Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-12-24
The Plea of the Grand Army.


a good scheme-Commercia Tribune.
The Plea of the Grand Army.
We have recently witnessed the ov-
erflow of patriotic feeling in behalf of
the soldiers of the Spanish American
war. Nothing can be too good for the
men who stood for their country on
the field of battle and the field of Nat
ional honor. Look at the vast domain
that their valor has added to our coun-
try and the untold wealth that 1t will
add to our communities through the
expansion of trade and the new field
and markets for our surplus manufact-
ured articles. but for the man that car
ried the gun all that would still be a
sealed book to American enterprise, ,ex-
cluded by the Spanish greed. We need
say nothing about the new opportun-
titles for the advancement of religion
and education in these countries. The
sword and the cross, it seems, must
still go together in this world.
Shall We deny to the sick, the MAIN
ed, the widows and the orphans made
so by this war the small pittance of
pensions ranging from six to twelve
dollars per month ?Certainly not All
would say let them have this much at
least from the grand results attained
by their service to the country in her
time of need.
Now, that was the argument freely
admitted and the policy patriotically
carried out during the years after the
War Of the Rebellion--Ia country saw
ed, one flag, one country, the Union
preserved, a nation spelled with big
N, and strength and prosperity as
sured, were some of the immeasurable
benefits that the four years of war and
the sacrifices of the soldiers of the
Grand Army won for us, and we are all
or nearly all, willing that these men
shall have liberal pensions, believing
that there are laws now on the statute
books ample for all purposes if carried
out in the spirit in which they were
enacted, but the last few years have
shown that not the spirit but the let
been the governing rule. So that it
has come to be the standing and trite
observation of those who understand
the situation that it is more influential
to be able to sonstrue a law than to
enact law.
There is no doubt but what Congress
would at once pass very liberal pension
enactments in behalf of the soldiers of
the Spanish war, their widows and Or
phans dependant upon them for sup
port if it was not for the vast number
of the Grand Army and their depend
ents that would necessarily share in
any general legislation that might be
enacted. A generation having grown
up since the War fthe Rebellion, who
know nothing of the burdens and sac
rifices of the men who wore the blue
during those four years of fighting
and look upon them as simply fav-
cred class.
The plea of the Grand Army of the
Republic is not for more laws, nor for
a change of present laws, but for an
administration of them according to
the plain intent and meaning of same.
Or, if this cannot be had, then for a
service pension law that will treat ev-
cry honorably discharged soldier on
an equal footing.
The National Tribune, the organ of
the Grand Army. says in part as fol-
lows:
"Thirty-four years after AppOmat-
tox with $4,000 reflections by the
Pension Bureau last year, and probab-
100000 men unable to get their rights
under the law, with about 100000 to
spend annually in medical examina-
tions, which are largely useless, and
100000 year squandered on inquisi-
torial Special Examiners are over
whelming arguments in favor Of Ser
vice Pension of S12 a month to every
honorably discharged veteran and his
widow"
The members Of Congress who sat in
judgment when these laws were passed
while they counted the cost did not
hedge or hesitate because just enact
ment would cost a great deal of money.
They said let us do justice by the men
who bore the heat and burden of the
day their, widows and orphans; and
they did so and for many years these
laws were administered justly and salts
factorily, no complaint being made,
except perhaps on account Of delay,
which was unavoidable, owing to the
vast numbers who applied under
laws made especially for their benefit.
Fmpatience was displayed by those
who could not realize that over two
millions of soldiers is almost count
less number and nearly every one was
entitled to a pension or thought he was
and thus a flood business was always
crowding the Pension Court at Wash
ington.