Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-17
TAFT AND THE OLD SOLDIER
Committee Of Grand Army Men Call
Down His Detraetors.
COMRADES TOLD OF DECEPTION
Presidents Policy Proven by His
Message to Congress. which Has
Only Words of Praise for
the soldiers.

Presideh. Saft's attitude toward SOL
diers is made the subject Of an open let
ter 10 veterans Of the civil war by a
committee of civil war. veterans, namely:
. General Richard y. Bowerman. Balti-
more, Md; General Samuel 5. Burdette.
Washington D. C. General Louis wag-
ner, PhiiadelphfI Pa: Lieutenant Col
onel Robert B. Beath. Philadelphia, Pa.
and Colonel John AIeElroy, Washington.
d. c. These men who wore the blue
write to their comrades thus:
Comrades. We understand that sys-
tematic and wilful perversion Of Presi-
dent Taft's true attitude toward US are
being made by those who seek malIci-
ously and falsely to misrepresent him.
These attacks are grossly unjust. Presi-
dent Taft is, and always has been. a
real friend Of the soldier. II any soldier
doubts this, the following sentiment ex-
pressed in President Taft's annual mes
sage to congress December 6, 1910, should
at once dispel all doubt:
/. The uniform policy of the government
IN the matter of granting pensions TO
those gallant and devoted men who
fought to save the life OF the north In
the perilous days OF the great civil war
has always been Of the most liberal
Character. These men are now rapidly
passing away. The best obtalnable off
cial statistics show that they are dying
at the rate OF something over 5000 a
month, and, In view of their advancing
years. this rate must inevitably, in pro-
portion. rapidly increase. To the man
who risked everything on the field of
battle to save the nation In the hour Of
Its direst need, We owe a debt which
has not been and should not be COM
puted In a begrudging or parslmonious
spirit. But while we should be actu-
ated 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 persons
who may, at this late day. from a mere
mercenaTy motive. seek to Obtain some
legal relation with IN old veteran now
tottering on the brink OF the grave
The true spirit of the pension laws is to
be found in the noble sentiments ex-
pressed by Mr.. Lincoln In his last In
Rugural address. wherein. in speaking
OF Ihe nations duty to its soldiers when
the. struggle should be over. he said We
should care for him who shall have
borne the battle. ard for his widow
and orphans. -Congressional Record, 3D.
Gould friendship be better expressed
than in the words of President Taft to
the man who risked everything on the
field of battle to save the nation In the
hour of its direst need. we owe debt
which has not been and should not be
computed In a begrudging or parslmon-
ious soirit. and should not this sentiment
toucb !, resnnnsfye chord in the braast
Of every one Of our comrades?
President Taft now with all the vigor
and force OF his great legal mind. Is con-
tending for that noble form of govern
ment established by our forefathers
against those whose pernicious doctrines
would tend TO destroy II. no less eour-
ageously than we fought on many
battlefield to preserve the union and con-
stitutional government. We believed that
the government OF the people as estab-
llshed by Washington. Franklin, Hamil-
ton and other wise statesmen should not
perish from the earth; that the trainers
OF our constitution were not mistaken,
and that our representative system OF
government was devised as wisely as
human beings could devise II, and should
he maintained, In no less degree, but
by the force OF logic rather than the
appeal to arms, is President Taft seeking
TO maintain the principle for which we
fought, and personal interest temporarily
IN the background. we should rally to
the call OF President Taft and combat
with him those who seek to overthrow