Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-12-27


officers who served with nouJl aAI
credit for one year OF more during the
Civil War has gained ground through
out the country, ana Congress U4h,
without dou5e he in a mood 70 grant
the relief asked By the few surviving
officers of the most destructive war
through which the nation has ever
passed.
The pending bill provides that the
name of each surviving officer of vol
unteers may be entered on a roll to be
known as the volunteer retired list, pro-
vided that each one SO entered Shall
have served not less than one year in
the field with troops between April 10,
1861, and July 10. 1865 shall have been
honorably discharged; shall not belong
to the regular army; or, if not in the
service in the field for year, must fur
nish evidence Of discharge from service
because Of wounds received in battle.
1t Is provided that each applicant
shall be entered as Of the highest rank
held by him while serving in the volun-
teer army and that he receive one-half
pay at the age of sc years and three
fourths pay at the age of 20 years, &C
cording to his actual rank, which pay
shall be the same as that Received by
retired officers of like rank in the regu-
lar army, provided that the retired pay
of no officer shall exceed the full pay
of captain Of the cavalry of the regular
army.
Every person who becomes a benefi-
ciary of this act will be required to re-
linquish any pension which he may now
enjoy. The largest sum that will be-
paid to any one man under this regu-
lation is $4,000 year.
1t is estimated that the law, if passed
at once, will affect 10000 veteran Off
| GERS. These will be, most of them, be-
| low the rank of colonel. OF the 131
| major generals Of volunteers who serv-
| ed during the war, and who would be
affected by the proposed measure, only
| two are now living, and Of the $40 brig
adler generals who thus served only
twenty eight survive.
There is precedent for the retiring of
volunteer officers on pay, in the treat
ment, by the people, and the United
| States Congress, of the officers of the
| Revolutionary War. Grants of great
| tracts of land were made to these Off
GERS, and, May 10, 1928, surviving Off
GERS Of the continental line were placed
on the retired list on full pay not to eX-
| coed the pay of a captain, said pay to
| begin March 3, 1926.
Later, on June Z, 1882, all surviving
| officers Of the Revolutionary army who
| had not been provided for by the for
mer law were, under certain provisions
| as to service, placed upon full pay Of
their rank, for life, not to exceed the.
pay of a captain.
The general discussion of this meas
ure by the press of the country reveals
a cordial feeling toward it on the part
Of the public, and everything looks,
bright for the veteran volunteer officers,
who led their men to victory, fighting
like seasoned soldiers until peace had
been compelled, literally, by force Of
arms, to make her home in half riven
and distracted country. Then, when
the tumult and the strife was over,
these men, most of them, entered civil
life again and took up the occupations
they had laid down at the dawn of
war.
Many of these invaluable leaders are
spending their age in dependence upon
their children or in a weary battle for
bread, in the rush Of modern profess
sional or Industrial life. That the ma
ton should remember them at this time
in a substantial manner is certainly fit
ting
Most of those who come under the
provisions of this bill were Of mature
years when they entered che army.
They are. most of them, in the seven
ties or the eighties, now, and the snort
list Of their names will soon dwindIe
to the vanishing point.-Chicago Jour
nal
Only Pension Certificate.
Only a pension certificate, but study it
we'll and see
The record of service and suffering that
was given for you and me;
Where youth and health were freely spent,
and tears of anguish shed,
And many, many thousands swelled the
ranks of the loyal dead.
Only a pension certificate, but worthy
frame and place
Beside the artists masterpiece, the palace
walls to grace;
For it tells that wonderful story that will
never grow stale or old,
OF country saved, of men made Free, at
greater cost than gold.
It tells of a nations struggle for life
of a mighty patriot tide,
That fought with valiant courage, that
the Union might abide;
Between the lines, it tells to the willing,
listening ear
It's story of honor and glory, story Of