The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-01
JERSEY SOLDIERS DAY.
Ketoham's Relief Bill Pas.
sed by the Senate After
Bitter Debate.
Especial to .Drhe Jersey City News.''l

Especial TO line jersey lily CIV.
TRENTON, March l, 1Sss.-It was the
New Jersey soldiers day in the senate,
yesterday afternoon, and the LAD VINO
jumped at the call of the President 70
wipe the Spaniard off the face OF the
earth was lauded and extoiled 70 ms
hearts content although he did not get
h a he was after. Mr.. Ketcham's Dali,
the most unpopular of alb providing Tor
the payment to the members of the New
who went to the war, at the rate OF 80 pei
month to m~arried.men, and 81 per month
to single men, came Upon final passage.
The bill, Mr.. Ketcham explained, was
drawn by the State Military Committee,
and based upon the allowance maze ny
the State to the men who enlisted in the
Civil Wal from this State. Referrlng 70
the circumstances filed against his Dill
by the volunteers, he said that personally
he would be glad to see them trea1ed
more literally. Still he did not think
they had any air claim to more pay
than the volunteers of the Rebellion re-
ceived, and beside the sum his bill would
require would amount to over $lSO,Oco, ana
that was as much as the State could at
ford. Another bill pending called for over
$500, 900, and still another for over Si5O,O00,
which sums in the opinion of the states
financial officers was simply appalling.
Mr.. Ketcham referred to the heavy de-
mands made upon the treasury this year
for the Morris Plains Asylum, the Rah-
way Reformation and other Institutions
and spoke Of the efforts being MADE by
n%eighbor.ng States to attract new corpor-
atoms which, if successful would deprive
the State of a source Of revenue unless
care was exercised.
Senator McDermott referred to the re-
ports which led the volunteers to expect
adequate compensation for their services.
With this in view, it looked like q matter
Of justice, not of generosity, ana II sues
were the case, the State should pay inc
debt regardless of the condition of the
treasury.
no debt as 40 promises had been held
out.
Senator w. M. Johnson aid that the
Jerseymen who enlisted did so presumably
from patriotic motives. No money IN
ducement had been offered them. Il was
after their enlistment and the discharge
of some of them that the question OF re-
warding them arose: Men cannot DC
compensated in exact figures for the hard
ships of war and risking their lives Ter
their country's sake. The State is not at
tempting this, but simply undertakes
some recognition, and bases it offer on
War, which seems to have been satisf;tc-
tory. In justice to the taxpayers he
said no larger sum could be appropriated.
Senator Van Cleef said he would vote for
the bill, but said he would like a fuller
recognition of our Jersey boys services,
He denied that no promises had been
made to the boys, and read from the
platform adopted by the New Jersey .ke-
publicans last fall in which they pledged
full recognition of the claims of our vol
unteers. That was one promise the
other was contained in the Democratic
platform. Senator, Braun that
he would vote against the bill at the re-
quest of his constituents. The bill passed
BY a vote of 16 to 3, Messrs. Braun. Nc
Dermott and Parker. Mr.. Foster did not
vote n President Reed was absent.
The Senate then took up Mr.. Ketcham's
Joint resolution voting medals to the
volunteers at a cost of $1,000. Mr.. Ket-
cam explained the measure.
Mr.. McDermott grew sarcastic over the
bill. saying that in view of the terrible
state of the treasury it was unwise to
vote s., 200 away to crafty the vanity OF
those who wanted to wear buttons to sig
nifty not that The fought, but hat they
were ready to fight. 1t was a good thing
for some button factory, but the but
tons would be lost in SIX months.
Mr.. W.. w. johnson thought differently.
He believed these symbols would be ap-
preciated by the owners and handed down
with pride to their children. Admiral
Sampson was getting a. sword, the
~privates should not be forgotten.
The resolution was adopted II to =, same
as before, except that Mr.. Packer changed
to aye and Mr.. Foster voted no.