Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-28
CHANGE PENSION LAWS.
Senator Scott Makes a Plea for th'
Veterans,

Veterans.
Washington, Jan. 2S.-1n the senate
Mr.. Scott spoke on his resolution pro-
|viding for a commission to suggest q
change in the pension laws and to in
I fuuire into the advisability of granting
a pension of $12 per month to any sol
der of the civil war who served ninety
days. In the course OF rs REMARKS ne
| said:
Large as the pension roll now ap-
pears, mammoth as seems the aggre-
gate of a nations bounty, 1T is an ag-
gregats summed from all its wars. fet
I7however, large that may be. it is not SC
large as the muster roll. and no man
who answered the call to Which none
but the true and brave responded
should now be forgotten. Go. Mr. Pres
lident. read the muster roll from 81 to
| l'65. Subtrac. from it those that sleep
lin the cemeteries, and then compare the
remainder with the pension roll and tell
me where that vast army is.
.eWho cares for them? There is not
one of them, perhaps, but was a brave
and true patriot as his comrades, who
are now provided for. Their names
have never been enrolled upon the pen
sion list; they have been knocking, but
knockiig in vain. Upon what principle
of Justice, by what teaching of human
lity shall one-half be clothed and the
other naked? It was the blood OF the
Union soldier that cemented the stones
erected by the fathers OF the constltu-
ton: and they are not asking for the
Hast drop of blood and the last pound OF
flesh. but they are asking for an equita-
HE distribution of the fruits of their
handiwork
This resolution provides that the
union veteran be paid s12 per month
after reaching the age OF 62, ana max
ing application for the same. Inns
would be a scanty living. Even then the
wolf will howl close by. After the age
of 62 few men, especially those VINO
have undergone the hardships of war.
arr, able to do manual labor. Many OF
these are today worthy and suffering
for. the necessities of life. believe this
resolution will meet with the nearly
approyal Of a brave and generous peo-
ple. I know 1t will meet the approval
of orr conscience. Let this commission
be appointed: let 1T assume the TASK
that will appeal to duty and patriotlsH
and not to partisanship or secuonalism.
Let the members be men who can not
he swerved from duty by the cheer OF
the demagogue or the groans OF the
miser and recommend to the next con-
gress such a measure as will simplify
our present complex system and broad
en- the pedestal of our philanthropy.
When the soldier served ninety days
and was honorably discharged and has
reached the age of 62, he should receive
from this government not less than sl2
per month. This will give him a few
of the necessities and none of the lux
uries of life. 1t is small to the indl-
yidual and the aggregate would never
be felt by the people. Can human ge-
MUS devise a more appropriate outlay
for the accumulated surplus? woulo
prove a gross method of redistribution.
Many a soldier files his claim and long
before it is recognized he has passed
over the river and filed claim else
where. Nearly forty years have come
and gone; S61.076 applications are on
file; of these 430,S50 have been allowed
leaving nearly 100000 not acted upon.
At this rate it will require eighty years
to complete the roll, and when 1t is
completed there will be none left 70 an
swer IT."