Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-20
WOULD PAY OLD
SOLDIERS 81 DAY
ADAIR'S MEASURE INTERESTS
VETERANS
Indiana Congressman in Extended
Address Appeals In Behalf of
Men Who Fought During
War of Rebellion

Much interest has been shown in
local Grand Army circles and by resi-
dents of the National Soldiers Home at
Sawtelle in the speech of Congressman
A. NJ Adair of Indiana delivered in the
house of representatives January 27.
Congressman Adair makes an elo-
quent plea for the increasing Of old
soldiers pensions, basing his argument
on the contention that the money
should not be paid in charity, but that
the men were underpald for their SER
vices during the war and that the gov
ernment should now make up the de-
flciency.
The address is in part as follows:
Mr.. Chairman--On the first day OF
the sixtieth congress and the first day
l ever occupied a seat on the floor Of
the house as a member, introduced a
bill to increase the pensions of Civil
War soldiers, and since that time have
made the best effort within my power
to secure the passage Of such legis-
lation.
I regret to say, Mr. Chairman, my
efforts have not resulted in all l hoped
to accomplish, but 1 have the satisfac-
tion of knowing l have been true to my
soldier constituency, that l have made
the best effort I could to reward them
for the patriotic service they rendered
in behalf of their country and that If
members of congress had believed as
did every soldier who carried gun in
defense of the Union would now be
drawing a pension of 81 a day. One Of
the first bills I introduced two years
ago was a bill to equalize the pensions
of widows. Under the old law q widow
whose soldier husband died with a dis
ease contracted in the service received
$12 a month, while the widow whose
husband died with a disease not con-
tracted in the service received but IS
a month There never was any Justice
in that law, and / am truly glad we
succeeded in passing the act of April,
10. 1908, which equalizes the pensions
of all widows by placing them on the
rolls at $12 a month.
Applies Only to Widows
I regret. however that the act Of
April 10, 1908, applies only to widows
who were married prior to June 27, 1890.
When the bill passed the house 1 pro-
| tested against this provision and IN
sisted that it Apply to all widows mar
ried up to that time, but on that propo-
sition I was voted down.
Those of us who were not old enough
to participate in that memorable strug-
gle should remember that the many
blessings we now enjoy and Whlch
came to us by reason of their patriot
ism and devotion to the country, their
fidelity and bravery, should prompt US
to give them in their old age PEN
sion adequate to provide for them in
such way that their last years may
be filed with the pleasures and COM
forts of life. To do this will not be an
act of charity, but an act of justice.
We owe it to them for the gallant
-. m l..
dence of our thankfulness and graft
| tude and our grateful appreciation, and
in remembrance of the sacrifices they
have made In behalf of liberty and
! Justice and for the perpetuity of our
| institutions and in the establishment
of true freedom and genuine liberty in
the greatest republic the sun ever
| shone upon.
All, Mr. Chairman, we will never be
able to pay in full the debt we owe the
men who endured hardships and priva-
tions, who offered their lives on the al
tar OF their country that the Union
might be preserved. I do not plead
for the passage of my bill on the
ground of charity; but I contend, sir
| that the soldiers of the Civil War were
never paid in full for the service they
rendered. AS you all know, they were
paid in deprecated currency, the same
currency the government received from
| the Wall street money lenders VINO
bought the bonds issued and sold by
the government to pay the cost OF the
| war. M
The old soldier was never paid with
money worth a hundred cents on the
dollar but the bondholders have been
paid in gold. By an act in 1859, known
| as IAN act to strengthen the public
credit" congress made these same
| bonds payable in gold, and millions or
| dollars of the peoples money went INTO
| the pockets of men who loved thelr
money more than they loved their
country, while the men who loved their
| country better than their lives ana
who were willing to give up all Goa
had given them for the preservation
| of the states are still unpaid.
| BY national legislation we have de-
| clared that money is more sacred than
manhood; that lucre is more valuable
than patriotism; that greed shall be
recognized in national legislation above
and beyond the blood or martyrs sheo
| I'm a sacred cause
Mr.. Chairman, the passage of the
bill l now propose, by reason of its
merit, will not only strengthen the
nublic credit, but will also strengthen
! the public conscience. If the soldiers
of the Civil Ward had been paid in
money worth a hundred cents on the
| dollar tney WOulu nave ISSCAN SN -
excess of what was paid them the sum
| of S51. O61, ,222. In other words, this was
the amount of depreciation on their
monthly pay and has been withheld
from them for period of forty-six
years. The interest on this sum or
money for forty-six years, not COM
pounded, but simple interest, at 3 per
| cent would be $14O,929,072. Add to this
the principal and you have the sum OF
| S191 $50, 294 honestly due and as mat
Ter of Justice, leaving out any patriotic
consideration, which should be paid.
Mr.. Chairman, l have introduced a
bill III. r. 13,4O9), now pending before
| tbe committee on invalid pensions,
| striking out that arbitrary date of
June 27, 1890, and making the law apply
TO all widows married prior to April 19,
| 190S at which time the bill was passed,
7 sincerely hope this bill will be re-
| norted out of the committee and passed
at an early date. While / am anxious
! for the passage of the bill mentioned,
| I think 1t even more important, Mr..
! Chairman, that we proceed without de-
| Law to enact into law another bill l
have introduced, now in the hands OF
| the committee on invalid pensions,
known as house bill 1880, which bill
provides that all soldiers who rendered
military service or naval service in the
war with Mexico or in the late Civil
! war. and have been honorably dis
| charged therefrom, shall be placed on
the rolls and receive a pension of $50
month
| IssI n which /