Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-19
Tuesday, November 10, 1907.
A Volunteer Retired List.

4 measure which, Wall pc -coHSiueFeu
at the coming session Of Congress III
which there is widespread interest is
list for the surviving volunteer officers
of the Union prIi,y and navy. who. UNI
less prevented by wounds received in
action, actively served with credit at
least one year during the Civil War.
The proposed. bill provides retired pay
equal to three-fourths of the present
active pay Of officers of corresponding
rank. such retired pay not to exceed
full pay of d captain Of cavalry. These
pensions will accrue only to those who
file application therefor and who re-
linquisl any existing pension rights.
Most Of the officers who would come
under the provisions of this bill served
three or four years unless sooner dis
charged on account of wounds or other
disability.
At this time. nearly half century
after the war, these veteran officers are
relatively few lit number. These are
of course. like all other survivors Of the
war, well advanced in years and are
fast passing from the stage Of life
Fni example. of the 13l ma jOrgenera
of volunteers who served in the Union
ann and who would be affected by
the PROPOSED measure, only two are
living in 1907. and of the $40 brigadier
generals who thus served, only twenty
eight survive. Since the close of the
war IL" legislation whatever has been
enacted i'll recognition of the service
and sacrifice of these volunteer officers
Us such. while all officers Of the regu-
lar ;.rmy who served in the Civil War
iE any capacity have been and still are
literally and justly rewarded with per-
manent increase of rank and retired
pay, based exclusively upon the fact
that they Served with credit during
the Civil War;" Obviously, volunteer
officers are entitled to equivalent con-
sit.oration Tor precisely equal service in
the Civil War.
The PROPOSED: measure is nothing
n,w. 1t is slgi'ly of the same nature
as bills passed about the same length
of time afterSthc other great war;, in
which our country has engaged. If
the volunteer officers of those earlier
vars wore thus remembered in their
declining; years. much more should the
surviving volunteer officers be rencln-
hcr'd who served in that greatest and
bio,Ii"St war which the modern world
has ever known. the war which pre-
seivrd The republic. blottcd out the
curse of slavery and assured our pres
eIt power and prosperity as Il nation.
In view of the rapidly decreasing pen
sion roll tho money cost Of tho pro-
posed measure can hardly be urged as
an objection and especially when it is
remembered that the volunteer officers
who avail theipselves Of the provisions
If this bill viii rclllquisil the persi,n,
they are now receiving.
In ISIS and -+1S33 Congress passed
laws. mainly. taking effect In lS2S
which awarded to all surviving officer;
and enlisted men Of the revolutionary
army during life the full pay of their
respective rank. the pay of commits
stoned ,tticcrS not t. exceed that OF
"A captain of the line. The bill now un-
der consideration closely follows this
precedent as regards commissioned Of
h,erS. but. as stated above. substitutes
tl.rre-fuurths for full pay. The enact
m"nt of this proposed measure. coupled
with the service pension act of Feb 6,
1907. nov in force. will provide both
for surviving officers and enlisted men
of the Union army on the same prin-
Ciplc and substantially the same basil,
as the legislation of 1928 and 1899 pro-
>idcd for the surviving veterans of
The patriot army of 11.6-these final
beneficial acts taking effect practically
IS years after the close of the two
great wars respectively.
The proposed legislation creates nc
new office. It does not at any point
touch CT affect the regular army and
the volunteer retired list will soon be
Terminated by natures own Limitation
ile cost to the country, with it's great
population AVID IT'S almost redundant
wealth. besides being transient, will b,
trii,ins compared with the tax upo,
the m"ager resources of the young re
public "t the corresponding Legislation
of eighty years ago.
Three kings and five queens have re
Gently been together in London. Tn