rs OF ine Ha
redeemed The flesh and blood bond. from first to
last cost the Eation sSSs as shown ey 1ne
from April 1861 TO June 30 1899. while the amount
sme on period reached the sum total Of s557SOo
Nor is this all. II every survivor OF the great war
nsa Def nc phe1 all dependents Of those who died
the entire expenditure in this behalf would not
equal what mas Deen Ddlu 10 Hi!"bCi"i ~
gold and in a vast majority OF cases the purchase
OF such bond brought with II rich increase IN
OF the bond of flesh and blood. The latter has
been made good so far as gold STANDARD no ra
of wages Is concerned. while the former STANDS as
q golden monument Of heroic valor and splendid
Again and again have declared my belief that
every needy and worthy veteran of the great
wSr Who shouS receive one without vexing delays
caused by unnecessary and in6erai teehnca,ifeSs
demand equal and exact justice under present
enactments along the lines of pensions The war war
class who lent money and goods to the Nation. and
the brave defenders who lent their bodies and s Ses
amply and grandly paid in the full measure Of gold
paid. measured by the same standard -. .....,,,
is no doubt that s epS t6 ike has
brought down the veterans and pensioners OF
the Union fierce criticisms-as undeserved as Ihey
have been cruel and even brutal. In great NUMBER
This organized plan Of defamation recalls the
from the rear the copperheads Of that time " mas
been the cold blooded Calculation of men who have
Of justice for mere partisan and selfish ends ao.ns-
feeling of Unrest and dissatisfaction existed among
az than at The Gev bee VeGn ha
numbers OF applications for pensions are purposeyy
though the claim is clearly established as a Just
as TO keep down pension expena assd Nv
grateful people for the benefit of needy ana DE.
serving sh6 Soa ans recSmmend They are
nearly always pared down" 1 fear this belief is
What is needed is to have the present pension
laws administered in their plain simple PIE, con- on
penditnres plainly authorized in their enactment;
and let all financial responsibility therefor rest
In the financial poverty comparatively speaKiing,
of our country in the last days OF yne
Why should not every needy and deserving veteran
OF the great war that saved the Government of our
Conscript Fathers from overthrow in its unsur.
passed period of National wealth have pension!
predecessor: It can have successor. Its record
is among the deathless treasures OF our new Ma
for the T whole countfy It's just demands should
be heard by patriotic people when it speaks for
will be satisfied With nothing less a1s M may
M ans in some hearts wher the
least looked for such GOODNESS but the eternal ways
viii prevail and that full justice will be done the
aging heroes in whose interest ! have thus fully
and great enough TO fulfil in peace all pledges made
IN war to preserve their liberties
At the close Of General shaw's address a dele
cation of the members Of Alexander Hamilton
Corps Women's Relief Corps. marched into the
hall and two Of their number Mrs Mohr. past
department president Of the Corps. and Mrs. West
colt president of the Alexander Hamilton Corps.
escorted TO the platform. where they
presented General Shaw and the balance. OF
the speakers by F. ]. Atkinson. quartermaster Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic Both made short
speeches. and presented to General Shaw and De-
partment Commander Kay two beautiful baskets OF
Commander Kay made address OF thanks In
which he said the Grand Army members were too
conservative. and did impress upon the public
the rights Of the veterans. He briefly referred TO
the refusal of the Dewey Parade Committee
give the veterans the position wanted in the Dewey
land parade. and said:
In the DAYS OF the war there was no question
as TO the right OF line.