Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1890 — INDIANAPOLIS LETTER. [ARTICLE]

INDIANAPOLIS LETTER.

I.VDIA.NAPOLT3, Qet. 2.—Mingling with the gossips a day or two ago we fell to discussing the attitude of the two parties on the pension question. It Was agreed by all that the old soldiers in this State could readily turn the election whichever way they debited. They can maintain the present Democratic supremacy in the Congressional delegation or they can reverse it. Now which will they do? In no State of the Union are the bid soldiers so unanimously in favor of a service pension as in Indiana. The Democrats in their platform say, “We are in favor, as we always have been, of a just and liberal pension system.” It would be interesting just now to the old soldiers to know just what the Democrats deem a just and liberal pension sys> tein. They fail to tell in their platform. Nothiqg is left, therefore, but to go back to history and see what Democrats have done in the past. They should be judged by their record, and on (hat should stand or fall. They declare that they have always been in favor of a liberal pension system. If so it ought to be shown by their votes in Congress. There is not a single, general pension measure now on the statute books that was passed by Democratic votes. It is true that some Democrats have voted for nearly all of these measures, but in nearly every ease more Democrats have voted against than for. On the other hand every general pension measure that is now a law received the unanimous support of the Republicans in Congress and was passed by them. Let us look at the record as it stands on a few of these measures: The Arrears of Pension Bill—passed Jan. 19, 1879. Democrats for the bi 11.... ....... 48 Democrats against the bi 11...... 61 Republicans for the bill 110 Republicans against the bill None The Widows’ Pension Bil} —passed Feb, 2, 1886 (increasing widows’ pension from $8 to sl2 per month); Democrats for the bill 80 Democrats against the bill 66 Republicans for the bill 118 Republicans against the bill.. ~ None The Amputation Bill—passed Aug. -4,1886. Democrats for the bill.. 75 Democrats against the bill 51 Republicans for the bi 11........ 91 Republicans against the bill.. .. None The Widows’ Arrears Bill (giving arrears of pension from the death of their husband) passed the Senate by the following vote: Democrats for the bi 11.......... 1 Democrats against the bill „ 20 Republicans for the bi 11........ 22 Republicans against the bill.. .. None The Disability Pension Bill—(Gives pensions to all disabled soldiers and to dependent parents and children.) Democrats for the bi 11......... 28 Democrats against the bi 11...... 56 Republicans for the bi 11.... .. . . 117 Republicans against the hill None On the return of this bill from the Senate with certain amendments the Democrats filibustered to prevent its consideration and pursued the same tacties when the report was made by the conferenee’eommittee. So it may be said that on its final passage the Democrats solidly opposed it. n The Prisoners of War Bill—(gives pension for term of imprisonment of all who were prisoners of war for thirty days or more.) Democrats for the bi 11.......... 24 Democrats against the bi 11,..... 76 Republicans for the bill 119 Republicans against the bill None The Democrats voted three to one against the bill, arid as it lacked five votes of the necessary two thirds it was defeated. Judged by this record the Danroc'ra'U(VT(7e'a^UnDm'ftl7t,y is riot very large. They make great professions and talk very loudly and largely when before their constituents or in their conventions but when it comes to voting for liberal pension measures thev are always found wanting. What arrant hypocriey it was in them to stand up in the hulls of Congress and fight, the disability bill for the alleged reason that it did not give as much as they desired it to. When money was being appropriated for the improvement of rivers and harbors no membrib"of Congress ever thought of voting against the bill on its final passage because it did not appropriate as much money as he thought it ought to. Had the Democrats been honestly in favor of liberal pension measures they would have supported the disability bill on its final passage with hearty -good-tvtM. rmd then they might have claimed with some justice that the bill did not go as far aa they desired it should. This one measure alone adds to the pension disbursments about $35,000,000 annually. This is a pretty liberal addition to the amounts paid out to the old veterans and yet the Democratic members of Congress, those from Indiana included, endeavored to defeat it. Now let us take the Republican declaration in regard to pensions in contrast to that of the Democrats, remembering the record of the Republicans as shown above. At their last State convention the Republicans declared as follows;—— We heartily approve the action of Republicans in Congress in makirig generous provision for him who has borne the battle, and his widow and his orphans. A wise liberality far surpassing any similar action by other nations gives to the defenders of the union and those dependent upon them, at least one hundred and fifty millions of dollars annually. Of this vast amount over fifteen millions will be disbursed in the State of Indiana each year bringing needed relief to thousands of patriotic homes and stimulating business by largely increasing the volume of money circulating among our people. ' ' . ‘ ' . As against all Democratic promises and pretenses, we proudly recall the fact that all important pension legis-

lation has been placed on the statute books by Republicans; and against constant Democratic opposition they have steadily maintained a revenue system adequate to meet its demands. Nor has it been the habit of Republican Presidents to sneer at or veto laws adding to the comfort of those who mainlainedthe integrity pf the Union, and gave to the; Nation one flag of honor and authority. In justice to the union soldiers and sailors we urge the passage bf the: service pensionbill. It will be seen that the Republicans not only endorse all that has been done, hut declare that they are in favor of going still farther, and specifically state in the last clause to what extent they are in favor of more liberal measures. Let the soldiers of Indiana contrast the declarations of the two parties and their records and then decide to which party their allegiance should be given. Nicodemus.