Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-21
HOW ONO WAS CARRIED.
Prosfitufing the Pension Bureau TO Party
Use-What the Hon. Carl schurZ Saw.

New 1Ork Iimes.i
The Hon. Carl Schurz reached his home.
in this city, yesterday morning. after de-
livering six speeches on bis way from Ohio,
and he will start of again this morning to
continue his work on the stump for the
election OF Cleveland and Hendricks.
SPEAK ing Of the result Of the Ohio election
OF last week and the methods by which 1t
was secured. Mr.. Schurz said yesterday
lone OF the most effective contrivances
on the Republican side, and one upon
which, in my opinion, the result OF the
election largely depended. WAS the activity
Of the agents Of the Pension Bureau in
Washington, Of whom it is said that they
were getting under the immediate direction
Of Dir. Dudley. The Commissioner OF Pen
sions. Nv attention was first called 10 this
matter Just one week before the election.
was in Sandusky when an acquaintance
Of mine. who lived in a village near by.
told me that he had discovered among his
neigh bors the day before two men who had
previously announced their intention OF
voting the Democratic ticket, but who had
suddenly turned completely around, and
were going 10 vote on the Republican side.
On inquiring into the causes OF this sudden
political conversion, my friend found that
these two men bad claimants for pensions in
their families and that these claimants had
been approached by agents OF the Pension
Bureau, who told then that IL they and their
friends would vote the Republican ticket
their claims for pensions would be adj
yaRced on the list and would soon be adj
justed. The pension claimants were thus
prevailed on 10 change their political atti-
tude. and they used their influence with
HI. e.. ri. Ia xUtf offo
in favor OF the Republican ticket. That
was the system put In force by the Pension
Bureau to secure Republican votes in
Ohio
"Did any evidence Of their work in this
direction come under your own obscrga-
tiony" the reporter asked.
"As soor as my attention was called to
the matter. which was a week ago las;
Tuesday, made it point 10 inquire at
every place which visited whether SINH
lar kind OF political work was going on
there, and 1 found that It was. A friend
told me that from among bis immediate ac-
qusintances he knew OF six votes that had
been changed by the pension agents in one
day. Whether this was going Oh all over
the State | cannot, OF course, say from
personal observation. but the probability IL
that II was; ard a. Ohio is full OF pension
claimants, ii is not unlikely that seve-
raj thousand votes were changed in this
way, perhaps enough. or more than enough,
TO account for the entire Republican plurall-
ty. ] regard this as one Of tue most in
sidious and most effective OF the means em-
plcyed TO drive up Republican votes. esDe-
ciaily rs the agents OF the Pension Bureau
bad the Official list OF all claimants at their
disposal, with their addresses, which placed
in their hands every facility for approach
ing them personally. IL was. OF course, q
most outrageous abuse OF official power. aud
hope that Congress will make il business
10 inquire into u next winter. Witnesses
enough can be found among pension-claim-
ants in Ohio 10 establish the truth OF the
facts which have stated"
''Did You refer TO this matter In your
Ohio speeches ?"
81 referred TO II several times after Il
came to my knowledge, and each time | OBJ
served several OF the men among my au.
dience nodding their heads approyingly, as
much Us TO say that what / stated was true
according to their own experience, and on
one or two occasions EXPLANATIONS 10 that
effect were made"
"Do You know OF any other improper
means that were used TO secure votes yo
81 cannot remember In all nv experience
TO have ever heard so much Of the efforts OF
employers OF labor aud large manufactu.
rers to dIagoon their worklngmen into
voting as they dictated as heard during
my Ohio tour. In some places the work.
ingmen made loud complaints about this
attempt TO interfere with their rights as cltI.
zens. but business being generally bad and
the workipgmen being in q somewhat an
prehensiye state OF mind they were easily in.
tiueneed. heard great deal, too, especial.
ly during the last days Of the campaign.
Of the direct employment Of money 10 Sc.
cure Republican votes, and OF the effects
produced by IL; but Of course all such IN.
formation as that would come to me In a
more or less vague way. aud I am anxious
IN make no charges which cannot be fuIlv
sustained. The crying shame Of the can.
paien was the use made OF the Pension Blu.
reau, and that should be vet before the
American people In the strongest colovs.
When bureau OF the National Govern.
ment q used 10 carry a state election the