The National tribune., 1908-05-28
The SHERWOOD BILL.
Communication From the Author, Gen.
Isaac z. Sherwood, Of Ohio.

dNahi HiSSch vi the opportunity u SdN u
few words to my old comrades of the
civil war.
When Congress convened in Decem-
Der. 1907, L introduced two bills, both
of the same scope and import. and both
providing roll OF honor for certain
defined classes of veteran soldiers. This
bill was drawn by Capt. w. S. Thurstin,
| of Toledo. o.. veteran soldier of three
years service at the front. and one OF
the most capable lawyers of that city
of $4,000 population. One bill provid-
ed for a roll of honor to be kept by the
Secretary of War. which bill was re-
ferred to the Military Committee of the
House of Representatives, of which
committee / am a member. The other
bill provided for a roll of honor to be-
kept in the Pension Office. which was
referred to the Committee on Invalid
Pensions
Before Congress met Capt Thurstin
and myself had numerous conferences
as to the value of having this matter
before two committees, as it gave me
two chances to have the bill reported
out of committee, In order to secure a
vote on the floor of the House.
1 also spent some six weeks in at
tending Reunions of veteran regiments,
County Soldiers Associations and Grand
Army Posts. Myself and Others ex-
planned all the provisions of the bill,
making il known that it applied only
to veterans, and that short-term sol
diers would not be benefited l put
the matter. with full explanations. be-
fore IL volunteer associations, and with
out exception the short-term men stood
up and voted solidly in favor of the bill.
saying at the same time that they would
get no benefits. They conceded the
principle that those who served all
thru the war were entitled to the high
est pensions. Therefore. assumed, and
had the right to assume, that the whole
body of our surviving soldiers of the
civil war would stand together. shoul-
der to shoulder, for the honor and bene-
fit of the veterans.
When Congress met / had no list OF
the veteran organizations of the United
States and no list of the Grand Army
Posts. The GRly advertising my bill
had, when introduced in Congress, was
q brief letter in The National Tribune
and another letter. equally as brief, in
the Toledo (Ohio) Blade. The responses
of the veterans and all classes of SOL
diers were remarkable. In addition to
the petitions | received about 5000 per-
sonal letters favoring the bill. and all
told not over so letters asking that the
time limit of IS months service be re-
duced to II months or nine months. A
few asked that the 100-day men (all of
whom are equally patriotic) be includ-
ed. 1t was always my Intention, had |
secured a favorable report from the
committee. to move for a one-year ser
vice limit when the bill reached cOnsid-
Grafton on the floor of the House.
In the Military Committee several
votes were taken on my bill in connec-
ton with the volunteer retired list bill.
AT one session of the committee the
vote stood eight to seven in favor, but
with the proyiso that the matter be re-
ferred to the War Office for an estimate
of the cost. At later session, after a
full debate, with a full committee pres
ent, the vote stood eight to eight. AS
this is not a majority. the motion was
lost. And this is now the situation in
the Military Committee.
l also appeared before the Pension
Committee and argued the merits of my
bill. 1 was constantly told by members
of that committee that owing to our
falling revenues and the great cost of
the widows pension bill, some $4,000. !
900, and the unexpected cost of the Nc
Cumber or age pension law of Feb. 6,
1907. it would not be possible to get any
additional pension legislation this ses-
sion. / have aimed to keep my advo-
cacy of pensions strictly on patriotic
lines. Gen. Keifer. in his attack on me
personally. charged me with using this
Dllt dS ID Doutlcdl siSStt 10 dubdHCe lily
personal interests. In view. of this
hope. even if am Democrat, The Ma
tional Tribune will allow me to state the
facts. / am charged by Gen. Keifer
with the statements of the number of
petitions of the Soldiers Homes. Ny
own statements are in my speech of
Feb. 26. and the largest number stated
by HE in that speech on any Soldiers
Home petition was $40, from the Sol
n Ifay IL nt IIatt MT Na \
even mentioned any petition from the
Soldiers Home at Dayton, o. Hence
the statement by Gen. Keifer that
mentioned 5000 at Dayton is absolutely
untrue. / filed all these soldier petit
tions, including those from the Soldiers
Homes, just as received. and it was the
business of the petition clerk to prepare
and if any mistakes have been made |
am in no way responsible.
And now word in reply to the
charge of Gen. Keifer that i have made
my $1-a-day pension bill political as
set | was nominated for Congress in
October. 1906. only 80 days before the
November election. AT the previous
Congressional election the Republican
plurality in the district on member of
Congress was 1850. 1 was elected
without the aid of campaign manager
or a campaign secretary or treasurer.
with no campaign fund ana not a single
daily newspaper. and l never mentioned
to an editor. soldier OF anybody else
that / ever intended to introduce any
pension bill whatever, nor wrote a let
ter to soldier asking for his support
never appealed to soldiers either on the
stump or in the newspapers asking for
support. This disposes of this charge
of Gen Keifer
Gen. Keifer says my bill is not u
fraud on the old soldiers. The lawyer
who prepared my bill is equally as good
a lawyer as Gen. Keifer. The fact that
a roll of homer is provided for the men
who stood behind the guns may be
repugnant to certain class of officers,
but | can see no reasonable objection.
Even if the bill had been imperfectly
drawn, it seems to me that it would
have been in better taste and more hon
orabIe in Gen. Keifer to have pointed
out its defects in the spirit of fraterni-
ty and charity and loyalty. instead of at
tacking me personally on the floor of
Congress.
Gen. Keifer charges that / said in my
pension speech that unless it passed
Bryan would be elected President As
1 never mentioned Bryan in my pension
speech the comrades can estimate the
true value of this statement
My bill is veteran soldiers bill. 1t
does not pretend to be anything else.
Here are its provisions:
/. All soldiers who served with troops
in the field IS months.
g All soldiers who served Is months