Telegram-herald., 1888-09-16

Adass.ss5 - res. u . Fsro - Csz-
raas ~ tks a. A a.

of July Asi / .rots vsu a. rsfefenos u
Df Wm r Page. wko hsd es<B disehsFssd
from las sisE u Spscial Psasssn Ersm-
insr, IN oosssqaeoes Of representations
made ~ y0u q TIE Cons issssnsr os Pen.
sions that ss had nssn doing political
-ork here n Gnaad Rapids against youf-
s.lf snd Othsr Democratic candidates ]
slstsa IN tksG isstss mai whoever had given
you the iuf0rmKlion upon which 70 bass
such charges hsa done you as veil a. Dr.
Page az injustice. aud ssfed you IN the a
teresl OF lslrnsss. ss veil as Jusllcs - your
self aud hiu, .sd as Que vie had given
you my hearty support. two and t0sr years
ago, to ask the Commissioner Of PeDuOas
To rsinst.ts him. a. from your representa-
tions. he had bsea placed ~ false Ia sht
before the Dspartment-haviug been Ac-
cued by General Black OF bstr.ylng tie
conhdsncs tie had rep0sed IN aim
which | was conddent was net the case.
As you informed DR.. Page that you re
| csived your information fTos q Democrat.
holdlng an oficial position in Grand
Rapids. l very naturally supposed that IL
was /. N. Weston, until you informed me
in your letter Of July p that IL was not he.
| but dyed The wool Green hacker" bat
| refusing at the same time 10 take steps 10
| have the man reinststed aud set right with
| the department i have taken Some little
pains, since then. to inquire into the mat
| ter. and tihd no one here whe las the cour-
| sKo TO say that be knew OF DR.. Pages TAX
ing any part whatever in the discussion of
| politics while here. On the other hand,
| those who came in coutsct with him in a
business way. accord him the credit Of being
nn honest, efficient and console . tious
worker in the noble cause in which he was
| engaged. n. having performed the duties
| assigned him thoroughly, and giving no
reason 10 any one 81 suspect that be was not
| wholly in sympathy with the Com missioner
| OF Pensions
| intimated in my letter to you that you
| could not ignore the soldiers vote of the
| Fifth distrc. this Fall knowing that the
veto of the President of the Pension bill,
drafted ana recommended by a committee
| of the Grand Army, would enter more Or
less into the discussions. and that you
would be called upon to defend his sc ton,
| and for you, who was a member OF the
Grand Army, to so far forget your obligation.
| 80 tar depart from the spirit of civil service
reform Inauguraied by General Black, as to
| ask to have q comrade removed because he
might differ with you politically. was n
thing l could not believe you would do
when the facts were made known TO you.
Since l wrote you, you have received let
tiers from various persons here. from Dem O.
Gratis whose testimony you could not
doubt" reputing the reports You claimed 10
have heard regarding Dr. Page, and have
had ample opportunity TO do the man JUS
tice, but have not done So
What are We left TO conclude from thisi
al 80.
tion upon which to base your charges, or
that the parties giving the inform alton
knew that 1t was false. and dare not stand
by II. In order that you may have a fair
opportunity 10 set Yourself right before the
soldiers of the Fifth District. | send you
this open letter. A comrade has been
wronged, it is the duty of every other com
rade 10 see that he is righted or for you to
Justify yourself before the public.
Let us look at the history of the party
most concerned in this matter.
] William K. Page was born in Nacoupin
county, Illinois, August. 1s45; enlisted in
Co. +. l33 Illinois Volunteer Infantry st
the age OF Is. and was honorsbly discharged
therefrom, as he has the papers to snow;
after the war he studied medicine first in
his own county and afterwards at Ann
Arbor, in our State, and In the Winter of
1868 graduated NJ Rush Medical
College, Chicago, in the class with
DR.. Griswold. of our city; entered
the Marine Hospital service at Ssndusky,
Ohio, as Assistant Surgeon November g.
1888; Secretary OF the United States Pension
Examining Board afterwards. and contin-
ued 10 act as such until he received MS
appointment, after q competitive eIamins-
ton under civil service rules, 10 a position
in the Pension Bureau at washington.
receiving his permanent appointment March
% 1885, signed by L. q. {. Lamar, Secretary
OF the Interior; twice promoted for meritor-
ious service in the Department aud Febru-
ary 2 SSS. commissioned as Special Exam
ner and ordered TO Grand Rapids for duty,
in Kent, Aecosts, hontcalm, Newaygo ana
other counties; worked faithfully. psrfor med
every duty assigned him without fear or
favor. and by reason Of his faithful work
several comrades, or their widows and
orphans have already received pensions, and
no doubt many others would. had you not
found 1t necessary TO ask his removal. Do
| you not think, upon mature reflection. that
| you even did General Black an injustice by
| interfering with his noble work oi securing
pensions to our disabled comrades2
The party to which you claim allegiance
nave accused the Republicans of making
the Pension Bureau q political MACHINE,
in some of the states If not in Michigan
and General Black. With the advice, no
doubt. OF President Cleveland, has insug
urated new order of things In this State
by appointing non-partissn examining
boards, and. 20 far as know, it has re-
bounded TO their credit. Look at our own
board-esch OF the three parties represented
and every one satisfied Then why should
You IND II necessary 10 interiors with
man sent here By the Department. II was
not Of bis choosing. he knew nothing Of
your political situstion-be assured II he
bad he vould have asked TO be excused
from duty, whore comrades at lesst would
have shown him no direspect and where
be could have continued TO support bis
family and . widowed sister and mother.
without beng made the victim OF over
zesl0us political sspirsDt.. and where
comrades could not 30 far forget their
solemn promise to stand by those VINO
stood BY them in the hour Of
danger" ss to take s-sy bis means Of sop
port without even hearing, and dsprVe
their deserving comrades. their deserving
widows and orphans Of their just dues Oar
bond Of fellowship Knows 10 race. color OF
religion. no political creed. and that IL Just
ss & should Be. n h.s always been ny en-
dssvor to keep political and religious dis
cussions from our order. and il 10 ner q
msfter Of sincere regret tbst I an compelled
in justics 70 my comrades every vhsrs. 20
oppo>. yoor rs-electiOs I DO 20 With no
other thar IN. most friendly feeling toward
you personally ~s have sl-svs been frisnds
and ] have never spoken word of Toa
slsresF>ctfully 70 any ore. but as csnpot
give yeu nv support shils beiisve Dr.
| Page a resting under se charges tor
vsice vou sr- in The ma rssponssis.
address yoa this lsstsr.
Years rssp@cffuliv.
Gro. Geek.