The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-10-29
Republican Party Wholly
Responsible For Caring
For Old Soldiers.
Democrats Opposed All Friendly
Aid "A Damning Record.
Taft Great Friend Of
G. A. R.

The Republican party has just cause |
to be proud of its pension record. |
With the aid of patriotic men from
other parties it waged to successful
conclusion 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 n conspicuous officer Of
the Federal army with the exception
of President Roosevelt, whose bril-
liant record in the Spanish war is a
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,
| 1862, and the dependent law Of June
27, $780, are monuments of Republican
achievement and bear witness to the
countrys tender care Of its soldiers
and it's sailors and their families.
The act of June q, $780, 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
| its administratio there was expended
during the next fiscal year a total
amount Of $68, ,798 S6O71. The number
of soldiers receiving the benefit of
this act was 443. .z2l. while the num-
Der Of the dependents relieved by
this act was 1853. The gains in the
number of pensioners under this act
over the previous year was 8,643, and
the gain from June 80, 1890. to Jan. 8,
1904, was 1893
The Republican party passed the act
of April 10, 1908. increasing pensions
Of all widows from So to $40 per month
and granting pensions without refer
ence to the value of property or in
come. The Republican party also
passed the act of Feb. 6, 1897. granting
pensions to soldiers by reason Of age
alone, without regard to disability.
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 opposi-
ton to those men who bore the hard
ships of war and jeopardized their
lives that the Union might be pre-
served Here is a brief list of their
official adverse acts In congress to-
ward the veterans of the civil war:
| In 1878 IL bill passed the house re-
pealing all limitations of time in which
applications for arrears of pensions
should be made. This was opposed
by Il majority Of the Democrats. The
bill increasing the pensions for widows
from So to $12 per month was opposed
by the Democrats The amputat1on
bill passed Aug. t. 1896 was opposed
by the Democrats and voted for solid
ly by the Republicans in the house.
The widows arrears bill and the dis
ability 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
it solidly and the Democrats opposing
It by a two-third vote. In the house
this bill was voted for solidly by Re-
publicans and opposed by majority
of the Democrats. After it had passed
the house and senate it 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 125 against It,
This vote showed that twenty-nine
Democrats who had originally voted
for the bill haStened to avail them
selves of the opportunity afforded by
the presidents veto TO vote against 1t,
thus testifying their real sentiments.
while twenty other Democrats who had
lodged the first vote came up prompt
ly and supported the veto. The de-
pendent pension bill was bitterly op,
posed by the Democrats, the Repub.
licans putting 1t through despite the
opposition. This bill. as the old sol,
diers well know, was promptly signed
by President Harrison.
Democrats Dislike Veterans.
To sum up, the following gives the
.Otal Of fourteen votes of congress
upon the most important of the vari
Gus pension measures presented since
the war-viZ:
Democrats for the bills. III
) Democrats against the bills. s.......... 64l
Republicans for the bills. 1,O6s
; Republicans against the bills......... NonG
" The official records Of national legis
: lation show that of all the Republican
presidents since the war only one has
withheld his signature from any pen
sion bill, and that was General Grant
. who was forced to decline TO approve
Ave Of these bills, The DemocratI