Smyrna times., 1908-10-28
War Veterans
And Pension
Legislation.
Republican Party Wholly
Responsible For Caring
For Old Soldiers.
Democrats Opposed All Friendly
Aid A banning 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 a 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 a conspicuous officer of
the Federal army with the exception
of President Roosevelt, whose bril-.
liant 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,
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.
The act Of June q, 1890, 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 a Republican president, and through
its administration there was expended
during the next fiscal year a total
amount of sos. 79S, ,S60.71. The number
Of soldiers receiving the benefit of
this act was 49, .721. while the num-
Der of the dependents relieved by
this act was III, ,259 The gains in the
number of pensioners under this act
over the previous year was S,643, and
the gain from June go 1890. to Jan. s.
1904, was 1893.
The Republican party passed the act
of April 10. 1908, increasing pensions
of all widows from So 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 Feb. 6, 1897. granting
pensions to soldiers by reason of age
alone, without regard to disability.
OemoCTdttC OpPoSitlon 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 jeopardlzed 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 1873 a bill passed the house re-
pealing 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 IS to $12 per month was opposed
by the Democrats. The amputation
bill passed Aug. 4, 1896, was opposed
by the Democrats and voted for solid
" 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
| 1t by a two-third 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 it was vetoed b.
President Cleveland. Democrat. An
effort was made in the house to pass
the bill over Cleveland's veto, the Re
publicans voting 13S for it and the
Democrats voting 125 against 1t.
This vote showed that twenty mine
Democrats who had originally voted
for the bill FASTENED to avail them
selves of the opportunity afforded by
the presidents veto to vote against It
thus testifying their real sentiments
while twenty other Democrats who hat
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
icans putting it through despite tn,
opposition. This bill, as the old sol
diers well know. was promptly signe,
by President Harrison.
Democrats Dislike Veterans.
To sum up. the following gives tn
total of fourteen votes of congress
upon the most important of the vari
Gus pension measures presented sine
the war-viz:
Democrats for the bilis........... Al
Democrats against the bills. "a
Republicans for the bills. IOe
Republicans against the bills. s......... 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 pei
sion bill, and that was General Gran
| xzLhn ...aa fo.n.d 70 AnoIl... l.. .......---