The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-10-06
JUDGE PARKER AND PENSIONS.

Judge Parker in his letter of ac-
ceptance, says that he will revoke the
pension order of President Roosevelt
but he will use his influence with
Congress to pass an old age pension
bill. There is one great embarrassment
to this proposed programme. His in
! fiuence would not 90 far with a Dem
ocratic Cong, ess IN regard to pension
legislation, though it always declares
| in favor of liberal pensions in its plat
| form. There are fourteen pension
laws now on the statute books which
constitute the pension code. These
laws were all passed by Republican
| Congresses. Not one of them origin
| ated in q Democratic Congress. Some
| Northern Democrats voted for these
Republican bills but the majority of
| Democratic members of Congress
voted against them. The record has
( been kept. 1t shows that in the
passage of these fourteen pension
| bills G4S Democrats voted against
them and only AT voted for them.
On the other side LOGS Republicans
voted for the tpension bills and none
voted against them.
If Judge Parker is to use his influ-
ence in favor Of an old age service
pension law he will have to appeal to
Republican Congress. He might
have some influence with a Demo
cratic Congress in favor of free trade
legislation or bill to give independ-
ence TO the Philippines but when he
came to recommendation in favor of
an old age pension he would find the
majority of his party opposed to his
recommendation. The Democratic
party in Congress is controlled by
Southern men who are opposed to
pensions for Union veterans. They
represent people who did not fight
for the Union but against it, They
may accept the result of the civil war
as final, but they do not love the old
veterans who brought about that re-
suit and they are opposed to giving
them pensions from the national
treasury while the Confederate
veterans can be pensioned only by
their States
The Southern Democrats will ap-
plaud Judge Parker's declaration
that he will revoke President Roose-
velt's pension order. They will en-
dOrse his action revoking the order if
he should be elected President and
carry out his promise. When they
have done that the Southern Demo
Gratis in Congress will let the matter
rest right there. They will have sue
ceedsl in undoing some of the pen
sion legislation of the Republican
Party. The South now has two-thirds
of the Democratic caucus of the
House and they will continue to nave
a majority of the caucus if the Demo-
Gratis secure control of the House. No
pension bill can pass q Democratic
Congress without first receiving the
approval of the Democratic caucus.
What Southern Democrat would dare
introduce or vote for an old age pen
sion for Union veterans? Would
John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi,
who will be Speaker of Democratic
House? Let the old soldiers ask him.
The only hope of such a pension
bill is Republican house, and if the
old soldiers and their friends want to
continue the present pension laws
and regulations they should vote the
straight Republican ticket from head
to foot. They should vote to con-
tinue President Roosevelt and Re-
publican Congress. The pension laws
are of Republican origin and the only
way to continue them is by Republi-
can administration both executive
and legislative.