Cañon City record., 1908-10-29
Republican Party Wholly RESPONSE
bio for Caring for Old
Soldiers.
Democrats Opposed All Friendly Aid
-Damning Record-Taft Great
Friend of g. A. r.

times.
1t has never ceased to honor the
officers and men who composed the
victorious army. Every Republican
President elected since the close of
that war had been n conspicuous ofti-
Ger of the Federal army, with the ex-
ception Of President Roosevelt, whose
brilliant record in the Spanish war Is
a matter of just pride to the American
people.
Republican Pension LeEislatlOn.
Republican legislation for the old
soldier, his widow and his minor chill
dren has been generous and bountiful.
The Invalid Pension Law of July IA,
1862. and the Dependent Law of June
81 1890, are monuments Of Republi-
can achievement and bear witness to
the country's tender care of its soldiers
and its sailors and their families.
The Act of June 27. 1890. is fitting
illustration of the generosity of the
Republican party toward the veterans
of the Civil War. This law was passed
by Republican Congress, was signed
by a Republican President. and through
its administration there was expended
during tht next fiscal year a total
amount of SGS, 79S. .SGO71 The number
of soldiers receiving the benefit Of this
act amounted to 443.72l, while the num-
ber of the dependents relieved by this
Act was 1929. The gain in the num-
Der Of pensioners under this Act, over
the previous year was S,G43 and the
gain from June 80, 1890, to January 5.
1904, was 1898.
The Republican party passed the Act
Of April 10, 1908, increasing pensions
Of all widows from IS to $12 per month
and granting pensions without refer
ence to the value of property or in
come. The Republican party also
passed the Act Of February g. 1907,
granting pensions to soldiers by reason
Of age alone, without regard of dis
ability.
Democratic Opposition Record.
The Democratic party, as such, has
opposed every measure voting appro-
priations for pensions. Its record for
the past forty years is one of oppo-
sition to those men who bore the hard
ships Of war and jeopardized their
lives that the Union might be preserv-
ed. Here is a brief list of their off,
cial, adverse Acts III Congress towards
the veterans of the Civil War:
In 1878 a bill passed the House re-
penling all limitations of time in which
applications for arrears of pensions
should be made. This was opposed by
a majority Of the Democrats. The bill
increasing the pensions for widows
from eight to twelve dollars per month
was opposed by the Democrats. The
Amputation Bill passed August 4, 1896,
was opposed by the Democrats and vot-
ed for solidly by the Republicans in
the House. The Widows Arrears Bill,
the Disability Pension Bill were both
fought bitterly by the Democrats.
In the Forty-third Congress a De-
pendent Pension Bill was voted on in
the Senate, the Republicans supporting
1t solidly and the Democrats opposing
1t BY two-thirds vote. In the House
this bill was voted for solidly by Re
publicans and opposed by a majority
Of the Democrats. After 1t had passed
the House and Senate 1t was vetoed by
President Cleveland, a Democrat. An
effort was made in the House to pass
the bill over Cleveland's veto, the Re-
publicans voting 1873 for it and the
Democrats voting 1875 against it.
This vote showed that twenty y-nIne
Democrats who had originally voted for
the bill fastened to avail themselves of
the opportunity afforded by the presi-
dents veto, 10 vote against 1t, thus tes-
tifying their real sentiments, while
twenty other Democrats who had dodg-
I'd the Arst vote came up promptly and
supported the veto. The Dependent
Pension bill was bitterly opposed by
the Democrats, the Republicans putting
it through despite the opposition. This
bill, ~ the old soldiers well know,
was promptly signed by President Har-
rison.
D0nosFats Dislike Veterans.
To sum up, the following gives the
total Of fourteen votes of Congress
upon the most important Of the various
pension measures presented since the
war, VIZ:
Democrats for the bills. ........... at
Democrats against the bills. ..... o4S
Republicans for the bills. 1895
Republicans against the bills. None
The sdlcial records Of national legis-
latdon show that Of all the Republican
presidents since the war, only one has
withheld his signature from any PEN
si0n LII, and that was General Grant.
who WAS forced to dscline to approve
ave se thsss bills The Dsnocrats have
only besa In powef fer q few brief
years a1ses the war. and their presi-
dsut Grover Cleveland. vstoed SD psn-
sion bills. Ths records show that
every poanioA iaw has been passed b.