Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-11
SOLDIERS APPEALED TO
OF THE TWO PARTIES
ON PENSION LEGISLATION.
Statement Being Circulated by the
Union Veterans Patriotic League
Effect of Parker's Declaration.

Judge Parker's declaration that he
would. If elected. revoke the recent PEN
sion order of President Roosevelt, has
soldiers in this campaign The qualifica-
ton of the threat made by the judge,
namely, to the effect that he would then
ask Congress to enact the substance of
the order into law, does not appear 90
have placated them
The republican campaign committee i'm
mediately took steps to call attention to
the fact that even If Judge Parker could
get Congress to enact the law, more than
year would elapse before the pensions
could be restored and in the meantime the
needy would be deprived and many of the
beneficiaries would pass out altogether.
Further, stress was laid upon the fact
that If Judge Parker were elected, he
would probably have a democratic House,
and the republican committee pointed out
that democratic Congresses have not been
the assemblies which dealt most gener-
ously with the old soldiers.
An organization called the Union Vet
Grams Patriotic League has General Dan
Sickles at the head of 1t. The national
committee supplied private car, and
and General King, oldtime democrats,
started out to tour the country for Roose-
welt and Fairbanks. appealing to the SOL
der vote for the republican ticket.
The literature being sent out by the
league is a stirring appeal to the veterans
to vote for the republican ticket in the
interest of the soldiers, their widows and
orphans Accompanying the main c1rcu-
lar is a folder giving the record of the
parties in Congress on pension legislation.
The folder says:
Attention, Veteran Soldiers!
Compare this record and see where your
wi
Pension legislation in Congress-:
THE arrears of pension bill, passed jan
uary 10, 1S79-Democrats for the bill, 80;
democrats against the bill, 81; republic
cans for the bill, ZIG; republicans against
the bill, none.
The amputaton bill, passed August 4.
1SS6--Democrats for the bill, rs; demo-
Gratis against the bill, 81; republicans for
the bill, 81; republicans against the bill,
none.
"The widows arrears bill (giving ar
rears Of pensions from the death of their
husbands to widows entitled to pensions),
Democrats for the bill, 1; democrats
against the bill, 90; republicans for the
bill, %; republicans against the bill, none
THE disability bill (gives pensions to
parents and acknowledgements for the
bill, %; democrats against the bill, So; re-
publicans for the bill, 116; republicans
against the bill, none.
sion for term of Imprisonment of all who
were prisoners of war for thirty days or
more)-Democrats for the bill, "a; demo-
Gratis against the bill, rs; republicans for
the BILL III; republicans against the bill,
none
THE democrats voted three to one
against the bill, and as it lacked five
votes for the necessary two-thirds it was
defeated
Here is further history of pension
legislation as it stands on the statute
books today. There are fourteen bills
that have been passed from time to time,
and these bills form the pension code: The
following record shows who passed them:
Democrats for the bills, All: democrats
against the bills, 64S; republicans for the
bills, LOGS; republicans against the bills,
none.
while the democrats in the last Congress
were opposing pension legislation President
Roosevelt promptly and Enthusiastically
settled the question by causing to be issued
order No. IS, which fixes more liberal age
limit; all veterans over sixty-two years Of
age receiving So per month; all over sixty
five, So; all over sixty-eight, $40, and all
over seventy, $12
President Roosevelts enemies have Sc
verely criticised him for this action, charg-
ing him with usurpation of the legislative
powers of Congress; but the best constitu-
tional lawyers have decided that he had full
authority for his action, under the laws of
1890. He certainly had good presidents,
for both President Cleveland and President
Mckinley, during their terms, acting under
the same law, fixed an age limit Ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland says of order No. rs: so
far I can see, the change is in keeping
with the law.
Judge Parker, the democratic candidate
for the presidency, in his letter of accep-
lance says of this order: If elected l will
revoke that order This action would de-
prive from 25 600 to $4,000 veterans of their
pension. With two-thirds of the democrats
in the House of Representatives from the
southern states, in view of the above rec
ord of past legislation. what chance will
veterans have for any legislation in their
favor from democrats2
MY comrades, will you, the veterans Of
this state, vote to give Judge Parker a
chance to rescind that order?"