Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-21
VOORHEES, AND THE VETERANS.

VOORHEES, mi THE VETERANS.
Senator Voorhees, of Indiana. in com
mon with several other democrats of
more or less prominence in their party,
has been seriously Investigating the
causes of the republican landslide two
weeks age, and he has concluded that
mons them not the least influential
was the unfriendly policy of the adj
ministration in regard to pensions. The
Indiana senator did not have to go out
side OF his own state to learn this.
Indiana gave tens of thousands of her
sons to the union armies, and no state
furnished Drawer or more loyal soldiers.
They made a record for splendid courage
on every great battle field of the war and
those who survive are justly proud OF it,
as are all in whose veins runs the blood
of the heroes who met death in battle.
These people believe that they are en-
titled to the friendly interest of the ma
ton. They will not contend that every
man on the pension rolls is honestly
there, but they will insist that any who
may be suspected of not being there
honestly shall have a fair investigation
before being adiudged guilty. and that
punishment shall follow instead of pre-
ceding the. ascertainment of guilt. They
demand that the veteran union soldier
shall have at least as fair a chance to
defend himself against the charge of
fraud as has the man who is charged
with burglary, arson, or any other
crime, and that he shall be held to be in
nocent until proven guilty. What is
true of the old soldiers of Indiana is
equally true of those of Massachusetts,,
Ohio, Iowa and every other state. They
resent, as they ought to do, the asper-
sions cast upon them by a hostile admin
istration, and Senator Voorhees,, Rep
resentatlve Holman, Senator Brice Of
Ohio and other democrats are right in
the conclusion that their party suffered
in the late elections by reasons of its
unjust and unpatriotic policy regarding
pensions.
1t is said that Mr.. Voorhees, contem-
plates making a speech in the senate,
soon after the beginning of the regular
session, in which he will espouse
the cause of the veterans and
sharply arraign and criticise Sec
rotary Hoke Smith and Com
missioner Lochren OF account of
their unfriendly action and hostile atti-
tude toward pensioners and applicants
for pensions. According to report it
is expected that the Indiana senator will
create something of a sensation by this
speech, for it is said that he does not in
tend to mince words but will put his
denunciation Of the administrations
pension policy into the strongest
language he can command, and Mr..
Voorhees, is we'll known to have q very
comprehensive vocabulary. He has two
incentives to this, one political and the
other more or less personal. He
knows that Indiana will be a
sure republican state during the
continuance of the present administra-
ton unless the policy regarding PEN
sions is modified and made fair and just.
This would be disastrous to his political
future. The personal consideration is
said to be a dislike Of Secretary Hoke
Smith, but this probably has little
weight with the senator.
A speech by Daniel w. Voorhees,, ad-
vocating the cause of the union veterans
against the unfriendly policy of the
democratic administration, could not
fail to be interesting. 1t would be nota-
BILE as a remarkable example of con-
version from prejudice, for the Indiana
senator has. never until now, SO
far as remembered, manifested the
least friendly concern for the
veterans. If he has ever said a kindly
word in their behalf, in congress or out
of it, the fact has been forgotten. There
is an ancient Observation-Disclosures of the
Greeks bringing gifts" 1t may not be
applicable in this case, but of that the
veterans will be better able to Judge
when they have read the speech which
it is announced Senator Voorhees, will
make.