The National tribune., 1906-11-15
NATIONAL HONESTY.
The Government Should, First of All,
Pay It's just Debts to It's Defenders
md SaviOrs.


Pay It's just Debts to It's Defenders
md saviors.
Editor National Tribune: I have been
reading the articles of John McElroy
| on the Army of the Cumberland with
unflagging interest, and the last one
the end of the battle of Stone River
is the most vivid and thrilling of them
all. Who John McElroy is L don't
know, but 1 do know that his ability
as military critic and his power to
dellneate the scenes and events of a
great battle must be conceded by all
who read this striking story of the
Army of the Cumberland 1t would be
fine thing for the survivors of the
war to have this last article, with it's
vivid pictures of those eight DAYS of
physical and mental stress, placed in
the hands of every Congressman and
of all who have any influence in max
Ing the laws of the land, including the
officials of the Grand Army. Perhaps if
these gentlemen could read that arti-
Gle and realize how the Army of the
Cumberland for six fateful DAYS be-
tween the old and the new year stood
in the battle line, with little rest day
or night, soaked with the drenching
rain. and chilled by the piercing winds
of Midwinter, dropping to sIeep from
exhaustion in the half-froZen mud sur
rounded by the carnage of battle. every
nerve and fiber of body and soul racked
with the strain of these awful hours
when every tagging hour seemed a.
lifetime and every day made greater
draft ON the mental and physical vital,
nf h.
binary employment; perhaps, we say,
these legislators, when they stop to-
think that veterans now living endured
SIX continuous days of this nerye-rack-
ing he'll on earth. that this great coun-
try might live. they might be willing
to concede that the survivors, most OF
them in INDECENT circumstances, de-
served a reasonable compensation in
their old age
More than 40 years have passed since
those awful days Of heroism and sacri.
nee. Those famous veterans who sur
vive are old men. If they live to be
81 years old they will be entitled to
the munificent sum of Sc a month. Six
dollars MONTH Ye gods! Think of
1t, you patriots who are celebrating
this glorious Fourth of July. Why,
that is S1.50 a week for the veteran
who A years ago stood on the firing
line for six mortal days or fell asleep
from exhaustion on the bloodstained
and half-froZen mud at his feet, AM
this that you might have a Fourth of
July worth celebrating
And how far will $3.50 a week go to-
ward keeping one of your old heroesi
out of the poorhouse in these days of
high wages high rents and high cost
of living? Six dollars a month based
on the custom and practise of 100 years
ago, when dollar meant four timesl
what IT docs nOWf Shame
precedent
But, veterans, you have been be-
trayed by officials whom you trusted
Corpl Tanner, your Commander-in-l
Chief, came out a few weeks ago in an
apology for his failure to secure properl
legislation. Why? Because if the Gov
ernment paid its honest debts to the
men who saved it there would be al
deficit next year. So Corp1 Tannerl
agreed with the Government that they
would cheat its creditors by Iettine |
them die off before their claims be-
came due. In other words, postpone
proper legislation for a few years, Inl
few years you will all be gone and
there Will be nothing to pay you. Theyt
said the deficit would be 30 or 40 mil |
lions, and that there were many finel
public buildings that they could erect
with the money they could save while
the old soldiers were dying off. Right
for site for public building, while
the Government now owns a magnifi- |
cent building only recently completed |
at cost of several millions. Is al
grand new building site in Pittsburg a |
more sacred debt of honor than your
humble claim, oh, valiant soldier of
the firing line on Stone River?
Millions for public buildings; mil
lions for the Panama Canal: millions
for rivers and harbors; but not a cent
for the heroes Of Gettysburg, of Stone
River, of Vicksburg. till they reach the
age of 62, and then the munificent
omerinS of the greatest and richest
country on EARTH" $3.50 a week, WHY,
tnat Is nearly Fl II cents day, Think
OF the quantity Of necessaries as well as
luxuries the old soldier can provide for
81 cents a day in these DAYS of high
living. If you get sick don't ask for
medicine to relieve your pain for anyl
doctor will charge you SO q visit.
The fact of the matter is, your Grand
Army officials have not been true to
your interests and stood up for yourl
cause, and they never will be as long
as you intrust rich men and oficehold-
ers with these duties. The rich do noti
properly sympathize with their nendyt
comrades, and the only consistent antft
persistent advocates of the imrneas-t
urable services and just rights of the
old soldiers I know OF are The Ma
tional Tribune and President Roose-
velt, who fearlessly promulgated the
old-age order against a storm of crit
icism. but the President does right, re-
gardless of criticism.
Now, If the soldiers want otheri
friends that are to be depended onl
they must send men to Congress and,
elect officials in the Grand Army Who'll
really represent them I'm heart and soul
and body.-Chas. w. Townsend, Co. c, /,
105th Ohio and Co. T., 18th Ohio Cav.
Pittsburg. Pa.