The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-21
REACH THEM YET.
Congressman ID. r.. Anthony
Will Start Something.
Lead a United Effort to Help
Kansas Militia Men.
APPLY PENSION LAWS.
Now They Do Not Reach This
Glass of Soldiers.
They Had an Important Duty
i'm Frontier Warfare.

Washington, Nov 21.-The effort
will be made by the Kansas delegation,
and more particularly by Representa-
tive D. R. Anthony, in the coming ses-
sion of congress, to extend to the sur
viving officers and members of the
First and Second regiments of Kansas
militia the benefits of the pension laws.
Representative Anthony will intro
duce such a bill on the convening of
congress. 1t will be referred to the
house committee on pensions, of which
Representative p. P. Campbell is a
leading member, and will be considered
during the winter by that committee.
Pressed by these two representatives,
the militiamen hope to see good re-
suits. OF course the measure will also
have the moral support of the other
members of the Kansas house delega-
ton, and if it shall pass the house,
Senators Long and Curtis are both on
record as being of the mind and pur-
pose to see that it becomes a law. if
possible.
However, there is a large element of
doubt concerned in this proposition.
for in the past, there have failed many,
many efforts to extend the pension
laws to surviving members of militia
regiments. Senator Cockrell of Mis-
souri,, for thirty years member of that
body, himself a Confederate general,
but warm friend of ex-Union soldiers,
tried in vain to have the pension laws
6XCenQeQ 10 missouri m1l1C1dm0n. OI
course some regiments were admitted.
but these were those which actually
and for a considerable time took part
in the war, to the same extent, or more
so, than many organizations regularly
in the service of the government.
The First and Second Kansas regi-
ments, commanded at times by Colonel
George w. Vea1e of Topeka and Colo
ticipated principally in what was
known as the Price raid" This oc-
CURED in 1864. The regiments were
out for II days, the losses being about
$50. Notable among the battles were
those of the Big Blue and the Little
Blue. The Importance of their service
lay in the fact that Prices proposed in
vasion of Kansas was successfully re-
sisted.
There has been good deal of effort on
the part of the Kansas delegation for the
Scott, Scott to to extend the pension laws to in
cIude the Eighteenth and Nineteenth
Of Fhss & 1ss and s n
These had very active. service and were
warmly complimented by General Sheri-
had a sort of rowing and scouting COM
mission, and the latter organization went
down into the Indian Territory and there
engaged in q fierce encounter. Colonel
H. l. Moore of Lawrence, formerly mem
Der of congress, was major commanding
the Eighteenth, and Governor Samuel ].
Crawford resigned as governor to take
command of the Nineteenth, and person
ally leo the regiment Throughout lIlS CeHl-
paign. He has steadfastly sought to Sc
cure pension rights for the members of
his old command.
In the last congress Mr.. Campbell from
the committee on pensions made a favor
able report this measure, the joint res
olution introduced by Mr.. Scott, but in
the press of business and because of the
opposition to pensioning militia organiza-
tons no action was taken. Mr. Scott will
his joint resolution when con-
gress shall convene, and the effort will be
made to secure its passage in the present
congress.
These four organizations played i'm
portant part in the War of the Rebellion
and the Indian campaigns, and the Kan
sas delegation is united in the belief that
there should be appropriate legislation |
them and their efforts.