La Junta tribune., 1908-10-31
WAR VETERANS AND
PENSION LEGISLATION
Republican Party Wholly RESPONSE
BILE for Caring for Old
Soldiers.
Democrats Opposed All Friendly Aid
-Damning Record-Taft Great
Friend of @. A B.


the aid of patriotic men from other
parties 1t wage-i To a successful con
ciusioa- the greatest war Of modern
times
IL 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 conspicuous oiii-
Ger Of the Federal army, with the ex-
cspiion OF President Roosevelt, whose
brilliant record iu the Spanish war Is
matter of just pride to the American
people.
H~pnbIiran Pension Liquidation.
i.rpublican legislation for the old
soldier. his widow aud his minor chill
dren has been generous and bountiful.
The Invalid Pension Law of July -.
lSfi2 and the Dependent Law of June
-. 1880, are monuments Of Republi-
can achievement and bear witness to
the epuutry's tenIcr eare of Its soldiers
and Its sailors and their families
The Acf Of June -, lSssi, is a 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 total
amount OF SOS. T9s.slO.7l. The number
of soldiers receiving tie benefit OF this
ac, amounted To ii3.12i. while the mum
bcr of the dependents relieved by this
Act was i11,25a The gain In the mum
bor OF pensioners under this Act, over
the previous year was s,6i3 and the
gain from June 80. 1890. to January ).
1895 was 1893.
The Republican party passed the Act
OF April 10. 1905. increasing pensions
Of all widows from s. TO si2 per month
and granting pensions without refer
cnce TO the value OF property or In
come. The Republican party also
passed the Act OF February 6. 1897,
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 he preserv-
cd Here is brief list Of their Off
ciai, adverse Acts III Congress towards |
the veterans of the Civil War:
In 1878 a bill passed the House re-
peaiing 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 De-
pendent Pension Bill was voted on In
the Senate, the Republicans supporting
1t soiidly and the Democrats opposing
IL by n two-thirds vote, In the House
this bill was voted for solidly by Re
pnblicans and opposed by 4 majority
of the Democrats. After 1t had passed
the House and Senate 1t was vetoed by
President Cleveland. Democrat. An
effort was made in the House to pass
the bill over Clevelnnd's veto, the Re
publicnns voting 13S for 1t and the
Democrats voting 125 against II.
This vote showed that twenty-nin
Democrats who had originally voted for
the bill hastened to avail themselves Of
the opportunity afforded by the presi-
dents veto. to vote against II. thus tes-
tifying their real sentiments. while
twenty other Democrats who had dodg-
cd the first vote came up promptly and
supported the veto. The Dependent
Pension bill was bitterly opposed by
the Democrats. the Republicans putting
IL through despite the opposition. This
bill. as the old soldiers well know,
Was promptly signed by President Har-
Tison
DsnseFats Dishke 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. 64S
Republicans for the bills. ........1066
Republicans against the bills. -. None
The ocicial records OF national lesis-
iation show that of all the Republican
presidents since the WAT, only one has
withheld his signature from any pen
sion bill. and that was General Grant,
who was forced to decline to approve
i've Of these bills. The Democrats have