Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1894 — THE SOLDIER’S FRIEND. [ARTICLE]

THE SOLDIER’S FRIEND.

Democracy’s Proud Record on the j Pension Matter. Nearly All Legislation Enacted hy Democratic Congresses. All the Laws Which Have Proven Especially Beneficial to the Veterans and Their Dependents Have Originated In Democratic Houses of Representatives. President Cleveland’s Record In Signing Private Pension Hills—A Magnificent Showing. Notwithstanding the persistent claims of the Republican party that it is the sob* and only friend of the old soldier and the chief conservator of his interests, the United States statutes and the records of the pension office show that lie has been better cared for by Democratic than hy Republican congress. Democratic houses passed these acts which were approved by a Democratic president: Aug. 4, 1886—Increasing pensions ol armless or legless veterans. ' March 19, 1880 —Increasing from $8 to sl2 per month the pensions of widows and dependents. May 15, 1886—Granting discharges to Missouri Home Guards. May 17, 1886—To correct records, eh- 1 abling thousands of veterans, otherwise debarred, to secure pensions. Jan. 29, 1887—Giving $150,000,000 to Mexican veterans. Juno 7,1888 —Granting arrears of pensions to widows from date of death of husband. Aug. 14, 1888—Relieving members of * marine corps of technical charges which : prevented them from getting pensions. And all these bills originated in Democratic houses. Aug. 16, 1876—Issuing artificial limbs to veterans. Feb. 28, 1877—Increasing pensions of those who lost both an arm and leg. March 9, 1878—Granting pensions to veterans of the revolutionary and 1812 wars and their widows. June 17, 1878—Increasing to $72 per' month the pensions of those who had lost both arms, both legs, or both eyes. June 16, 1880—Giving $72 per month to totally disabled veterans. March 3, 1879—Increasing to $37.50 per month pensions for hip joint amputation. March 3, 1879 —Tne arrears of pensions act increasing the pension roll from $33,000,000 to $57,000,000 at a single bound. Doc. 21,1893 —Representative Martin’s act making a pension a vested right. Feb. 26, 1881 —Protecting veterans in soldiers’ home. July 14, 1892—Pensioning at SSO those requiring partial attention from others. Aug. 8, 1892 —Granting pensions to army nurses. July 4, 1884—Regulating fees of pension claim agents. The Indiana Record. United States Pension Agent Spencer for Indiana, upon the request of H. C, Bell, deputy commissioner of pensions, forwarded to that gentleman a statement showing the number of new names added to the pension rolls at the Indianapolis agency since March 4, 1893, when the Democratic party came into power, and also the number of pensioners who have been reduced in rate or whose names have been dropped from the rolls in Indiana since that time. These reports show that 3,902 new names have been added to the rolls in this state, and hut 165 have been reduced in rate, and but 82 dropped from the rolls. So it will be seen that loss than one in each county has been dropped, while an average of 42 new names in each county have been placed upon the rolls and an average of less than two in each county have been reduced in rate. When it is remembered that there are over 68,000 pensioners residing in the state of Indiana it will bo seen how clearly these figures show that the pensioners of Indiana have not been mistreated by the administration. The total dropped and reduced is 247, distributed through 72 counties. Private Pension Hills. During the 24 years of uninterrupted Republican administration —lß6l to 1885—2,001 private pension acts passed by congress became laws, an average of about 83 a year. During Lincoln’s administration, 41; Johnson’s, 431; Grant’s, 490; Hayes’, 303; Garfield and Arthur’s, 786. In the first three years of President Cleveland’s former administration —IBBS to 1888—out of 1,560 submitted to him, 1,369 became laws, more than 33 times as many as during Lincoln’s four years, more than three times as many as Johnson’s four years, nearly three times as many as Grant’s eight years, four and a half times as many as Hayes’ four years, and nearly twice as many as Garfield and Arthur’s four years. The average yearly number of these private pensions acts which became laws under Cleveland’s former administration was 456, five and a half times the average annual number during the preceding Republican administrations. The Average Pension. In Indiana the average is 5,300 pensioners, receiving $900,264 per congressional district. In Ohio, 4,904, receiving $825,080- per district. In lowa, 3,464, receiving $561,437. Pennsylvania. 8,193, receiving $505,*26. Illinois, 8,124, receiving $500,906. Massachusetts, 11,100, receiving $529,826. Wisconsin, 2,761, receiving $437,885. Rhode Island, 2,111, receiving $234,400. Minnesota, 2,829, receiving $876,205. The average number of pensioners in each congressional district in the United States is 2,711, and the average amount of pension paid in each congressional distinct is $440,282. The pensioners in the state of Indiana are receiving annual average pensions equal to $169.87. In Ohio it is $168.25, in lowa $162.10, in Hlinois $160.34, Minnesota $139.81, Wisconsin $168.60, Penn-

sylvania $158.44 and in Rhode Island $111.04. The Democratic Record. During the four years of Democratic administration —from 1886 to 1889—-over 80 per cent of all claims filed were allowed. During the preceding Republican administration the average was but 78 par cent, and during the last Republican administration (Tanner and Raum) only 67 per cent of the claims filed wi re allowed, notwithstanding the addition to the clerical force of the bureau of more than 400 persons. During the four years of Democratic administration —from 1885 to 1889 $296,458,741.25 were paid for pensions, $15,500,000 more than were paid during the 15 years of Republican administration from 1861 to 1875, inclusive; and including the estimates for the fiscal year, Democratic administrations under Judge Lochren and General Black, have, in five years, disbursed $5,750,000 more than all the Republican administrations in the 20 years from 1861. to 1880, inclusive. The total disbursements for pensions since 1861 were in round numbers sl,730,500,000. During 16 years of that time, counting the. present congress, the Democratic party in the house of representatives, under the leadership of Randall, Carlisle, Crisp, originated appropriation bills for 64 per cent of this amount, in round numbers $1,109,000,000; while during 18 years under the control of the Republican party, but 36 per cent, in round numbers $621,000,000, were disbursed, or a net ratio of nearly 200 per cent in favor of the Democratic party. Soldiers of the republic, does this show the Democratic party has been ungenerous to the heroic men who saved the flag from tarnish or to their dependents? Wherein have Democratic administrations been inimical to the pensioners of the nation? Partisan Republicans iu their carping criticisms strive for political effect solely. How plain a tale will put the prevaricator down?