Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-20
A PLEA FOR THE AGED.

Grand Army men everywhere anu
aged men in general are interested in
the plea made by Chief
Tanner of the G. A. r., to Congress-
man Tawney, in behalf of the aged
men employed by the government.
Don't cut down their pay" is the bur-
den of Corporal" Tanners appeal and
in his letter to the Minnesota con-
gresham he makes many strong
points.
IN the report Of the house commit
tee on appropriations, says the letter,
submitting the legislative and judi
cial appropriation bill occurs the fol-
lowing under the caption Limitations
with respect to the appropriations
made in the bill and not heretofore i'm
posed as follows:
Section 8. After June 80, 1906,
there shall not be employed in any ex-
ecutive department or other govern
ment establishment in the District of
Columbia any person in the classified
service who is IS years of age and I'M
der 68 years of age, at a rate of annual
compensation exceeding $1,400, or who
is 6S years of age and under 20 years
of age at rate of annual compensa-
ton exceeding $1,000, or who is over
10 years of age at a rate of annual
compensation exceeding $40, and after
June 80, 1913 no person in the CLASH
fed service shall be continued in the
employment of any such executive de-
partment or other government estab-
lishment who has attained 70 years of
age
Continuing, Tanners letter says:
According to the best estimate we
can make 100000 of the union army
are now living. Providence has
blessed these men with a vast aggre-
cation of sons and sons-in-law, and
can not be far out of the way when I
assert that the survivors of the van
ishing army and their allied domestic
!. relations aggregate nearly or quite
100000 adults in this land. Few of
this number but, directly or indirectly,
would be affected by the proposed leg
/ islation.
"The departments now have power
to demit or discharge for incapacity or
for any other cause, power review
able by no tribunal, that for a century
and quarter has been absolute. I'm
der it old men and young men are daily
being assigned, both by promotion and
reduction, to the duties for which best
fitted.
'You propose that the almshouse
alone shall be the veterans refuge in
1 life and perhaps after you've kicked
him out to rattle his bones over the
stones will deny him burial in conse
1 Grated ground, close against him the
gates of Arlington.
"The operation of the proposed pen
! atty for loyal and faithful service
would fall SO heavily upon those who
bore the burden of the battle in the
union army that must treat it as II
\ they were the sole beneficiaries. 1t is
for them, my comrades, speak.
"My dear chairman, there is dea6
line in legislation representing the
saviors of the nation beyond which M
enemy may go. Let me beg you tc
pause before you attempt to cross i
under the belief that the sentry i:
! asleep. You may pass this unjust, cru
4 ell, monstrous law while the stars re
main in the flag and the memories O
men and women are not stricken will
paresis, but before you do / hope
!. you'll hear Whitcomb Riley recitt
Goodbye, Jim; TEX Keer of Yourself
Gin the civil service as in the arm.
or navy it is the man behind the gun
: upon whom we lean most heavily
This subject is one which stands clos
er to the representatives of the van
: ishing army than any other obligation
on earth except to our God and coun
try. / shall be pardoned, therefore,
am sure, for speaking long and fee
ingly."