Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-09-27
THE OLD SOLDIERS.
Captain John 7. Raper Tai1s
OF Their Views.
THEY WILL SUPPORT GEINLE7.

Proved True U"nirade and r st-ad-
fast Friend to Them.
One OF the reasons why the old SOL
diers will generally support Mr.. Me
kinley Is that they are now the prin-
cipal creditors OF the nation, and they
want no reputation of the indebted
ness. direct OF indirect; no experiment
with the dollar in which they are 10
be paid which is likely to reduce its
value. In this demand they are not
selfish. They stand for the highest
type of national honor, and almost to
a man were for paying the bondhold-
ers in the best dollar there was to be
found on earth The pensions of many
are too small now, and to cut them in
two by making the silver dollar the
standard, would bring many dependent
pensioners to absolute want and dis
tress.
Another reason why the old soldiers
will vote for Mckinley is that their
patriotism is of that robust, confident
nature that fears nothing and hopes
all things 'or the nation, and that ma
tion's influence on the freedom and
happiness of the whole world. They
have seen the happy effect of their
victory in the sixties in their own
country extend to other nations, in in
creased freedom and privilege to all
the common people, and the weaken
ing of the power and influence of tyr
ants to the uttermost bounds of the
earth.
To them the American flag is the
emblem of hope and freedom to the
oppressed to every cline and when it
was unfurled in Hawaii, Porto Rico,
Guam and the Philippines. it meant
that the freedom of the great west had
invaded-to stay-the dark domain OF
the far east, the home of ignorance,
superstition and tyranny. They are
are not appalled, by the temporary dis
order in the Philippines; they look be-
yond that to the centuries of order.
liberty, progress and prosperity which
are sure to follow the flag. They are
not worried nor frightened by the cry
of imperialism, nor the deceitful talk
about the consent of the governed"
They heard all that threshed over for
four long and weary years a third OF
a century ago, when that great-hearted
prince of the common people, the
emancipator Lincoln, was denounced
| as q hateful tyrant and wicked usurp-
er who was seeking to subvert the lib
critics of the people, and make himself
an emperor.
A third reason why they will sup
port Mckinley is that he is their COM
rade, and bears their interests and well
fare in mind as only a comrade can.
| He may not have done all that each
one might wish, and in the way that
each thought best, or all that he might
Lave done If he had not the weight OF
a war on his mind, involving provi-
sion for its successful prosecution, and
great and intricate questions of re-
| sponsibility and craftsmanship. Bui
he has not been neglectful of his COM
| rades.
Everything that the Grand Army
has asked for officially has been grant
ed so far az there has been time and
opportunity. The law of 1890 was
amended in the exact words proposed
| by the Philadelphia national encamp-
ment, and every national committee of
that order having anything to do with
| legislation, or with the administrat-
ton of laws for the benefit of veter.
ans, reported to the national encamp-
ment at Chicago the active interest of
| the president in promoting the pur-
pose of their appointment.
The civil service regulations were
amended by President Mckinley as re-
quested by the committee so that sol
diers who were removed from Office
for political reasons were reinstated,
| and the removal of a veteran from pub
| lie employment without cause was for.
hidden; and when the committee re-
turned at a later date to report that
this regulation was not being fairly
administered, he promptly issued an
order that no veteran should be re-
moved without a hearing, and until
the president had himself examined
dpplONSu lhe DdpClS. DOtS any
one suppose that Mr., Bryan would
thus interpose to protect the veterans
of a war which he more than half dis.
approves, ana for whom he has never
yet found time to say kind word?
No man ever heard from Mckinley.
or the typical young American who Is
his running mate, one unkind or dis
respectful word of the veteran, or of
the cause which gives him character
and standing. No man ever heard OF
one kind or grateful word for either
from Mr. Bryan or his running mate,
the organizer of the Bloomington, ILL.,,
Knights of the Golden Circle. Mr..
Bryan is distinctly unfriendly. He
went out of his way as editor of the
Omaha World-Herald, to charge that
pensions are a fraudulent debt, be
cause it was never earned by any act
of patriotism or heroic service" He
charged that the old soldiers were
holding nm and rohhinp tha povarn