St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-03-01
MIR. STEELE EXPLAINS.
The Commercial Club Not Involved
In Letter Regarding Pension
Bill.
Feb. rs, 1911.
My dear Editor:

Feb. Is, 1911.
My dear Editor:
Will you kindly permit me
through your columns, to correct an
erroneous impression caused by the
publication in your paper last week
of copy of letter which I mailed
to our senators at Washington on
Feb. goth.
/ was instructed, by unanimous
| vote of the executive committee of
| the Commercial club on Saturday,
| Feb. 18th, to communicate with our
senators requesting their support for
the Canadian Reciprocity Bill,
strongly recommended by President
Taft, which has passed the House of
Representatives and is now before
| the Senator 1t appears that some of
| our people do not favor this meas
| ure. In regard to the benefits to be
derived from Canadian Reciprocity, I
| would refer to the very concise state
ment given at the White House and
published in the daily papers of Feb.
23d.
In regard to the part of my letter
which refers to the pension bill, let
me say first that this matter was
| discussed in the Commercial club,
| few weeks ago and the sentiment eX-
| pressed against the Sulloway Bill
which proposed $4,000, 100000 in
crease to the present pension laws,
| but no vote of any kind was ever
| taken by the Commercial club on
| this question. I mention this that it
may be clearly understood that the
part of my letter referring to pen
sions was written without the sane
ton of the Commercial club. Any
| adverse criticism in regard to this
| matter should be directed at me per-
sonally not at the club.
My letter appears to be very mucn
misunderstood at home, although it
was perfectly clear to both senator's
| who received it.
There are on the statute books to-
day many thousand pension laws. 1t
| is estimated that, under existing
laws, there will be disbursed this
| year in pensions $153, ,O00,OOO.OO
We all most heartily approve of
the distribution of this great sum
which carries comfort to the homes
| of so many needy and deserving vet
Grams. Hundreds of pension bills
are passed by every congress includ-
ing the congress now in session. 1t
| is right that they should pass. We
all agree to this in spirit of CRATE
| full recognition.
What is it then to which we OBJ
ject? 1t is to the bill officially desig-
mated as I'll. R. 29346" and popular
ly known as the Sulloway Bill" Mr..
SulloWay describes his bill in part as
follows:
''This bill, if enacted into law,
will grant to all persons who served
80 days or over in the Civil war,
or so days or over in the Mexican
war, and have reached the age of
62 years a pension of SIS per
month; 65 years, $40 per month;
70 years $25 per month; and rs
years $50 per month. *The
estimated cost of carrying out the
provisions of this bill is $45,489,-
OOO,OO."
By the provisions of this act, the
man who enlisted when the war
broke out, fought bravely for four
years and came home with an arm
or leg missing would receive ex-
actly the same pension as a man
who was drafted in the last year of
the war, camped for few months
under favorable conditions and re-
turned to his home without
scratch and without getting within
miles of the enemy.
I have the utmost respect and
veneration for the soldiers who
fought in the Civil war. My uncle and
namesake, Charles Wesley Steele,
fought all through the war, suffered,
bled and finally died, fighting for his
country on Little Round Top in the
battle of Gettysburg.
My respect for him and for men of
his type amounts almost to rever-
ence. Nothing too good for those
brave fellows.
President Taft said in his message:
'FThe uniform policy of the govern
ment in granting pensions to those
gallant and devoted men who fought
to save the nation in the great Civil
war has always been of the most
liberal character. To the man who
risked everything on the field of
battle to save the nation in the hour
of it's direst need, we owe a debt
which has not been and should not
be computed in a begrudging or
parsimonious spirit. But while we
should be actuated by this spirit to
the soldier himself, care should be
exercised not to go to absurd
lengths or distribute the bounty of
the government to classes of per-
sons who may, at this late day
from mere mercenary motive seek
to obtain some legal relation with
the old veterans.
1t is we'll to remember that money
must be collected before it can be
disbursed. Every person in the
United States who buys food, cloth
ing or any other article contributes
toward the government revenue.
There are millions of needy, honest
and deserving people in the country
who have no relation to soldiers or
soldiers families. These poor people
all have to contribute a part to the
| government taxes. The President
of the United States objects to the
/ SuIloway Bill l claim the same
privilege.
I trust this will explain my posi-