The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-01
They Fear the Rolls Have Been "Purged"
Too Freely and Are Now Busy ''Ex-
planning" in Campaign States.
SHANKLIN SPURNS OFFICE
But Friends Say He Would Accept
Senator Voorhees, Place.
Citizens National Bank of Muncie Given
Permission to Resume-Estimate
of the Postoffice Department.
special to the indianapolis Journal.

WASHINGTON, Oct I.-There are orac-
ular evidences of a desire upon the part of
the administration of President Cleveland
TO hedge on the pension reform" business.
The managers OF the Democratic campaigns
In the various States North and West
which will eliminate at the polls on next
Tuesday have reported to officials here that
the pension policy OF the administration,
as represented at the White House and in
Congress, is having a disastrous political
effect. The work of ''purging the pension
rolls had gone far, and Secretary Hoke
Smith had committed the President and his
party advisers SO fully to the extreme
measures being adopted, that halt could
not be called, and a change in the policy
could not be made in time TO have an in
fiuence at the polls. But other tactics have
been employed. Special examiners for the
Pension Bureau in the field are now flock
ing into the campaign States and exerting
themselves to explain the practice of drop
ping pensioners from the rolls upon hear
say evidence and untruthful reports One
OF these examiners has submitted the 'ex-
PLANTATION" to the Journal correspondent.
He says that there will not be permanent
ly dropped from the rolls more than 10000
pensioners; that the department is pro-
ceeding upon the old saw that lit is better
for ninety-nine innocent men to suffer than
for one guilty TO escape" He says that
it is not believed at the Interior Depart
ment or the Pension Office that there are
many fraudulent pensioners upon the rolls,
but that the few have brought the many
honest ones into disrepute, and that it is
the purpose TO purge the rolls of only the
) dishonest pensioners This special
aminer explains further that il out of five
suspended pensioners one can be perma-
4 nently dropped upon satisfactory evidence
! or deception or fraud, Secretary Smith will
be thoroughly satisfied with the work.
1t Is acknowledged in the Interior De-
partment, said the pension examiner,
that this work of purging the rolls is
bringing great unpopularlty upon the ad-
ministration. and that it will for the present
at least turn thousands of Democratic vot-
ers against the responsible party. The
methods more than the principle are con-
edge, TO drop pensioner from the rolls
upon mere suspicion that he has not OBJ
tanned his pension honestly, but there is
no other way, in the opinion Of the Secre-
tary or the Interior, TO get at the work.
Politicians have contended that it would be
better to drop no one from the rolls until
proof positive has been aScertained that
the pensioner is on the rolls through fraud.
They contend that man is never indicted,
and no one is ever convicted, upon such evil
dence as would not be entertained before q
court of justice To be frank, think that
is right myself. However the case of sus-
pended pensiOner may come out of the
charge lodged against him or her, the sus-
pension subjects the penSiOner TO loss and
expense and great trouble, beside the dis
grace which always attaches to one against
whom there is alleged any sort of crooked
ness. This is where L think Secretary
Smith made his mistake in directing that
lists of suspects should be prepared, upon
which pensions should be suspended pending
investigation. The fact that it is not be-
lieved that more than twenty thousand pen
sioners will be permanently dropped from
the rolls does not appear TO satisfy those
who clear their skirts of charges"
Senator Palmer. from the committee on
pensions, to-day reported to the Senate
bill for the repeal of the portion of the in
valid pension appropriation act of the pres
ent year which directs that no pensions
shall be paid 10 nonreSidents who are not
citizens of the United States except for
actual disabilities incurred in the service.
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee, has introduced
a bill authorizing the Secretary OF War TO
recognize all soldiers under the pension laws
as having been regularly in the United
States service who enlisted or volunteered
but were prevented from being regularly
mustered in.