The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-10-29
ReDa5IiGan Party Wholly
RESPONSIBLE For Caring
FOF Old Soldiers.
Den0cFats 0ppOsedAnFfieRd-
yAId A banning Record
-Taft Great Friend
Of GAR.

me Republican party has just
cause to be proud OF It's pension rec
ord With the aid OF patriotic men
Erpm other parties It waged to assuc.
eeesful conclusion the greatest war OF
modern times.
Il has never ceased to honor the
Officers and men who composed the
Eletorious army Every Republican
President elected since the close OF
that war had been a conspicuous oft-
Ger of the Federal army with the ex-
ceptfon of President Roosevelt, whose
Brilliant record in the Spanish War Is
matter of just pride to the Amert-
can people.
Republican Pension Legislation.
Republican legislation for the old
soldier, his widow and his minor chill
dren has been generous and bountt-
enl The invalid pension law of July
1862, and the dependent law of
June ~ 1890, are monuments of
Republican achievement and bear
witness to the country's tender care
OF its soldiers and its sailors and
their families.
me act Of June 27, 1890; is fit
ting Illustration of the generosity OF
the Republican party toward the vet
Of the Civil War. This law
EFas passed by 1publfcan Con-
greRs, was signed ~ a Republican
President, and through its admins
lratfon there was expended during
The next fiscal year a total amount or
S798s860.71. The number of sol
dlefs receiving the benefit of this act
was 443,721, while the number of the
71s259. The gains In the number
Of pensioners under this act over the
previous year was S643. and the gain
from June 80. 1890; to January 5,
The Republican party passed the
not of April 10, 1903, increasing pen
sfons Of all widows from 50 to $12
per month and granting pensions
Ithout reference to the value OF
pEopertys5or income. The Republican
party also passed the act of. February
6 1897, granting pensiousrto soldiers,
Is reason OF age alone, without re-
ard to disability.
Democratic Opposition Record.
The Democratic party, as SUCH has
opposed every measure voting appro-
prfaHons for pensions. Its record for.
the past forty years is one of oppose
ton to those men who bore the hard
ships OF war and 1eOpardtzed their
lives that the Union might be pre-
served. Here lis a brief list of their
onctal adverse acts in Congress to-
ward the veterans of the Civil War:
IN 1878 a bill passed the House re-
pea1ing all limitations OF time in
which applications for arrears of pen
Btons should be made. This was OPP
posed by q majority of Demo
Gratis The bill increasing the PEN
sfons for widows from So to $12 per
month was opposed by the Demo-
Gratis. The amputation bill passed
August 4, 1896. was opposed by the
Democrats and voted for solidlys by
the Republicans in the House. The
Widows' arrears bill and the disab1l-
1ty pension bill were both fought BIT
terly by the Democrats.
In the Forty-third Congress a de-
pendent pension bill was voted on in
the Senate. the Republicans support
ing It solidly and the Democrats OPP
posing It by two-third vote. In the
House this bill was voted for solidly
by Republicans and opposed by ma
3ortty OF the Democrats. After 1t had
passed the House and Senate it was
vetoed by President Cleveland, as a
Democrat. An effort was made in the
House to pass the bill over Cleve-
lands veto, the Republicans voting
138 for it and the Democrats voting
126 against It.
This vote showed that twenty-nine
Democrats who had originally voted
Tor the bill fastened to avail them
selves, Of the opportunity Afforded by
the Presidents veto to. vote against
st, thus testifylng their real senti-
nIents, while twenty other Democrats
who had lodged the first vote came
MP promptly and supported the veto.
The dependent pension bill was Bit
Gerly opposed by the Democrats, the
tepubltcans putting It through de-
spite the opposition. This bill, as the
old soldiers we'll know, was promptly
6igned by President Harrison.
Democrats Dislike Veterans.
no sum up, the following gives the
total of fourteen votes OF Congress
Wpon the most important OF the Yari-
ons pension measures presented since
the War-viZ:
DEMOCRATS for the bills. .... AT
Democrats against the bills. -. CAS-
aepublicans for the bills. 49,. .1066
Republicans against the bills. None
The official records of national leg
relation show that of all the Repub-
Iican Presidents since the war only
one has withheld his signature from
any pension bill, and that was Gener-
al Grant, who was forced to decline
% Approve I'VE of these billy. The
+ ISemocratB have been in power for
only q few brief years since the war,
ssard helr President, Grover Cleve-
iand vetoed $40 pension bills, The