The National tribune., 1910-11-10
The DOIlar-a-Day Pension Bill.

Editor NatlOnai+ tribune. IT was n
bitter disappointment to
thousands of the old, needy comrades
in Indiana that the National Encamp-
ment at Atlantic City gave a black
eye to the one-dollar-a-day pension bill.
Had the Encampment been held west
of the Alleghanies the result might
have Eeen different.
Many comrades in Indiana have
about come to the same conclusion that
the money influence of Eastern States
puts the dollar-a-day pension above the
merits of the deserving old soldier.
Without impugning the motives of
some Western delegates who voted that
way. one of Indiana's most gallant and
battle-scarred veterans stated, in sub
stance. to the writer that the old and
comrades could not afford
to get to the National Encampment so
far away, where their influence would
be felt; and some of the delegates, in
affiuent circumstances,
we're not, judging by results, in very
close touch with the needy comrades,
who are hardly able financially or
to attend dsen local Re-
unions;" and, then, again, as the COM
rade said, Sons may have axes to
grind political or otherwise, and are
disciples of economy-for the other
fellow'-especially before election
that some prominent politicians are
now vociferous in their promises to, and
profuse In their handshaking with, the
old 'soldfers-protesting that they Will,
if elected. keep the pledge TO work
and vote for the dollar-a-day pension
bill; but, judging from reputed past
apathy and failure I'm this regard these
promises might be smoth-
cred in committees, as in the last ses-
sion Of Congress, unless the old soldiers
move in solid phalanx upon the So
called servants of the people,"
So long as some laws seem to permit
special interests to annually extort hun
dreds and hundreds of millions by di-
rect and indirect taxes on the people,
IT comes with bad grace to deny deserv-
ing old soldiers one dollar a day TO af-
ford them the simple and much-needed
comforts to keep them from becoming
mendicants or inmates of soldiers
homes, where many do not care to go
except as a last resort, and all this
under the plea of economy! o, fiei
upon such lame ~excusei
AS Colonel Fester, Adjutant- General
of the Department of Indiana, G. A
R., has wisely said: 1.-The pension money
goes to the butcher, the baker and the
candlestick-maker,' and at once relieves
the necessities of millions of men, wom-
en- and children in the ordinary-the
respectsble-walks of life. among the
honest toilers who create all wealth.
and this money is not locked UP in
the vaults of the multi milIionaires for
shrewd speculation and cunning gam
bling in stocks and bonds''
Pension money is not used for cam
paign contributions a Ia Hartman and
Eastern life insurance companies-not
to buy legislators and voters with
Jackpot" bribes TO carry elections. as
illustrated about ali the way from New
York to San Francisco
While this seems to be something of
an age Of fakes and fads and of graft,
corruption and hypocrisy. let there be
one tangible redceming example by
according the civil war veterans and
their widows comfortable competence
in their old age-best exempIiIicd by
the "ne-dollar-a-day pension bill
The now fully merit this considcra-
ton. and it is believed that every de-
serving civil war comrade who is not
SO fortunate as to be on the crest OF
the wave Of financial prosperity-and
many Of this class, too, favor twill
heartily indorse the sentiments of one
of their comrades for this Justly de-
served pension bill. NJ. l., San
Antonio, Tex