War Veterans
And Pension
Legislation
Republican Party Wholly
Responsible For Caring
; For Old Soldiers.
BemocratsOpposedAllFriend
ly Aid A Damning Record
Taft Great Friend
of G.A.8. ' '
The Republican party has Just
cause to be proud of Its pension rec
ord. With the aid of patriotic men
from other parties It waged to a suc
cessful conclusion the greatest war of
modern times.
It has never ceased to honor the
officers and men who composed tho
victorious army. Every Republican
President elected since the close of
that war had been a conspicuous offi
cer of the Federal army with tho ex
ception of President Roosevelt, whoso
brilliant record in the Spanish War is
a matter of just pride to tho Ameri
can people.
Republican Pension Legislation.
Republicna legislation for the old
eoldler, his widow and his minor chil
dren has been generous and bounti
ful. The invalid pension law of July
14, 1SG2, and the dependent law of
Juno 27, 1890, are monuments of
Republican achievement and boar
witness to the country's tender care
of Its soldiers and Its sailors and
their families.
The act of June 27, 1890, is a fit
ting illustration of the genorosltyot
the Republican party toward the vet
erans of the Civil War. This law
was passed by a "Vpubllcan" Con
gress, was signed .. a Republican
Rresident, and through Its adminis
tration there was expended during
the next fiscal year a total amount of
568,798,800.71. The number of sol
diers receiving the benefit of this act
was 443,721, while the number of the
dependents relieved by this act was
171,259. The gains In the number
of pensioners under this act over tho
previous year was 8643,. and the gain
from June 30, 1890, to January 5,
1904, was 4993.
Tho Republican party passed the
net of April 19, 190S, Increasing pen
sions of all widows from SS to $12
per month and granting pensions
without reference to the value of
property or income. The Republican
party also passed the act of February
6, 1897, granting pensions to soldiers
by reason of age alone, without re
gard to disability.
Democratic Opposition Record.
The Democratic party, as such, has
opposed every measure voting appro
priations for pensions. Its record for
the past forty years is one of opposi
tion to those men who bore the hard
ships of war and jeopardized their
lives that the Union might be pre
served. Here is a brief list of their
official adverse acts In Congress to
ward the veterans of the Civil War:
In 1S7S a bill passed tho House re
pealing all limitations of time in
which applications for arrears of pen
sions should be made. This was op
posed by a majority of the Demo
crats. The bill Increasing the pen
sions for widows from $8 to $12 per
month was opposed by the Demo
crats. The amputation bill passed
August 4, 1896, was opposed by tho
Democrats and voted for solidly by
the Republicans In tho House. The
' widows' arrears bill an the disabil
ity pension bill were bch fought bit
terly by tho Domocrats.
In the Forty-third Congress a de
pendent pension bill was voted on in
the Senate, the Republicans support
ing It solidly and the Democrats op
posing It by a two-third vote. In the
House this bill was voted for solidly
by Republicans and opposed by a ma
jority of the Democrats. After it had
passed the House and Senate It was
Vetoed by President Cleveland, as a
Democrat. An effort was made In the
House to pass tho bill over Cleve
land's veto, tho Republicans voting
138 for It and tho Democrats voting
125 against It.
This vote showed that twenty-nine
Democrats who had originally voted
for the bill hastened to avail them
selves of the opportunity afforded by
tho President's veto to voto against
it, thus testifying their real senti
ments, while twenty other Democrats
who had dodged the first vote came
up promptly and supported the veto.
Tho dependent pension bill was bit
terly opposed by tho Democrats, the
Republicans putting It through de
spite the opposition. This bill, as tho
old soldiers well know, was promptly
Blgned by President Harrison.
Democrats Dislike Veterans.
To sum up, the following gives the
total of fourteen votes of ConirroKs
upon tho most Important of tho vari
ous pension measures presented since
tno war viz:
Democrats for tho bills 417
Democrats against tho bills C4S
Republicans for tho bills mm;
Republicans against tho bills. . . Xonc
Tho official records of national Uw.
lslatlon show that of all tho Repub
lican j-rusiucius sinco mo war only
ono has withheld his slgnnturo from
any pension bill, and that was Goner.
al Grant, who was forced to decline
to approve five of theso bills. The
Democrats havo been In power for
only a few. brief years since tho war.
nnd their President, Grover Clove
Jand, vetoed 529 pension bills. The
records suow that every pension law
jtias been passed by Kopubllcan votes,
and every pension bill defeated has
been defeated by Democratic votes.
Every nenslon bill vetoed. B29 In
number, was vetoed by n Democratic-
President except five.
Pension 1'lnuks in Platforms.
For the past fifty years the Demo
cratic politicians have juggled with
the soldier vote and pension question
In their platforms. While giving
every evidence of being really hostile
at heart, they have thrown out bits
of political bait from tlmo to time in
the hope of cajoling the veterans
into voting tho Democratic ticket.
During all theso years tho Republi
can platform has rung as clear as a
bell on the pension question, as per
this plank In the 1908 platform:
"Anothdr Republican policy which
must ever be maintained is that of
generous provision for those who
havo fought the country's battles and
for the widows and orphans of those
who have fallen. We commend tho
increaso In tho widows' pensions
made by the present Congress and de
clare for a liberal administration of
all pension laws, to tho end that the
people's, gratitude may grow deeper,
as the memories of the heroic sacri
fice grow more sacred with tho pass
ing years."
Tho Democratic platform favors
pensioning "the surviving veterans
and their dependents because it re
lieves the country of the necessity of
maintaining a large standing army."
The patriotism of tho veterans Is Ig
nored. This platform does not favor
penslonl i widows and dependents of
deceased veterans, only "surviving
veterans anS their dependents."
The Old Soldier's Friend.
Tha Republican party has kept Its
promises. Through its legislation
there has been disbursed in the pay
ment of pensions on account of the
Civil War to Juno 30, 1908, $3,533,-
593.025.95, and there were on the
pension rolls on the last date 633,338
veterans of the Civil War and a total
of 967,371 pensioners of all wars and
classes, and on June 30, 1905, there
were approximately on tho pension
rolls- 021,000 -surviving veterans.
All the civilized nations or the
earth combined have not equaled the
United States in liberality In grant
ing pensions, bounties, homesteads
and land warrants, providing homes,
etc., for war veterans. Tho appro
priation for the present fiscal year for
paying pensions is sieu.uuo.uuu
more than one-fifth of the entire
revenue of tho government.
No man who was not old enough
to be a factor in that great struggle
could give his heart and soul more
completely to the welfare and well
being of the veterans who fought for
liberty and right In the days of '61 to
'65 than Mr. .Taft. Ho 13 the recog
nized and distinguished friend of the
old soldier and is pledged to carry
out the Republican policy In a gener
ous manner toward tho Grand Army
of the Repubr.c. He has never been
too busy to see Cne veteran and lis
ten with sympathetic Interest to his
just demands. Taft, as President,
will bo an abiding fast friend to all
tho survivors of all our wars.
WHO PAYS THE TARIFF?
The Democratic free trade claim,
that Import duties bear most heavily
on tho consumers or necessaries, is
most thoroughly shattered by Ar
thur J. Dodge, the Washington cor
respondent of tho American Econo
mist, In the current Issue of that pa
per. Mr. Dodge shows In the first
place that against $527,000,000 of
dutiable imports, wo import goods
free of duty to the value of $454,
000.000. He shows that of the total
duties collected amounting to $257,
000,000, $SO,000,000 aro collected
upon EO-callcd "luxuries." He shows
further that the aver'ago rato of duty
on all dutiable Imports Is forty-seven
per cent., whllo tho avcrago rato of
duty on "luxuries" Is over -sixty per
cent. But Mr. Dodge goes further
nnd shows that probably all our Im
ports or at least nlnoty per cent, aro
goods consumed by the rich and well-to-do.
Thoso peoplo who prefor Im
ported wearing apparel, Imported
houso furnishings nnd n thousand
nnd ono othor articles of Importation
that could ho inndo In this country,
aro not the working classes who con
sumo tho neccssnrles of llfo nnd who
come under the free trndo clnlm thnt
such duties aro paid by tho masses.
Bryan says tho President Is tho
peoplo's hired man. Tho peoplo for
tho third tlmo will refuso tho job to
Bryan.
B IX.
MISSIONARIES PRAISE TAFT'S
" FAIRNESS IN FAR EAST
They Laud Ills Delicacy, Zeal and
Initiative in tho Philippines and
Bay It Would Be Difllcult to Ex
aggerate the Importance of His
Service to tltc Christian Mis
8lons There.
New York, Oct. The Rev. Dr.
Homer C. Stuntz, first assistant sec
retary of tho Board of Foreign Mis
sions of tho Methodist Episcopal
Church, who spent several years in
tho Philippines Islands when Will
iam H. Taft was there, and who has
written a book, entitled "The Phil
ippines and the4 Far East," has an
nounced his Intention to vote for tho
Republican candidate for President.
He Is supporting J ml no Taft's candi
dacy heartily, and when s?m' to-day
spoko about tho fairness' whie'i Taft
had shown to all religious socts in
the Philippines.
"1 wns in tho Philippine Island,"
said Dr. Stuntz, "as superintendent
of missions of tho Methodist Church
from April, 1001, almost all tho time
until December, 190C. During that
tlmo I had ample opportunity to ob
serve the laws passed by the commis
sion, of which Governor Taft was the
head, and tho administration of the
Philippines under the Civil Commls- j
slon. In preparation for my book on ,
'The Philippines and the Far East,'
I was given access by Judge Taft to
any and all documents which I
wished to see, and thus I had unusual
opportunities for securing first-hand
information as to the legislative and
administrative work which was car
ried forward in the islnnds during
that period.
"While we, as Protestant minis
ters, differed with Judge Taft on
many questions and were
Always compelled to oppose him
Fair. and the commission in cer
tain legislation which was
proposed, I am clearly convinced that
Mr. Taft himself did all that could 1
bo reasonably expected of him in his
attempts to bo entirely fair as he-1
wwn inc uiiiereni commercial nuu
religious parties with which he had
to deal.
"I have looked tho ground over
thoroughly, and have concluded that
he will give us the best administra
tion of any man now a candidate for
President, and I shall vote for him.
He Is, undoubtedly, one of the ablest
public men which this nation has
over raised up. I regard him as,
without doubt, the ablest administra
tor who ever has addressed himself to
the task of governing Asiatic peoples.
I say this after I have lived for eight
years in British India, during tho
large part of which time my duties
required 1110 to teach the history of
that emplro."
GOOD TIMES.
Will It restore good times to elect
Mr. Bryan, with his vague, untried
theories, almost universally con
demned by business men? Mr. Bryan
is a great orator and has a new lino
of promises every four years, but if
you had a quack doctor come to you
twlco when you wero 111 and try to
make you take a silver cure which
would cripple you for llfo, would you
try his now guaranteo cure (no
charge for the consultation) when
you needed a real doctor? Mr. Gom
pers, who supported Mr. Bryan when
he was shouting tho silver cure, now
supports him with tho gold (brick)
cure. Does Mr. Gompers do your
thinking for you, nnd can ho supply
work If Mr. Bryan's remedies take
away your job?
PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT.
Tho workman wants progressive
government which will understand
and protect his Interests. It Is ad
mitted that tho Roosevelt adminis
tration has dono moro to protect tho
Interests of labor than any other
since tho Civil War. Tho President
cfivn Hint- Mr. Tnft fa nun nf tlin linat
friends of honest labor and lias
helped tho President In executing the
eight-hour law, In raising tho wages
of American workmen at Panama nnd
In promoting other Interests of or-1
gnulzcd labor. Is not President '
Roosovelt's opinion entitled to
wolght? Think It over beforo you
voto.
Nono know better than do the un
employed that i' very Democratic vote
Is against their getting jobs.
$500,000 TO $55,000
WAGERED AGAINST BRYAN
Uoyd's ExcliABfco, la London," Has
Accepted ''Commercial Hedges"
at Rates Corresponding to Uets
at Odds of Nino to One Eng
lishmen Confident That Taft
Will Re Elected "President by n
Large Majority.
Now York, October. Lloyd's Ex
change, London, which will glvo in
surance against anything from the
disaster of a ralhy day td tho oxtra
expense of twins, has accepted from
American business men risks against
the election of William Jennings
Bryan amounting to $500,000 in re
turn for premiums amounting to
about $55,000. While the writing of
the Insurnnco 13 .technically a busi
ness transaction it amounts virtually
In this case to a wager by tho famous
London exchange against Bryan at
odds of nine to one.
In taking such a risk, or making
such n bet, Lloyd's has not acted In a
wildly hazardous manner. It has
based Its transactions upon a most
careful Investigation of the sentiment
among American voters, and has re
ceived reports from confidential
agents and astute politicians concern-
Copyright,
Ing the situation In every Stato In the
Union. With those facts as a basis
it has worked out a rate of Insurance
upon the loss llablo to be occasioned
American business men by the selec
tion of Bryan as President and upon
his chances of election. The chances
of Bryan's success, however, seems so
small to Lloyd's agents that tho rate
has been extremely low.
Insuring Taft's Life.
In addition Lloyd's has been writ
ing insurance policies on Taft's life.
In view of the two slight accidents to
the railroad train on which Taft is
making his tour of the Southern
States In the campaign, various busi-
nncn tnoil .iinflHonf thof Tnft will lio '
elected President, unless death by
sickness or accident prevents, have
taken precaution against loss llablo
In such nn event by Insuring the Re
publican candidate's life. Tho men
who havo bought Insurance . either
against Brynn's election or Taft's
death are not gamblers, but keen
judges of tho future nnd skilled In
the art of anticipating contingencies.
Tho majority of business men feel
confident that If Taft Is elected busi
ness will receive a great stimulus be
cause of the confidence that generally
is reposed in tho Republican admin
istration, and in the actions of a man
of Judge Taft's temperament. Rely
ing upon the certainty of his election,
they have made investments in bonds
and stocks which, after tho election,
will Jump In price. If Bryan Is elect
ed prices of those stocks will fall and
they would lose money. Manufac
turers, for example, bellovo that If
Taft Is elected they will receive big
orders. They are going ahead with
their mills in full operation, turning
out goods on such an expectation. If
Bryan Is elected tho prices will drop
because there will bo no demand and
they stand to lose" a- large amount of
money.
THE RICH PAY THE TARIFF,
SAYS ARTHUR j. DODGE.
It Is quite likely that wo could do
without ninety per cent, of our Im
portations that Is, wo could got
just as good or better things made
in this country If a certain class of
our peoplo did not prefor Imported
stuff. Tho claim then of Mr. Dodge
thnt nearly all our Importations
should bo classed as "luxuries," and
that tho duties aro paid by the rich
and well-to-do Is well sustained, and
as a certain amount of customs rev
enuo Is necessary to bo added to tho
Internal rcvenuo to meet tho ex
penses of tho Government, It is well
that tho wealthy class should pay it,
and this they do almost wholly.
This fnct should bo well under
stood at tho outset of tho framing of
a new tariff law which Is to glvo ado
quato protection to American labor
and Industries. Wo should not only
protect our own people, but wo should
lay such duties that If tho wealthy
profor tho forolgn-mado articles and
an lndeflnlto amount of "luxuries,"
they should pay tho plpor. That Is
tho Republican and tho Protectionist
way of making a tariff law, and that
will bo tho way tho next law Is mado
If Tnft, nnd Sherman are elected and
a Republican Houso of Ropresoutn-tlvea.
LABOR LEADERS -ASSAjLGOMPERS
Resent His Attempt to "De
liver" Their Vote.
HIGH A. EL. OFFICIALS
First' and Sixth Vice-Presidents of
the Organization Criticise Their
Chief For Promise to Hand Over
Vote to llryan -Gompcrs' Ap
peal Thrown Under Table.
lngton was to arrange with Mr. Gom
pers for perfect co-operation between
the organization under him and the
organization at my disposal." That
is what Chairman Mack of tho Demo
, cratlc Committee said In August. Ho
Trie NEBKASKhN LAOCOON' ( 1
1903, by The New York Times Company.
had arranged with Mr. Gompcrs to
deliver the labor vote.
But Mr. Gompers has found It
harder to perform than It was. to
promise. His activity In tho Interests
of Bryan, and his calm assumption
that "the organization under him"
"his men would vote as ho tells It
to, have created dissension In the
ranks of labor.
Dissension Rcgins Early.
This dissension began to show It
self almost Immediately after Mr.
Mack and Mr. Gompcrs had reached
an agreement about "their" organ
izations. The first protest came
from the Western Federation of
Miners. That Federation sent to all
labor unions a circular protesting
against Mr. Gompers' plan to "de
liver their votes.
"Gompers has heard," the circular
said, the censuro that has como from
all' quarters, and Is up In arms to
rebel against tho Intimations that
havo been made by many who ques
tion the course ho has taken in an
attempt to swing tho labor vote to
the Democratic party. It Is appar
ent that Gompcrs has heard the rum.
bling Iu the ranks of organized labor.
and men who aro neither "renegades
nor outcasts In the movement havo
voiced their sentiments in no uncer-
tain terms in opposition to tho man
whose political declarations have
raised tho suspicion that the Amorl
can Federation of Labor is to be
made an annex of the Democratic
party in tho pending campaign."
Vice-President Duncan.
' Chief among thoso who object to
Mr. Gompers' assumption of power
to deliver the labor voto to Bryan,
are two high officials of tho Fedora-
tlon, one of them noxt in command
to Gompers himsolf. They aro James
Duncan, first vice-president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
Daniel J. Keefo, sixth vice-president
Vice-President Duncan, who Is
president of tho Granite Cutters
Union, says: "The labor movement
of our country is now, as "heretofore,
independent of pnrtles. Tho labor
movement admonishes each organized
worker to cast his yote on election
day In strict accordance with his con
science as to what would bo tho best
for tho whole people."
Vice-President Kecfe.
Vice-President Keefo, who Is a
member of tho Federations otecu
tivo council and president of tho
Longshoremen s Union, expressly re
pudiates Mr. Gompors bargain to
"deliver" tho labor vote, nnd says
"Tho American Federation of Labor
is not committed to nny political
party, nor has any candidato for
President been indorsed by tho ex
ecutive council. Personally, I am
going to voto for William II. Taft
becauso as Secretary of War ho did
moro to enforce laws in favor of or
ganized lnbor than any of his prede
cessors." Even Gnmpora' own union that
of tho Cigar Makors from which ho
used to hold a worklngman's card,
beforo there was an "organization
undor him," has condemnod his
nromlso to "deliver" tho union voto,
Mr. Gompors "has undoubtedly suc
ceeded admirably In 0110 thing. Ho
has affronted tho conservative mem
hers of trades unions, who bellovo
that each has a right to voto for him-
self, and that coercion of any kind
must not b9 exercised to Influence
any man's voto.
Resolution UmJer Table.
This1 attitude was well demonstrat
ed by the Hotel and Restaurant Mon'a
Union, when It substituted a motion
to table Gompers' appeal, for money
for Bryali, with a contemptuous re
solution to "throw It under, tho
table." Which was done".
The New York district organiza
tion of machinists, 15,000 strong, has
also assailed tho Gompers "delivery"
plan.
James R. Ryan, delegate to tho
New York Central Federated Union
from the Photo Engravers' Union,
No. 1, P. E. U., though a close friend
o.f Gompcrs, says: "I bollcve that In
advocating tho support of Bryan,
Gompcrs has abandoned the first
principles of tho Federation." Mr.
Ryan declares that his union will
not contribute one dollar to the, Gom
pers fund.
Three Union Presidents For Tnft.
T. L. Lewis, president of the United
Mine Workers of America, takes di
rect issue with Mr. Gompers 011 tho
question of commanding the union
labor men to vote for Bryan. Presi
dent Lewis, in a circular to members
of his union, says: "Tho United Mlno
Workers did not elect me interna
tional president to Infiucnco your
political- preferences, or how you
should cast your vote on election dayv
f rom wnai 1 Know 01 our memucrs,
you are fully competent to decide for
yourselves how you will vote on elec
tion day." 1
James L. Feeney. president of tho
Elevator Constructors' National Un
ion, has declared' for Taft.
T. J. Dolan, president of the Steam
Shovelers' Union, has also declared
for Mr. Taft.
Printers' President Protests.
Norman E. McPhall, president of
the Typographical Union, says: "Tho
vote of organized labor will not and
cannot bo delivered to any one party '
by any one man or set of men."
R. L. Finney, ono of tho organiz
ers of the Amorlcan Federation of
Labor: "In endorsing Mr. Taft's can
didacy for the Presidency I wish to
be understood as believing that Mr.
Gompers Is sincere in his support of
Mr. Bryan. I also believe "that ho
has made the greatest mistake of Ills
life."
Union labor all over the country
resents bitterly tho attempt of ono
man to destroy the principles of tho
organization, hnzarding its existence
as that of the Knights of Labor
was first hazarded and then ruined
by forcing It Into politics.
Organized labor men can be trust
ed to deliver their own votes.
POLITICAL LEAGUES.
Prominent business men of all
sections of New York State have or
ganized and had incorporated at Al
bany tho Taft League of the Stato
of New York. Tho object of tho
league, as stated In Kb article of In
corporation, Is to "promote the can
didacy of. William II. Taft for Presi
dent." This is tho latest New York
league.
This Is the year for Independent
political leagues In Now York. They
are as thick as hops all over tho
State. There Is tho PerSonal Liberty
League and tho Acorn League, tho
Hotel Men's Political League, tho
Business Men's Republican Club of
New York City, Hearst's Independ
ence League, tho Socialist Labor Lea
gue, the Suffragette League, and, Mr.
Nathan Strau3 says, the Bryan and
Kern Business Men's League. There
has been great doubt about thlB last
named organization, but aB Mr.
Straus has mnde a net scheme of it,
the benefit of the doubt is duly accorded-
to him. Most of these organ
izations havo no connection with tho
regular Stato or county organizations.
LABOR NUGGETS.
Bryan wants to destroy the
tariff protection ot American
workmen. Isn't there competi
tion enough for work now? Vole
for Taft and good times.
Do you want an Injunction
against a Job ? Vote for Bryan.
For a real Job vote for Taft.
Bryan Is an orator. Oratory
factories employ no hands. It
you want a Job vote for Taft.
If you must vole for Bryan,
keep your wealth and do it in
1912. This year try Taft.
Honest capital wantsTaf (elected
to restore confidence and help
on good times. Isn't that what
you want, too ? Think it over.
The issues of the national cam
paign which particularly affect
labor are these t
1. Good times and general
employment at good wages.
2. The protection of wage
earners Irom reduction of wages.
3. The continuance of a pro
gressive government at the Na
tional Capital which will recog
nize the rights and Interests of
labor in legislation and adminis
tration. Tho wnGC-enrners would benefit
most by tho election ot Judgo Taft;
they would Buffer most from a chaos
of Democracy.
Tho olive crop la said to bo Bhort.
Tho chief demaud In this market will
ho for olive branches after vthls caia
pnlcu Is over.
t