The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-05-04
;,,rthina to Garry Maine
''' But They Can't DO It.
ordence of the Boston Transcript


w ,,,~croN. April rs. Just how much
NAShi .an the Administration play to
polite Waine election and get away with
Sin t MS monument of William M. In
ii? ln former mayor of Portland, as
gaAsada,a,t secretary of war, was admit
s;sl''on, olitical. Judge Ingraham never
9dP day of military service. as
bsl availabie records here show, and
i3' aru of War Newton D. Baker, if
S@FS'a' himself. would have selected
,s5lth Nicholson OF Indiana, the novel
H".po ia a personal friend. But the
ii N' lection will take place September
g'H and as Senator johnson of Maine
I!N 5sn clever enough to escort a cam
hss f,r assistant secretary of war to
1.1',UT wife House, the politicians who
t5s rany of the presidential nomina-
i d',a' ,,anght it wise to turn down Mich
jI9, Wbom Secretary Baker probably
o 'g,, as good as appointed, and invite
i1o'7 ,suulde of the Pine Tree voters by
tas l,a, citizen of Maine. The Dem
ao.V National Committee is collaborat-
'l'-,.b the White House to bring about
'Ns +, ,ooocratic victory in Maine in Sep
.,,1r4v ana INC PiooPSS'o oAS thoe ehS
, IT,. Democrats will wallow in honors
nI money until after the votes have
si1sr Obj september 18th.
I'Ts n. situation gives piquancy to the
.'.,.o AS to how far this trading for
,Soos votes will be carried. Fortunate
W. Far an answer, an interesting test is
-,u,.,! through the recent passage by
Sl,ro1rsss of bill granting $40 month
N w. nrnsion to all medal of honor men
5so,- the age of seventy five who served
. ,rf army or navy in any war. Con
...ss first enacted the medal of honor
s.r So. intending by its use to honor
',is,ars or sailors who had shown dis
',Dr.ga,jsbe5 galantry in the face of All
. y@5 In its early years, however, this
to7orsglz insignia was distributed with
sor freedom, not to say carelessness,
en- persons who served the army in
a+o-- CAPACITIES than as soldiers some
y .n.-. we're awarded medals. For in
,-9r.s .he celebrated Dr. Mary Walker,
rr, s.s a contract surgeon during the
ga- the proud possessor of medal of
nerI-
I'll, Medals OF the Twenty-Seventh Maine
TIE most notorious misuse of the de-
..rai.ar occurred relative to the twenty
ssr4-l Maine Infantry, U. S. V. This
a --.F ,ommand enlisted early and serv-
81. reliably until just before the battle
4 .,rttvsDurg, when its enlistment ex
n,r45 and it came to Washington to be
7a.rsreI out. 1t arrived in Washington
I'm. g. 1868, and numbered 1854 men.
I-s was then invading Virginia, and at
II. r-quest of President Lincoln some
Al armbers of the regiment volunteered
+, ,a.ala in service to await the issue of
The ,J.e Of Gettysburg. The regiment
Tss n.amped on Arlington Heights,
vr5rej remained guarding the Potomac
int Gettysburg had been lost to the Con-
,s5r4cv when the men were mustered
r- The records of the War Depart
.7 Unfortunately failed to show the
rsr-s of the 300 men VINO voluntarily
I'd in the service after their en-
Gs- Is had expired Whether for this
-.s- W not is not known, but for some
.z4,.r sufficiently mysterious every man
IF -a4 >64 composing the regiment was
AVE-. q medal of honor. AS the new law
SANDS. the surviving veterans of the
Twenty Seventh Maine Infantry are all
Fnied to an extra pension of $40
rgaa Turing life.
-a-F5 is, however, a klnk in the law
alcr might make it difficult for some of
the gpterans to collect, if not most of
tlen The new law provides that to be
aaglge to the additional pension soldier
must nave been awarded medal of hon.
or for having in action involving actual
'a t3t with IAN enemy distinguished
ul,e.l conspicuousIy by gallantry or in
rer. ~, at the risk of his life, above
md aeyond the call of duty" The law
do p.aces upon the Secretaries of War
arr avy the duty of deciding whether
zach sppdcant is entitled to the benefit of
set The law is so worded that mere
possession of medal of honor apparently
Would gIalify its owner for the extra
PERSON although that point might be de-
JaaDe When the bill was under con-
saa-aron in the Senate the following
sly occurred:
Ns. Smith of Georgia. This is a bill
rt ference to medals of honor. 1t
-ls- the bunch that came altogether
1Ja some one State?
W. Warren. Yes.
Smith of Georgia. Then | do not
d --J to its consideration.
For Judge Ingraham to Decide
1t will be for Assistant Secretary of
War William M. Ingraham of Maine to
.stermne whether the Twenty-seventh
Name Infantry, or the survivors thereof,
ATE Autled to $40 month extra pension
oy Trtue of having been awarded, medals
Of honor for distinguished conduct in
glarllng the peaceful waters of the Po-
gmac, The bill creating the Army and
Navy Medal of Honor Roll was reported
9lt from the committee of which Senator
Johnson of Maine is chairman, and the
bunch" referred to by Senator Hoke
smith are undoubtedly the same Maine
bunch that received such wholesale hon.
lfs N 1863 when medals of honor were
Young. If Secretary Ingraham is to de-
aie upon his fellow townsmen strictly
according to merit, he might find himself
iIltIe embarrassed, for of late years
1edals of honor have meant something.
WITHIN few weeks, distinguished con-
gresham applied for medal of honor
.oi former Union soldier who with one
,9mrade, had captured twenty-three
-9ai ederate prisoners in one battle. The
i-e'a was refused on the recommended
+'h Of General Hugh L. Scott, who ap-
4eaFrd to think that the feat was nothing
s.Ifaordinary. How many former mem
-rfs Of the Twenty-seventh Maine are
.'lfg or will apply for the extra pension
nor known. The only fact of certainty
10" outstanding in the situation is that
ll"Ee William Ingraham of Maine will be
sS4A an opportunity to pass on their
Claims.