The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-08-17
GOOD '' ''''''
NEWS FOR :
! THE VETS
Indian War Soldiers
to- be Paid Their
Pensions
The Splendid Work Of Ex-
Congressman Moody Ac-
cOmplisheS This
--lp

The Dalles, Or, Aug 15.-Hon. Ma
COIN A. Moody has Just received Nc
tice from the Commissioner of PEI
sions that the claim Of Lewis LAwley
OF this cits, has been allowed at aspe
month from June 27, 1902. This pes
sion established new ruling on th
Indian war veteran act Of the abov'
date. thereby reeognizIng as pension
able the volunteers who failed Z
draw the pay allotted 10 them by thu
war Department for their services
against the Indians In the early days
when every man and every horse that
could be spared from the scattered
settlements Of oregon and Washing
ton were called upon 70 protect the
IIyes and property Of the pioneers.
Tho case OF Lewis Lawler is one Of
the most interesting IN the annals Of
the Pension once. II Is the one IN
which Representative Moody, Of Ore
gon had such long controversy over
with the Pension Bureau. and after
the Commission hnally rejected u, he
appealed 10 the Secretary Of the In.
terior, where ther ulIngs were reyers-
ed and the claim ordered rcadiusted
and allowed. u Is, esiecially import.
ant because II establshes a new ril-
ing on the Indian War veteran act,
which, az a precedent. viii entItio
many worthy veterans 20 their pen
slons who were being refused by the
Bureau In great numbers.
The early indian wars OF this coun.
try were. a. n we'll known. fought by
volunteers IN the territorial service.
who were, naturally, entitled 10 their
pay from the territorial government.
They. however. were not NO paid. but
were allowed pay BY q Congressional
appropriation six or seven years later
on about one-fourth OF the pay the
territorial authorities agreed TO al.
low them when they were mustered
In. There being no specific rate OF
pay mentioned IN the Congressional
appropriation act. the Auditor Of the
War Department held that only thO.
regular Army rates could be allowed
the volunteers which was then sl3I
per month for the men and 40 cents
per day for horses. instead OF 81 per
day for the men and 81 per day for
the horses. the rate authorized by the
territorial government This sweep.
ing discount In pay and the knowledge
that Il would. In all probability. be
paid In greenbacks, worth then only
about 30 cents on the dollar, Il Is rea-
aonAble 20 suppose. prevented many
OF the volunteers like Lewis Iawley
from applying for their Governments
allowance tfIH.
IN order 20 assure the Endorsement
OF ne House committee on pensions,
AZ well as the Speakers approval OF
the Indian War veteran bills. his
friends were Obliged to insert this
cIausei
And provided further. That where
there is no record of enlistment or
muster into the service of the United |
States in any OF the wars mentioned |
IN this act the records OF pay by the ]
United States shall be accepted as
fun and satisfactory proof OF such |
enlistment and service. /
Il was feared without this provls.
ION the bin would let IN thousands OF
claims for pensions from home guards
aud mililiamen in Pennsylvania. Mis.
sconri and other nelghboring states
who took up arms during the war OF
The Rebellion 10 protect the citizens
In their several states. To make
sure 10 exclude such applicants fron,
! pensionahle status. 4 was provided
hat "the records of paw By the
United States In any Of the wars
mentioned shall be accepted as FUN
md satisfactory proof Of such enlist i
nent and service"
This, 4, was thought. would include
III Of the Indian War veterans in the
Northwest and safely exclude those
'omeguarlsmen of tAe Eastern States
whom copgness had repeatedly ne
used 90 pension. ON the ruling OF
ho COmmissioner az peneions On thfs
'rovision OF the law, Il looked for
iHie ~ n only the veteran who drew
N money from the Government
lould be pensionahle under the act ,
nd that bis comrade who fought for
be same cause without pay would be- 4
enied one. Naturally. Mr. Moody
onld not silently permit such an !
liustice 20 prevail. and hence his ap X
cal % the Secretary Of the Interior Il
blch resulted in reversing the ruling q