The National tribune., 1904-09-01

Il
Pension Committee recommended that the
effort to secure the passage of the Service
Pension Bill be continued. and the National
Encampment unanimously adopted its re-
port. This officially renews the campaign
| for that act of justice, and sounds the
bugle for all veterans and friends of veter-
ans to get in line for a combined. unani-
nous. energetic effort to secure favorable
| Congressional action.
The bill can be passed at the coming SEES
sion. if the veterans everywhere will mani
fest in an unmistakable way their strong
desire to have it. There is no doubt of this
strong desire. 1t was made so apparent
last Winter that the only thing that pre-
vented its passage was the bugaboo of the
Unknown Army which was exaggerated
to the utmost by the enemies of pensions
The issuance of Order No. 70 was Il for
it conclusively demonstrated the grossness
| of this exaggeration. and thus removed the
The outlook is. therefore. much more
| favorable than it was then.
No man can successfully deny the justice
of raising all those already on the rolls to
| $l2. and of putting veterans not yet on the
| rolls upon them at that figure. Three dol
| lars a week is small return from this
great. rich. prosperous Nation to those who
saved it from destruction. and it is uphill
work for any man to contend against the
gratitude and justice of so doing. The
only effective argument against it has been
that of its immense cost, and this has been
happily minimized.
The petitions already sent in in favor of
the bill are still on file in the room of the
Committee on Pensions. where they will
do good. Posts, societies, and organiza-
tons which have not sent in petitions
should lose no time now in doing so. to add
to the effect already produced, and make it
a continuing force.
| At every Reunion, Campfire. Encamp-
ment. and other gathering of veterans held
| from now On. care should be taken TO pass
resolutions asking for the passage of the
Service Pension Bill.
A new Congress is to be elected this Fall.
| and the candidates are now among the peo-
pie. This is the time to secure pledges
from them to work and vote for the bill.
Let the veterans in every Congressional
District take this matter up in deepest
| earnest and impress every candidate for
Congress The best way would be to APP
point regular committees for each Con-
gressional District who it should be I'M
derstood are authorized to speak for every
District. These should formally interview
every candidate for Congress. and get his
views upon the subject. They should not
allow themselves to be put off with glitter
| ing generalities, but get categorical an
| swers as TO whether he will, or will not
| if elected, WORK AND VOTE FOR
THIS PARTICULAR. SPECIFIC
MEASU RE-the one recommended by the
G.. A. X. National Pension Committee, and
Endorsed by the National Encampment. OF
course. we shall not object to his favoring
a still more liberal measure. but it will not
do to make that pretext for defeating the
Service Pension Bill We have had too
many bitter experiences of that kind in the
past. Too many of our pretended friends
have always wanted something SO much bet
ter than what we have asked for that they
could not bring themselves to vote for what
we have agreed among ourselves to re-
quest. If he is real friend of the veter-
ans. he can do no less than vote for the
Service Pension Bill, and take his chances
some future time. Let this be impressed
upon those who want to quibbie over the
terms of the Pension Bill. 1t does not go
as far as We want, but it will 60 very far
il will be Il long step and make the others
shorter.
| Let us have. therefore from every man
who solicits our votes, a square, out and
out pledge to support the Service Pension
Bill "a prepared by the q. A. H. Commit
tee. or distinct refusal to do so.
No sdestepping under any pretext
| If We go about this as We should. ii will
impress the present Congress with how
thoroughly united and deeply in earnest we
are, and help to save the next Congress
from having to vote upon the bill
Go To work at once, Comrades.
PADDED PENSION ROLLS.