Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-01
POSITION OF PARTIES
Colonel Michael, Himself Veteran OF
the Great War, Says Election Of
Roosevelt Gives Old Soldiers Assur-
ance of Fair Treatment.
(BY H. ]. MAHIN.)
Ibf II. j. NIAIiI1ND
Washington Bureau OF the Courier.
WASHINGTON, b. c., Oct. 29.

do would be to rescind the executive
order giving veterans pensions on &C.
count of age, and his cabinet officers
would at once begin the work OF re-
moving veterans from the department
service"
With considerable feryor, born OF
righteous indignation, this statement
was made to the Courier correspondent
today by Col. William H. Michael, CHIEF
clerk for the state department He
continued:
"Place the house of representatives
in the hands of the democratic party
and you will see repeated the same op.
position to pension legislation SO con-
spicuous in the fifty-second and fifty
third congresses when the democrats
had the power before"
Colonel Michael Is a veteran of the
civil war himself. He says he Is an
Iowan and is proud to claim the old
Hawkeye state because he enlisted
when mere boy at Muscatine. Col.
Michael always attends the annual re.
unions of his regiment. This veal 1t
was held at Waterloo last month and
at the soldiers rally on September Is
Colonel Michael, by invitation, deliv-
cred the principal address. He took
for his subject the political situation
and his text was Veterans, Stand
Firm for Your Rights" The address
was such strong one and such an
able citation of the facts that the
speech mas been printed and is being
circulated as campaign document by
the republican national committee.
"The platform on which Judge
Parker stands declares for pensions
for ex-Union soldiers and sailors" said
Colonel Michael, "but almost in the
same sentence denounces the execu-
tive order of President Roosevelt CIV
ing pensions on account of age to all
Union soldiers and sailors. He
stands on a platform that blows
hot and cold'-that juggles with words
and means nothing. But what does
the platform signify? Grover Cleve-
| land was elected on platform that
was stronger in it's terms for pensions
than the one on which Judge Parker
stands. Many thousands of veterans
were deceived by the specious prom
Uses of the democratic party platform
in 1884 and 1892. Judge Barker will
receive the votes of Grover Cleve-
land, Hoke Smith, Lochran and hun
dreds of others who proved them
selves the enemies Of the union vet
eran in theid days of power and they
will help to dictate the policy toward
win this fall.
you can not recall a single legis-
lative act or an executive veto during
the period from the close of the war
to 1875 when the republicans we're in
power that was against the old sol
der or sailor. In 1875 a democratic
president got in and the democratic
party in congress soon threw off all
disguise and boldly opposed and by
every means in their power defeated
pension legislation. and opposed with
equal bitterness every measure pro
posed by republicans to give
ex-soldiers and ex-sailors an ad
ditional homestead with the right
to apply a portion of their wal
service 50 as to reduce the term Of
residence on the land to perfect title
The democratic congress opposed the
disability pension bill with zeal thai
bordered on madness. The republl
cans passed the bill just the same. Il
: went to a democratic president ant
was vetoed.
This act particularly pleased the
!, south. The Durham, North Caroline
Globe, referred to it as the one &C
which most endears Cleveland to the
south The same paper in referring t.
Mr.. Cleveland's hiring a substitute
and not going to war said: Grove
Cleveland knew that the countr.
would need his services in 1884 ant
again in 1892 and he did not propos,
to have his body filled with southern
lead in order to give YANKEE
] the chance to pick his poke
after he had been killed
He simply did his duty by hiring ,
substitute, as he did when he slappe,
; the dirty faced beggars, called the pen
, sioners, in the face
Besides vetoing the public pen
sion act the last democratic presiden
vetoed more than 100 private pensiol
bills.
! This democratic president was sue
, ceeded by soldier republican who's
heart was with the veterans, their vic
, ows and orphans. The law known a
, the act of June 81, 1890, was prompt
!. passed for the Immediate relief @
: about $4,000 veterans, reported to b
in the poorhouses Of the country an
;, many thousands of theirs dependent o
: private charity.
:, : But in 1892 Grover Cleveland wa
: again placed in power and the demo
= crates Immediately entered the rot
!. of stopping all pensions under the &C
= of June 27, 1890. They went farthe
. Within five months 1000 pensionel
y were dropped and the shameful wor
of dropping them at the rate of 800
day was going on when the alarme
northern democrats, who felt the way
of Indignation that swept like a to
J. nado over the north, prevailed upo
the authorities at Washington to ha
in their cruel warfare against the We
Grams and their widows and children