Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1890 — THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND PENSIONS. [ARTICLE]

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND PENSIONS.

.IntJUnapoUijfenrnoi. Whatever'’ m erit or demerit there is in the present pension laws belongs to the Republican party. They have all been passed mainly by Republican votes, and a large number of Demo-, cratio votes are recorded against each and every one of them. Of the bills passed during the last few years fortyeight Democrats voted against the arrears of pension bill passed in 1879. sixty-six voted against the widows’ pension hill passed in 1886, fifty-one voted against the amputation bill passed in 1866, fifty-six voted against the new disability bill passed at the recent session, and seventy-eight voted against the bill to pension prisoners of war. All of these measures were passed by Republican votes, and not a single Republican vote was cast against either of them. The vote in the House on the disability bill stood 145 yeas to 56 nays. Of those voting yea, 118 were Republicans and 27 were Democrats, while every vote in the negative was Democratic. In the Senate the vote was 34 yeas to 18 nays. Of those voting yea thirty-one were Republicans and three were Demol- - while every vote in the negative was Democratic. Therefore, wo repeat that whatever of merit or demerit there is in the pension laws the responsibility belongs to the-Republican party. The idea of pensioning Union soldiers originated with Republicans, the obligation was first recognized by the Republican party, and every law on the subject is due to Republican votes, To show how largely Indiana bar been benefitted by the pension laws, we present herewith a statement showing the amount received by pensioners in this State each year since 1860; Fiscal year ending June 30. Amount 1860 $100,432.17 1861, 90,921.87 1862 80,081.99 1863 '. ...... 104,436.44 .1864 452,162.21 1865 854,288.52 1866 1,325,098.01 1867 1,868,171.17 _ 1868-,-. ~~. 2,407,940.31 — 1869 2,252,025.80 1870 2,118,375.25 1871 1,726,745.00 1872 . 2,283,000.81 1873.. .1 . 2,085,437.47 1874 ... 2,110,208.28 1875 2,188,105.02 1876 2,225,024.12 1877.. 1,108,752.26 1878 1,844,136.48 1879 1,899,715.99 1880.. 2,113,566.46 1881.. 3.416,520.15 1882 4,646,294.00 1883.. 5,117,987.48 1884 .. 4,573,591.60 1885 5,465,168.12 1886.. ........... 5.632,824.36 1887 6,402,489.35 1888.. .. 7,016,525.19 1889 8,428,383.28 1890 9,984.475.00 Total $92,922,884.16 Up to 1862 the payments were chiefly to pensioners of the Mexican’ war. The payment to Union soldiers began in 1863, and since then they have increased from $104,436.44 to $9,984,475 a year. The total amount paid in this State since 1860 is $92,922,884.16. The amount paid out next year will exceed $10,000,000, and is likely to grow for some years to come. These payments, made quarterly at the rate of nearly $2,500,000 a quarter, go to all parts of the State, and their influence is felt in all the channels of trade. No matter what else may fail, the pension payments come, with promptness and regtitarTty; as certain as the rising and setting of the sun. If the Republicans turn out and vote in November, the victory will be theirs;