The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-24

honor to those brave and gallant sol
diers and that this government should
deal fairly. justly and honestly with
its. saviors. My opponent. in his
great anxiety to assure the old sol
dier of his sympathy and assistance.
says that If he is elected to con-
gress he will do all in his power to
pass law whereby all that should be
necessary to obtain pension or an
increase thereof would be to present
an honorable discharge. together with
an affidavit that he is in need of money.
A Great Injustice.
ITO my mind this would be great
injustice to the old soldiers of this
land. Why should you be compelled to
pay the muniticent (D sum of 25 cents
to make an affidavit that you are in
need of money when no one for one
moment will controvert that fact? My
friends, the question of the need of
money is not confined to the old soldier,
but all men will insist that they are
in need of money. Then submit that
it would be an injustice to require you
to make an affidavit about a fact
which no one disputes Therefore I
suggest that, If there be sense and rea-
son In his proposition, then why not
do away with the affidavit and make
the sole test an honorable dischargeY
II should advocate such proposition
for either pension OF the increase
thereof, you would justly call me .
demagogue and say that my proposition
was foolish. My friends, you would
be right. Either proposition is a foolish
one, and any man who would go to
congress advocating such theories
would write himself down as an ass
and bring his district into disrepute.
By SO doing he might also do incal-
culable injury to the cause of the old
soldier, Just as tumblebug might
spoil cupful of good, pure and whole
some water. <ss.1,
.'Your lawmakers should advocate
sensible measures, which will meet
with the approval of the conscience
and the judgment of the people. The
man who goes to, congress advocating
visionary measures can have no influ-
ence in that body and will not be able
to accomplish anything for his con-
stituents.
"My friends, the old soldiers, as I
understand, do not complain Of the
law. Generally speaking, the law is
liberal and generous. 1t makes ample
provision for the soldier, his widow
and orphan.
Enforce the Law.
"rhe crying want and need Of today
is not for more law, but for an honest,
fair and impartial enforcement Of the
present law. Our pension law is en-
forced, If at all, through the depart
ment known as the commissioner of
pensions. He sits as Judge and in
terprets the letter and the spirit of the
law. His acts may be arbitrary, and
he may wholly ignore the law in its
application to petition for pension.
and there is no adequate relief from
his autocratic ruling. Therefore 1t is
just as necessary that your commits
sioner Of pensions should be an honest,
pure and upright man as it is for your
Judge who enforces the civil and Grim
inal law Of the land. The law of the
land makes ample provision for the i'm.
parchment Of judge who is dishonest
and corrupt. The commissioner OF
pensions sits as Judge, granting OF
refusing pensions as it suits his pleas
ure. He interprets the law according
<1 III {n a Co h,,,,, INV fv,
fiuence, dehors the record. He is q
'one mind power'-mighty, omnipotent
and most dangerous. He receives his
appointment from one man, and Is re
sponsible to him and to him alone. He
deals with the masses Of the people
He acts ss Judge upon the cases Of
thousands of people, and yet those peo
pie have nothing to say as to wht
shall be their judge, or who shall in
terpret the law which was made II
their behalf and in their interest.
insist that this ia un-American and for
eign to the genius of republican form
of government. The great iniquity Of
the present system Is fully exemplifiet
by your present commissioner Of pen
sions. This is not the time or til,
place to discuss in detail his work. L
is sufficient to know that thousands O
petitions from Grand Army posts ii
this nation have been presented beg
ging for his removal. Your petitions
have only been answered by repeated
injury. You have pleaded, but tn,
powers have been deaf to the voic
of Justice. You have implored. but n,
answer has come for your relief.
BY Popular Vote.
my friends, this is great injustice
1t is great wrong. Under the com
mon law we learn that for every wron
there is a remedy. There is remed
for this wrong, and. in my judgment
this remedy is simple and adequate.
would make the commissioner Of per
sions an elective Office. would Civ
the old soldiers the opportunity to sa
who should be commissioner Of per
sions, and who should interpret th
law that was made for their benefi-
AS to how this should best be done
4 am not welded to any particula
theory. am willing to consult an
/ advise as to how this can best be don,
1 At the present, 1t is my judgment ths
It would answer the purpose II . la,
4 was passed providing that each Gran