Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1884 — “poor Tom’s A’cold” [ARTICLE]

“poor Tom’s A’cold”

Chicago Inter-Oceau. The Committee on Pensions of the Democratic House of Representatives at Washington have for some time past been maturing a bill which they intend shall meet every demand bn Congress by individuals of every class who have iu any manner suffered loss by having served in the army. The. bill has some meritorious and practical provisions which, if properly presented, might be enacted into law, but it many which could secure the approval of members only that they might make political capital, they being first assured that the bill could not become a law. We do not care to speak of the provisions of the bill iu detail. Those who have it in charge have framed it so that they know it ought not and can not receive the approval of the Senate. It is intended for no other purpose than that of giving tho Democratic members an opportunity to make a record of extraordinary liberality toward the soldiers, without having to appropriate the money from the treasury. If any additional evidence of the bad faith of the Democrats in the matter had been needed it was furnished the other day by a Democratic member, Wood, of Indiana, the butt of the practical jokers of both sides of the House, mistook Judge Pay son, of Illinois, for a Democrat, and said: “We muSlTput our new pensToET bill through the House. It is a matter of great importance to me personally. You see, I’m a candidate for re-election. Tho passage of that bill by the House would be worth 1,500 votes to me in nay district. I suppose tho Republicans will block the biil in tho Senate, but I don 1 1 care about that. It will answer my purpose, our purpose as Democrats, if it passes the House.” “I don’t know 7,” said Payson, “but that it may pass the Senate. There are meu in our party there who are liberally disposed toward the old soldiers; Logan, for example.” “Logan!” repeated Wood. “Your party ? Are you a Republican?” “Certainly,” said Mr. Payson. “Well,” said Wood, “I’ve made a mistake. Per heaven’s sake, don’t repeat what I said to you.”