Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-10-27
SHAMEFUL TRICK RY
HokE SMITHS EFFORT ToHoop.
WINK VETERANS.
Frantic Appeal to tho SON of . ncbel to
Save tho Party-Urged to Revoke the
Order TN After tho q. A. Il. Encanp-
mem.
Hokc's Sly Way.

q IactS regarding The Issuance OF
the modified" pension order orc be-
ginning to crop out. 1t will be iemem-
bered that Commissioner Lcchren
llourishcd tho announcement that he
had been directed by Hoke Smith to
change tho practices Of the bureau SO
that hereafter there would be no sus-
pensions of pensions, except in cases
where the record showed on its face
that the soldier was not entitled to any
pension whatever. In making this an
ncunc mcnt Mr.. Loc!rcn sad: "The
Sec. etary has for somo time questioned
tho fairness of the old practice OF the
Pension Bureau, which suspended pen
sicns during inquiry US to the right of
"a pension and to tho pension rate hc
was receiving. At his request the
whole matter. has boon carefully con-
sidered, and tho prescnt order modify
ing that practice, SO ns not t. suspend
in doubtful cases, has boon agreed to
us more equitable"
1t is we'll lor Mr.. Lochren that no
did not so into details and give tho
real rcascns for the alleged change,
hoodwink tho old soldiers and ut tho
same time save tho Democratic party
from losing many votes. The real
cause for Issuing tho "mOdi6ed order,"
as learned by tho Washington CORE
spondcnt OF. the Indianapolis Journal
from authority that cannot be Quos-
toned is a follows: Tho leaders of
the Democratic party in Indiana be-
came frightened at tho vigorous com
plants OF veterans who had been rob
boil OF their pensions under the sus-
pension PROCESS. Tho complaints were
sent to Democrats headquarters at In
%dianapo1is by county cliuirmen. Thoy
said many old soldiers who had hitli-
erto voted the Democratic ticket were
now deMoHncing tho Cleveland adminis-
trarion and Hoke Smith, tho son of u
Georgia rebel, in particular. They APP
pcaled to tle State central committee
to do somcshing before tho G. A. II.
enoampment, stating that sentiment
against the Democratic party was
growing so strong they feared it would
crystalline into q revolt when the veter-
n got together und compared
notes. Thomas Taggart was not
slow to see the point. Joseph Riley,
Secretary of the State Committee, was
instructed to write u letter to Secre-
tary Holso Smith, pointing out tho
peril to the party if something was not
done to allay the anger of tho pension
er9 before the encampment met. Tho
deter stated that, whilo tho commit
tee was in sympathy with the Glove
Sland-Hoke Smith policy of cutting down
the pension roll, there ought to be u
'letrnp for u few weeks, or tho Demo.
cratic party in Indiana would be over-
1astingly beaten at tho next election.
It was intimated that tho ordor might
be temporarily suspended. Tho letter
was signed by both Secretary Riley
and Chairman Taggart. Whom Hoke
Smith received it no summoned Rep.
'resentative Martin. of Indiana, Chair
manof tho House Committee on Invalid
Pensions, and together they discussed
the matter. As % result of the confer-
erAce, Mr.. Martin telegraphed Mr.. Tag
garf before tho "noliled" order was
issu4d that the suspension rule would
be (revokcd. AS previously stated
by tthe Journal correspondent, Lcch-
re9ts latest order was intended for
indianapolis consumption, and now
that tine encampment is over tho old
Practice will be virtually restored.
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