Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1892 — A VINDICATION THAT DON’T [ARTICLE]

A VINDICATION THAT DON’T

VINDICATEPatton’s Pension Bill. The Remington Press publishes a statement from Ira W. Yeoman, as attorney for Michael J. Costello, in regard to the rather noted j private pension bdl for the benefit of the latter, introduced by Congressman Patton; the introduction thereof being the one great legislative act of Mr. Patton’s first term in Congress. The statement is prepared and published by Mr. Yeoman in order to vindicate Mr, Costello and ’‘Hon. D. H. Patton, M. C;” it having been reported that Mr. Costello had not been in the Union army at all, and also that he had been in the Confederate service.

It is a great old vindication! It vindicates the patriotism of Warrior Costello about as clearly as it establishes the statesmanship of Congressman Patton. Q. E. D. (The meaning of which cabalistic letters, is “Which was to be demonstrated,” and,'we may add, is still in the same fix.) Mr. Costello’s complete Union war record was obtained from the War Department, by request of the chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs. The record, as officially attested by R. N. Batchelder, Qr. Master Gen. U. S, Army, of the War department, is as follows: * War Department. Quartermaster General’s Office. Washington, May 12, 1892. Respectfully returned to the Honorable the Secretary of War. Hon. J. H. Outhwaite, chairman committee on military affairs, House of Representatives, requests record of service of Michael Costello, in the construction corps at Chattanooga, Tenn., during the late war. The reports on file at this office show the employment of Michael Costello as a civilan foreman of tracklayers on U. S. Military Railroad at $125 per month by Captain F. T. Starkweather, A. Q.M., Chattanooga, Tenn., from May 9th to Nov. 30th, 1864, when transferred to Capt W. R. Hopkins, A. Q. M., who reports him on same duty and pay from December Ist, 1864, to July 315t,*1865, when discharged and paid. He is not found further teported at Chattanooga. R. N. Batchelder, Qr. Master Gen. U. S. Army, This is the complete record, although, in response to a further enquiry from Mr. Outhwaite, chairman of the House committee above mentioned, asking in regard to the claim made by Mr. Costello that he had served both in the army of the Cumberland and the army of the Tennessee, General Batchelder makes the following additional statement.

War Departmenn . Quartermaster General’s Office. ■ "Washington, May lt>TU|lß92. Respectfully returned from the Honorable the Secretary of War. The services of Michael Costello, referred to in the indorsement hereon of this office of the 12th inst were rendered in the construction corps U. S. Military Railroads in the military division of the Mississippi, which embraced the two commands—the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Tennessee in the years 1864 and 1865. . ' - '

R. N. BACHELDER,

Qr. Gen. U. S. Army.

A glorious record, the above upon which to try to sneax through Congress a bill granting thirty dollars a month (the first intention was said to have made it SSO or S9O, but thA* nerve failed) to a man already in affluent circumstances financially, and whose only claim upon the gratitude of the Nation is that from May 9 th, 1864 to July 31st, 1865, he filled the easy, safe and lucrative position of “civilan” boss .of a gang of railroad track-layers, at a salaty of $125 a month! The southern woods in 1864 were full of tired out Johnnyßebs who would gladly have consented to serve Uncle Samuel in the same capacity at the same salary, and when their job was over, have gone back into the Rebel service. Taking this record for all it is worth, and just as Mr. Yeoman’s statement leaves it, it still would be a public outrage, and an insult to patriotism, to pension a man in Mr. Costello’s financial circumstances, upon such grounds. And

it was such an outrage and such an insult for Mr. Patton to introduce such a measure. It would be just as proper, for instance, to introduce a bill pensioning some wealthy and politically active constituent who spent a few months in war times, at a big salary, in buying horses for the Federal Cavalry, or in any other safe and profitable civil employment, in the government service.

As poor a showing as Lawye Yeoman makes for Statesman Patton and Warrior Costello, it is, no doubt, much better than it would have been had there been more of it What, for instance, would have been the result had Mr. Yeoman given us Mr. Costello’s war record prior to the time when he to ok the job of cussing Paddies at $5 per day ? It is quite a long period of time from April 1861 to May 1864, and there are a good many people in the 10th congressional district who would like to have Mr. Patton, through his attorney, Mr. Yeoman, explain Mr. Costello’s war record during that period. It is a matter of common report, and said even to be of public record, that he was, for a greater or less p eriod of time, in the Confederate service, during the interval mentioned. Moreover, it is said by some of the gentleman’s townsmen, that his political sympathies are largely still with the cause he foughtfor, as evidenced by language used at divers times.

It would be bad enough for Mr. Patton to try a . to sneak through Congress a bill giving an extravagant pension to a wealthy man, as a reward for politicial service, on no better grounds than that he served the goverment for a few months, in war times, in a civilian capacity, and at a large salary, even had his protege been a Union man i n sentiment, but if, as seems likely, his sentiments were with the enemies of the government, the case is immeasurably worse.

Hon. W. W. Gilman introduced the first state school-book bill ever considered in the Indiana Legislature. He also formulated a bill providing for legislative control of railroads, several years ahead of the Inter-State Commerce bill He is a thinker, a man of advanced views, who is able to &Qe for him self what laws the people need. He would make a most faithful, hard-working and influential member of Congress. More than that, he would be peculiarly available as a candidate, just at this time.

The American Economist presents every week a picture of some piece of wearing apparel purchased in some of the retail stores in New York City, giving the retail price thereof and also the amount of tariff the same garment would pay had it been imported from a foreign country. The, last picture is a pair of boy’s short pants. The garment is neatly and strongly made, of good, firm material, capable of withstanding many slides down a cellar door. Hundreds more like it were for sale where that one was bought, and all for the same price, namely TWENTY-SEVEN CENTS. Which was only about half the sum which the demagogue tariff ‘ ‘Reformer” says they are taxed; for the tariff on the garment, had it been imported, would have been FIFTY-THREE CENTS. The “Tariff is a Tax” say the freb traders, and is always added to the selling price of the article.” How can a tariff of 54 cents be added to the price of a pair of boy’s pants, and yet the pants he sold for 27 cents, tariff and all? Great is the logic of the tariff reformers.

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