The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-06
Scott and Campbell Working on
Pension Bills.
Would Help Eighteenth and
Nineteenth Kansas.
THEY FOUGHT INDIANS.
But Pension Act of 1890 Didn't
Apply to Them.
Ex-Governor Crawford Is Adj
vocating the Measure.

washington. June 6.-The efforts
made by Representatives Scott and
Campbell of Kansas to extend a pen
sionable status to surviving members OF
the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Kan
sas cavalry regiments. which seem
likely to meet with success, are worthy
OF consideration, and afford much inter-
est.
These two regiments participated IN
the Indian campaigns in Kansas Ne
sbraska, Colorado, Indian Territory and
Oklahoma, in 1867 and 1866, when, after
the removal OF some Of the troops from
the frontier following the war Of the
rebellion, the warlike tribes encroach-
ed upon the settlers and cattlemen-
The campaigns of these regiments
was hard and onerous- They were I'M
der General Sheridan, and the fighting
was severe The winter the regiments
spent was an unusually bitter one, and
weather, as vel as savage tribes, con
Ispired to render the service particular
ily ardious. Governor Crawford, who
was colonel Of the Nineteenth, states
that he does not believe that any west
ern regiment saw. even in the war of
the rebellion, more arduous service than
did these two Kansas organizat TONS
Yet in spite Of this, past efforts to ex-
Of these commands have not been
crowned with success. It will be a
fight in congress this session, or the
next, If the bill should go over, before
q successful issue appears. For in
congress there is, and always has been,
opposition to the constant addition of
organizations to a pensiOnable status
Zach step made is opposed vigorously
by those who see in it precedent,
with all the Missouri and other state
militia organizations waiting to seize
the advantage gained. Many Of such
organizations saw active and hard ser
vice yet have gone unrewarded because
of the constant tendency to cut down
as much as possible the extension Of
pension laws
Mr.. Scott introduced the bill in the
present congress to give these survivors
of the two Kansas organizations re-
ferred to pensiona Bile rights. The bill
is a brief one. 1t would simply extend
to them what is generally known as
the act of 1890. This grants to veterans
Of the war of the rebellion Who served
80 days and were hOnOrably discharg-
ed and to their widows and orphans
and dependent parents, pension rang
ing from Sc to So per month, accord
ing to their degree of inability to per
form manual labor This law is simply
extended to those of the Eighteenth and
Nineteenth Kansas of similar deserip-
ton
Mr.. SCOTS bill was referred to the
Campbell is well up on the list of
membership. Mr. Campbell had the
ehairmanship Of the subcommittee
which took up this bill He has now
a favorable report on it. and will en-
deavor to secure its passage at the
present session.
The commissioner of pensions has
made an estimate. based on the NOR
tuary record of veterans of the war
Of The rebellion. and figures that not
to exceed one-half of the members
Of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth
Kansas cavalry are now living. This
viii help to secure the passage of the
bill
of this membership now living 1888
are already on the pension roll. Sixty
one have secured pensions under what
is known as the general law, based on
the incurrence in the service of
wounds and disabilities; 12O are on the
roll under the act of 1890. presumably
because of service during the war of