Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-04-25
JUDGE MOONS
PENSION VOTE

Moon on what Is known as the Suel-
wood Pension Bill has been the sub
iect of wide discussion in the District,
being criticised by some and com
mended by others. On the 9th OF
April Judge Moon i'll the course of a
speech mahe on the floor of the honse
of representatives, defended his posi-
ton on this question, and we think
his discussion of the question will be
of apecial interest to our readers at
t1is time. Judge Moon said in part,
In to the national plat
form and the pledges of its representa-
tives, the democratic party has passed,
a majority of the party casting their
votes for the bill bill for an in
crease of pensions to Civil and Next
can War soldiers. Casting aside sick
ening sentimentality on that question,
it has met and dealt with the stern
facts, as only patriots can. Under
standing the obligations of the Repub-
lie to the soldiers who preserved it,
it grants to them in their hour of ne
Cessity an increase in pensions in pro-
portion to the increased cost of living
and to the length Of service rendered.
In doing so it makes it possible in the
interest of economy to dispense with
the expenditure annually of millions
of dollars paid for examiners on the
road, medical boards, and the eXpens-
es of agencies and rents and large
numbers of employees and the further
increase of pensions by special acts OF
COngress-in most C~ases-whlCh have
reached the enormous number OF 3d.
9S7. 1t prevents the use of this great
department for political purposes in
close and doubtful districts and States
in the North. While some of these
considerations were persuasive, no sec
ondary consideration determined the
conduct of the Democratic House in
passing this bill, 1t is due to the vol
uuteer soldiers of the Union just as a
similar bill is due to the surviving
soldiers of the Confederacy by the peo-
pie of the States they defended against
the aggression of the Union Army.
These burdens are the necessary incl
dents of the war between the States
81 have believed it to be my duty,
standing here not merely as a repre-
sentative from the particular district
and section from which | come, but as
a Representative in common with all
others of the people of the United
States, to meet this great question in
a Just way. l have said that in view
of the sources of revenue, and in view
of the fact that not one dollar of Fed
eral tax is paid out Of the State treas
ury of any State in this matter to the
support of the United States, and in
view of the fact that there is not a
single dollar of Federal tax levied on
and collected directly from any indiv-
idual of this Union. in view of the
fact that the bulk of Our revenue rises
either from corporation tax, customs
or on imported goods from the
internal evenu assessed on the ale
of whisky, beer, tobacco and wines
and that the of these arti-
cles pay it, and not the treasures of
the States, that therefore | have felt it
was a little out of order for me to
complain that the Federal soldier is
getting more pension than some peo-
pie think he ought to have, when l
have insisted OH every stump in the
district that I represent that he ought
to have the fullest measure of cOmpen-
that a great and beneficent
Government can give him. ZAP
plau.e
| have declared that no government
was worthy of existence that did not
its soldiery that defended its
honor and preserved its integrity in
the hour of peril. (Applause). l have
said, too, that in that great contest
between the States, the greatest of
modern times, a contest when most of
were but small children Or we're not
born, in which the Union armies
to protect and maintain the
perpetuity of the greatest Government
that ever lived, while the Confederate
Army stood against Union aggression
for the protection of constitutional lib
erty and the rights of States zap
thai it is immaterial what you
think about that contest. whether you
think one side was right or wrong; we
are here as representatives of the
whole people of the United States, and
we must consider the question as only
Just men can consider a great national
question. There should be no section
alism on this question. While / would
give the full measure of pensions to
the Federal soldier, If it were in my
l would tax every State in the
late Confederate States to give every
old Confederate soldier who needed it
dollar a day, because under a faith
hat was as sacred as his religion he
protected the Southern States against
he invasion and aggressions of the
Northern armies in the greatest con-
,est for liberty that mankind ever
Applause.
81 voted for increased pensions be-
in my heart | know it is right
Applause. Next, for political reas-
ms, which are only secondary | gave
hat vote. The Democratic Party in
is national platform declared for an
Increase or liberal pensions for the
.oldiers. The national Democracy
NEW what 1t was doing and meant
What it said. A Democrat introduc-
ii that bill after a Democratic con
i'll this House. A Democratic
reported it to this House,
md "a majority of the Democrats in
his House voted for it; and so long as
have faith in the Democratic Party
IS atfCriing the best principles and
with which to MAINTAIN the
and glory of my country l will,
there be some just OF moral
eason to the contrary, stand by its
rganization on this floor. Applause
n the Democratic side"
The speech referred to deals with
1anv Otbar auhiaotS which tho nifizaOS