The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-19
WE MUST BE UNITED.

We are in receipt of a great many let
tiers from comrades advocating a per diem
pension, 4 pension additional to that nj
ready received. and various other meas
ures with which the comrades are all IA
miliar. All these propositions have much
merit. and have the strong recommended
ton of justice-particularly those urging
a discrimination in favor of long-term men
| and Il pension additional to that already
received Cor severe wounds and ether dis
abilities incurred in the service.
But it is unwise and injudicious to in
sist upon these ut the present time. when
we should concentrate all our efforts upon
measure which is hopeful of success.
but which requires al of the united
strength Of the comrades TO push through.
\ plain, straight service pension bill
Of SD 4 month to every man who served
at least 80 days and was honorably dis
charged, or to his widow, is simple,
direct proposition which the minds of the
people can easily grasp. and which will
appeal to their sense of justice. 4
We can. therefore, much more hopefully
agitate ii in the expectation of speedy
success. When it is made law. it will
do Incompatible good to the immense
number of veterans and their widows.
There is nothing that is within our
reach which will do anything like so much
good to so many people. 1t will. at once,
end all the present aggravating and tire
some circumlocution in the Pension Blu
reau. 1t will wipe out substantially all
of the present irritating and expensive
farce of examining surgeons, special
agents, and the dreary round of examna
ton of papers in the Bureau to discover
whether men are disabled from the per-
Torrance of manual labor in q pension
able degree; the catechising and espionage,
frequently shameful and humilating, to
veterans widows.
1t will absolutely end all this, and make
a mans honorable discharge his pension
warrant.
Consequently, let us unite our whole
strength upon this important measure,
and demand its passage in no uncertain
voice with no divisions Or dissensions in
our ranks, with no quibbling as to pro-
visions and discriminG tiens. If we do this
we can be entirely confident that the
great sense of justice in the hearts of the
American people will at once respond with
such unanimity and force that Congress
cannot fail to hearken to our appeal and
Immediately pass a measure Of such OBJ
vious and imperative national justice and
gratitude. 1t will not dare to refuse to
pass it, SO strong will be public opinion
in its favor.
When it is once passed and is doing
its work among the tens Of thousands who
are now appealing to the Pension Office
in vain, then we can begin discussion as
to what is further due those men who
served long terms, or who suffered I'M
usual disabilities. We can do this more
hopefully than before we secured this
legislation.
Their case will be made much better by
it. They will be helped instead of hin
dered in getting what is justly due them.
Let us, therefore, solidify our ranks and
present an unbroken front, with the full
weight of the column of 100000 surviv-
ing veterans, and the widows of those
who have died, in favor Of the immediate
passage of this measure.