Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-10-19
PENSIONS TO SOLDIERS
Records OF the Two Parties
Fully Discussed.
FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS
Added to Amount of Pensions Paid the
Soldiers Of the Union by Act of 1890.
Hoke Smith aud II. Clay Evans Con-
trasted In Work of Pension bureau.


Hoko Smith aud II. Clay Evans Con-
trsstsd In Work of Pension bureau.
More than $500, ,000, 900 is q magnifi-
cent amount to be paid out in less than
10 years under single pension act,
additional to what was paid during the
same time under the regular pension
acts preceding II. This is the money
that the pensioners of the United
States have had under the act of June
27, 1890, passed by Republican con-
gress. and signed by Republican
president, and so literally admins
tered by the succeeding Republican ad
ministradons, that there are now 420,-
912 soldiers and sailors. and $780, 266
widows receiving its benefits, who
would not be entitled under the ge4.
eral pension law. This Is only a singIs
evidence OF the persistent care of this
| Republican party for the pensioners.
Not one Republican Is on record,
with even one adverse vote. upon the
entire II important pension measures
voted upon by congress since the civil
war; while 1.06S Republicans voted in
favor OF these different measures. On
the other hand, during the same time
and upon the same bills, more than
go per cent OF all the Democrats in
congress. or 64s, are shown by the
| Congressional Record, to have voted
against these same pension bills, and
less than 40 per cent OF the Democrats,
or only AT, to have voted for them.
| This contrast has been continuous be-
tween the parties in their actual votes
| in congress since the great war in
ficted such vast suffering upon our
immense armies and navies, and made
the enormous pension list an indis-
pensable part OF the price paid by the
country for secession and treason,
caused by the Southern Democracy.
In 20 years of Republican rule.
neither Presidents Lincoln. Hayes,
Garfield, Arthur, Harrison nor Nc
Kinley ever vetoed a single pension
bill. In his entire eight years General
Grant, the great soldier, withheld his
signature only Ave times from private
pension bills. Contrast this record of
2S Republican years with the only
eight years the Democrats have had
since Buchanan-for during his two
terms President Grover Cleveland We
toed 524 pension bills. Clevelands ad-
ministration acted in complete keep
Ing with his own warfare upon the
pension list.
Hoke Smithism means to the Amer
| tCta 70
his welfare. and in that antagonism
Mr.. Smith, as is now clearly known,
only obeyed orders In consequence
Of II, however, during Cleveland's first
year Of his second term. 6ss per cent
Of all pension claims adjudicated were
rejected, or 84.562 out of 1884 Dur
Ing the first two years OF this Demo-
cratic administration the notorious
Hoke Smith board of revision dropped
1854 pensioners from the rolls and
reduced 23.702 pensions, the vast ma
jor!ty for bitterly unjust reasons. as
was evident In every community where
cases occurred OF this kind.
Cleveland's pension commissioner
reported for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1895, the issuance of 96.337
pension certificates. and the rejection
OF l03.355 claims of all kinds. These
are his own official figures. How mag
nificently they verify and attest the
depth and strength of the Democratic
love for the Union soldiers!
Contrast. with these reflections oi
pension claims, the dropping of pen.
sioners and the decrease in their rates
CT pension, By the last Democratic ad.
ministration, the fact that from April
/. 1897, to June 80, 1900, under McKin
ley's commissioner of pensions. Hon
Henry Clay Evans Of Tennessee, more
than $4,000 names Of pensioners drop
ped by previous administrations were
restored to the rolls, and are now re
= ceiving 32.100,000 annually. During
the past fiscal year alone 1852 suct
names were restored to the rolls. Thil
contrast is even more strongly showI
by the fact that while In Cleveland!
three years-lSs4, 1885 and 1S96-onl!
1864 original pensions were allowed
during the entire three years; in Nc
Kinley's three corresponding year.
years the number was $4,000 greater.
!, In Cleveland's last year only 1874
original claims were filed, for ths pen
sioners had got tired of being thrown
J down. But when Mckinley came il
) the claims that had been held back 70
J four years were rushed into the bu
reau. and in one year 61,613 origina
claims, and 226051 claims in all, wer
piled in upon Commissioner Evans. Il
his first three months he disposed O
S0,538 claims. or half as many as tn
Democratic commissioner got rid O
, in nine months preceding. With al
this increase in claims. and all tn
business growing out of the Spanis
> war, the pension bureau under Nc
Kinley has gained upon its work b
100000 cases within the past two years
SO that applicants stand bette
chance than ever before of havin
-.