The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-12-21
MAKING A BAD RECORD
The Democratic Congressmen
Have Utterly Ignored Their
Campaign Pledges for
Economy
DEMoCR.TIC PENSION STEAL

DEMoCRlTIc PENSION STEAL
They Voted Millions for Federal
Pensions But Not Cent for the
Confederate soldier-also Refused
to Reduce Their Mileage Allow
ance to Actual Costa North
Carolina Soldier Says It's Time for
the Confederate Soldiers to Think
and Vote for Thenselves-The
Russian PASSPORT Tangle-Presi-
dent Sent Report of the Tariff
Board to Congress Yesterday.
Washington, d. c., Dec. 19, 1911.
Especial to The Caucasian.)
The record which the Democratic
House of Representatives have made
since the opening of this session of
Congress is as bad as it is possible
for any party to make. One of the
lOudest slogans of that party in the
last campaign was economy, with a
big T.. The Republican party was
denounced for its big appropriations
and for general wastefulness and ex-
trayagance. The Democratic lead |
ers promised that If they were given |
hold Of the nations purse-strings
that they would save at least $780,
100000 year in the expenses of
the Government.
The Contrast of Promises and Per-
fOrmanceS.
The first question OF "retrench-
ment and reform" that came up was
for the members of the House to vote
to reduce their mileage from twenty
cents per mile to the actual amount
spent by each member in coming and
going between their homes and the
National Capital. This was voted
down. So the Democratic members
decided to take twenty cents for ev-
cry mile they travel out of the Ma
tional Treasury, while they pay less
than IL cents mile. Reform like
charity, if it is honest, must begin at
home. So here we have most
striking example of Democratic in
sincerity.
The Democratic Pension Steal.
One of the next propositions was
not one looking to economy, but one
to try to catch votes in the next cleo
ton. A Northern Democratic Con-
gresham offered bill to extend the
pensions for Union soldiers by put
ting on the pension roll all who were
in or followed the Northern army
and pay each one at least dollar a
day, whether he was hurt or not and
whether he was ever in a battle or
not. This bill calls for an appropri-
alton of $75,00O,0O0 in addition to
the $14O,O00,0O0 which is now being
paid in pensions. At first no one
thought that such an absurd and
monstrous bill would be taken seri-
ously. But when the argument was
made by the Northern Democratic
Congressman that this bill would
catch all of the old soldiers vote Of
the North and help to elect a Demo
cratic President next year, there was
a great change of Democratic senti-
ment, and the bill was rushed
through the House by a large ma
jority.
This proposition is more than a
steal-it is downright corruption. 1t
is a scheme to take 100000 from
the peoples taxes and give it to men
who do not deserve it, in order to try
to bribe enough voters to elect a
Democratic President. Strange to
say there was not a single Democratic
Congressman to raise his voice in
protest. and say that If the country
could afford to spend $75,000,000
for pensions then this money should
go to the Southern soldiers who
fought as bravely and as honestly
for what they thought was right as
did the Northern soldier. No, it
was not necessary to think of the
Southern heroes of the war between
the States, he might suffer and die
in rags, for the Southern Democratic
politicians thought they had his vote
any way.
An old Confederate soldier from
North Carolina who was here last
Monday said that he thought it was
time for the Southern soldiers to be-
gin to think for themselves and vote
Independently as had the Northern
soldiers and their sons. This old
soldier further said that the low
prices for cotton, high taxes and new
public school books in the State were
enough to open the eyes of all the
other voters of the State in addition
to the old Confederates.
The Russian Passport Tangle.
Tho D,,ccian 0ouornneonf has