The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-10-28
WAR VETERANS AND
PENSION LEGISLATION
Republican Party Wholly RESPONSE
BILE for Caring for Old
Soldiers.
Democrats Opposed All Friendly Aid
banning Record-Taft Great
Friend of @. A. b.


the aid of patriotic men from other
parties it waged to a successful CON
clusion, the greatest war of modern
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 a conspicuous otti-
Ger of the Federal army, with the eX-
ception of President Roosevelt whose
brilliant record in the Spanish war is
matter of just pride to the American
people.
Republican Pension Legislation.
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,
1852, and the Dependent Law of June
27, $780, 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 81. 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 Republican President, and through
it's administration there was expended
during tht next fiscal year a total
amount of 6S.79s.S60.1. The numbe,
of soldiers receiving the benefit of this
act amounted to 443,721. while the mum
Der of the dependents relieved by this
Act was l71.2a9. The gain in the NUM-
her of pensioners under this Act, over
the previous year was S,643 and the
gain from June 80, 1890, to January .,
1904, was 1893.
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 6, 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 i'll Congress towards
the veterans of the Civil War:
In 1878 a bill passed the House re-
Dealing all limitations of time in which
applications for arrears Of pensions
should be made. This was opposed by
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 a, 1896
was opposed by the Democrats and vot
ed for solidly by the Republicans il
the House. The Widows Arrears Bill
the Disability Pension Bill were boil
fought bitterly by the Democrats
In the Forty-third Congress a De
pendent Pension Bill was voted on i,
the Senate. the Republicans supportin.
it solidly and the Democrats Opposing
it by two-tllirds vote. In the Hous
this bill was voted for solidly by Re
publicans and opposed by majorit.
of the Democrats. After it had passe,
the House and Senate 1t was vetoed b.
President Cleveland, a Democrat. Al
effort was made in the House to pas
the bill over Clevelands veto, the Re
publicans voting 1873 for it and th
Democrats voting 125 against it.
This vote showed that twenty-nin
Democrats who had originally voted TO
the bill FASTENED to avail themselves O
the opportunity afforded by the pres
dents veto, to vote against it, thus ties
tifying their real sentiments, Will
twenty other Democrats who had dode
ed the first vote came up promptly an
supported the veto. The Dependen
Pension bill was bitterly opposed b
the Democrats, the Republicans putin
it through despite the opposition. Thi
bill, as the old soldiers we'll know
was promptly signed by President Han
rison.
Democrats Dislike Veterans.
To sum up, the following gives TIL
total of fourteen votes of Congress
upon the most important of the variou
pension measures presented since til
war; VIZ:
Democrats for the bills .......... Al
Democrats against the bills. $50. ca
Republicans for the bills. ........ .1O6
Republicans against the bills. :. Non
The official records of national legis
lation show that of all the Republica
presidents since the war. only one ha
withheld his signature from any per
sion bill, and that was General Grant
who was forced to decline to approx
five of these bills. The Democrats hav
only been in power for few brie
Years since the war, and their pres
dent, Grover Cleveland, vetoed 529 per
sion bills The records show tina