Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-27
SENATOR cuMMlNs MAKES A
STRONG ARGUMENT IN BEHALF
OF WAR VETERANS.
PROPOSES INCOME TAX
TO MEET REQUIREMENTS
senator Would Compel Rich Corpora
tions Which War Made Possible Bear
Burdens Of Extra Expense Of Provid-
ing Comforts for Needy soldisrs-
Says Action Must Come Immediately.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Cum
Minis departed for Iowa at $40 yester-
day afternoon, called to Des Moines by
the dangerous illness Of his father. Mrs.
Cummins and Miss Anna Cummirs
went with him. Before leaving for
Iowa Senator Cummins made brief
but forceful speech in the senate ON
pensions. He urged prompt pension
legislation. Senator Cu,nmins declared
the old soldiers should be given lib
eral treatment and that in order to
do this, and to provide for all needed
government appropriations for other
purposes, an income tax should be lev
led. These rich and powerful trusts
and corporations said he, cove their
they are, to the soldiers, WHOSE valor
Its hours of peril. 1t Is divine JUS
ticc to now require the wealth Of the
country to recognize its obligation to
the men whose heroic efforts made a
great and prosperous country possible.
Quick Action Demanded.
Senator Cummins said in part:
.tMr. President: I ask the attention
OF the senate for brief time in order
that may consider the general sub
iect of pension legislation. Upon this
occasion do not intend to discuss in
detail the relative merits Of the sew
eral bills and the various suggestions
that have been debated before the COM
mittee. 1 pause only long enough to
say that the most liberal Of them. If
enacted by congress and approved py
the president, will still leave the people
of the United States under an unpaid
and unpayable obligation to the union
soldiers Of the civil war, so great that
IT will only be recognized in that FAR
off day when the value Of the union
which they preserved Is more fully ap-
preciated and more completely under
stood than 1t is possible to appreciate
il or understand 1t now. At this
moment 1 am speaking chiefly In the
hope that I can hasten whatever ac-
ton we are to take. 1t seems to me
that the highest considerations which
can move legislative assembly com
mand us to do whatever we intend TO
do Immediately. Whatever enlargement
Of pensions we are willing to grant We
ought to grant at once.
Some Of them. indeed many Of them.
are dying in want and misery. If
we are going to do something for these
heroes, let US for the sake OF hui
manity do 1t so that they may die In
peace, and carry into the life beyond
the recollection that their country was
a grateful country and did what it
could to make their old age comfort
able and happy.
Many In Distress.
Moreover, Of the half million or
more who still bless us with their pres
ence there are many. very many, who
are living in poverty and distress. A
poverty and distress which in few
instances may be justly attributed to
idlenes,s or improvidence or incompe-
tence, but which in by far the greater
number are the direct or indirect re-
suits of disabilities which were fastened
upon them somewhere, and somehow,
as they struggled along the weary way
that lies between Sumpter and Apo
mattox. If we intend to ease their
burdens little, If we intend to lift
a little the hard hand of poverty. for
the sake Of Justice let us do 1t quickly.
Pension Not Charity.
81 have heard and read much about
the character of the obligation the
country owes to these old men. have
heard it asserted with much emphasis
that we owe them nothing at all. There
are some who look upon these pensions
as a charity. Some as the payment of
q debt of gratitude. To me this is vain
speculation. 1t Is more-it is profana-
ton. Our relation to these old soldiers
defies classification or analysis. 1t is
too high; too holy; too sacred to find
expression in the language, Of COM
merce, or even Of sentiment.
Tax the Corporations.
II am not in favor of emitting any
appropriation for government needs in
order that we may increase pensions.
I am in favor Of adding to our revenue