The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-18

came uown 20 Indiana to greet the psoplo VINO
are coing to help send Ben Harrison to the
White House. [Great chesrinsl came from
q State that says tn Indiana, Michigan is all
right lcheersl, aud say 10 the people of Iu-
diana II you want TO defeat the enemy, follow
the great leader, James e. Blaine Icheersl, and
like him, throw hot shot and she'll, and not
blank cartridges, into the ranks Of the enemy.
Great cheering. Now. what is the use OF try
ing to make a speech here? have talked to ten
or nfteen acres at g time. but l never under
and cheers. / would like to know now
many people there are in the State OF
Indiana that have not seen. ILaughter.1
understand that you claim about two and half
millions, but have been here only two days be-
fore to-day, and know have seen million.
Laughter l have not had any sleep; they
blow their tin horns and play their bands. and
sing out 'He's all right ana everybody shouts
Ben Harrison [Cheers. You are beyond
speech-making. All you want s TO get together
That's what / told you there you 20 again.
tCoatinued cheering.
Regarding the great question of the day, L
Will give you q little personal experience. l
visited Europe some time since and spent
little time in France and Germany, but finding
could learn nothing regarding the condition Of
tie workincmen there, as could not speak
word of their language, decided to go 20 England
and afsertain a. far a. possible the condition OF
the workinemen there, as compared with the
one Of their large iron manufacturing establish
mcpts aud received permission of the foreman TO
examine thsir machinery and talk to the men.
The first man met was hard at work told him
was an American, and that had permission 70
talk to him. | inquired how much his wages
were; he told me two pounds and soma shilipgs,
or about Sll mouth. DO you board yourself
said, and he said he did. Have vou familyF
l said, and he said he had. Well said /, how
or earth do you livef We'll said he, my wife
"a akao in q I,t Fsha st and
she does sewing when she gets it, and with ell
the work We do we manare to live, because OF
course We have to live Then l asked him how
much his flour cost him, and he told tho
amount he paid for a small sack Of -four. / fg-
used l, up, and it made ST. bushel He said
his meat was American meat and OF course he
had TO pay for transportation. When / came
back to this country Investigated the subject
hers. Taking my own exDeriencs and official
tables found that In lO2 different industries
the average wages recsived by English work
men was 81 per cent Of the average wages paid
American workmen.
'sI want to say a few words about pensions,
because l am surrounded by old soldiers who
carried the flag through the fire and smoke OF
battle, and preserved it to this great Nation.
lCnsers.l The President of the Upited States
elaine tn be the friend of the soldier claim
that he Is not. / will not critcise him for not
bsing In sympathy with the soldiers. for he
never q soldier and knows nothing about
sodery. He has vetoed more than two hundred
pension bills. According 20 the pension law, q
man Is entitled to a pension If he resolves
disability, Ia action or In the line OF service,
and upon proof the Commissioners Of Pensions
will allow him q pension. Sometimes man
cannOt make the technical legal proof required.
Soldiers write to me by hundreds, saying: Il am
sn old man. | am an invalid: / am poor, l
haven't thing to feed myself or my family;
am In distress / am unable TO do any work,
srd can't you help mel write to one and say
TO him. Make out your case and send it to your
member of Congress- After . little time he
makes out his cass and sends 1t with the
surgeons certificate In due time a pension Is
allowed him; the bill GOES TO the President OF
the United States. and he says, Il cannot eiEu
this bill; IL has been presented to the Commis-
sionsr OF Pensions and rejected or course.
there would not have been any bill before Con-
gress if the Commissioner under the law, could
allow il saw al old soldier IN Michigan q week
ego. When he WAS introduced to me he stood
erect as any man: he was clean sbaven and his
blne blouse was clean but warm. ! said TO him,
What what's tn. .Ts matter with youf He said, am
livingr 1 said. Everything we have
IN our house, he said, is earned by my wife
over the washboard' Said /. 'Why don't you
apply for pensionF 'Wei,' he said, Il served
three years, and / sent my case 20 our member
~ Coneress and cot the pension allowed: it went
'ys Grnssr Cleveland and he vetoed it. tell
you boiled all over from the crown Of my head
70 the tips OF my toes. and wished had Grover
Cleveland there TO turn the crowd loose on
him. think they would have given him their
opinion of him. fGreas cheeringl The poor
fellow eat there shuddering in the chill October
air. said, why don't you put or your over
eoatP ] haven't had an overcoat for six years,
he said. Well. he got the overcoat anyhow.
fCheers.1 ! said to him that Ce would
help him through the winter and
IS there Ia God N heaven,
on the 4th Of March next We will have Pres-
dent Who, when your pension bill is sent to him,
will sign II. lGre:. and proioneed cheering
| was at Utica, y. Y, short time ago, and
was making little talk-I never make a speech
where there were twenty seven men belong ging
to one @. A. r. post Said one of them, 'rwen-
ty OF Us voted for Grover Cleveland four years
ago but tweuty-six OF US have resolved TO vote
for Harrison [Cheers While he was talk
ing No. 81 came up aud said. well. guess I'll
join you and vote for Harrison lCheers. 1
asked him why he bad voted for Cleveland; be
eaid he had made fair promises, but IL God for
gives me for what did said he. I'm never sin
again said: Your petition shall be forward
ed this minute Laughter and cheers I do
not want to appeal 70 your prejudices, but you
soldiers who are vet living owe IL to the wives
and chi.dreus Of those who fell around you in
battle or were stricken by disease, to stand to-
gather and vote as you thought aud "a you
fought in 6l." [Great cheering and cries Of
"Weil done.'
Following General Alger, Gen. Adam King,
of Baltimore was introduced as . Southerner
and Union soldier, and the audience gave him
three hearty cheers at the outset He proved
himself ready and efficient orator
and had the crowd thoroughly interested
in an eloquent defense of tho protective
system, when Mr.. Blaine appeared at the left
hand entrance to the stage, and General King
ending his speech with the remark, Here
comes n nigh private in the Harrison army in
troduced Mr.. Blaine to the audience. The
scene which followed WAS remarkable one.
Cheer after cheer was given, and when at length
the general applause ended there still
enough Of noise on the outskirts to drown an
ordinary speakers voice Chairman Thomp-
son. who has remarkably good one. tried TO
secure quiet, but failed. and when Mr.. Blaine
came forward there was still too much confusion
to enable him to be distinctly heard. He was
evidently suffering from his illness, tut stood
smiling at his demonstrAtive audience until be
apparently realized the impossibility Of making
himself understood, and retired, those in the
tabernacle. and on the outside cheering him az
he returned to his train. Colonel Thompson
explained that the condition of Mr.. Bislns's
throat would not permit him to make speech,
and introduced Gen. A. z. Hovey, who got q
hearty welcome. General Hovey said:
Ladies' and Gentlemen, and Comradss-Like
the illusteious gentleman who has preceded me
james G. Biaine-I have almost lost my voice.
| have beer speaking not 10 thousands bot "a
acres OF men; but il had Gabrels trumpet to-
day couldn't blow 1t loud enough to be heard
at the limits OF this vast audience: hut wan,
to talk to my comrades around me in regard tc
pension legislation, ard tell them what
| believe are their rights
believe in the Washingtonian pension as urged
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