Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-08-17
Distinctiuelv Bourbon.

lItt NIduti as are lHb Cduuluhltb' duu
it is also antagonistic to the old
soldiers, as was the Bourbon party in
Ohio in the old days. 1t goes to the
extreme in indorsing the administra-
ton, Hoke Smith and all, for 1t declares
unequivocally that there are fraudulent
pensions and that many Of the pen
sioners are frauds. AS soon as the
platform was adopted one Of the dele.
gates from Muskingum county, prom
inent Democrat In GAINESVILLE, pulled
off his badge and said he was a
Mckinley Democrat in this campaign
and further:
THAT pension plank will put every
old soldierin Ohio against the Demo
cratic ticket, and will defeat Mr..
Neal by $4,000 majority. 1t is the
worst feature in the platform, and IL
goes further even than President
Cleveland. Had this convention
quoted the president and declared that
the pension roll must be roll Of honor
every old soldier would have Endorsed
it; but when it goes to the extreme Of
declaring our belief that there are
frauds among our comrades, and that
the pension roll is today made roll Of
dishonor by the partisan decisions Of
the pension department, 1t goes too far.
never saw such blunder in Demo
cratic platform in Ohio, 1t is an in
suit, and will be resented as such.
at is not an Endorsement of the ad-
miuistration as represented by Pfesi-
dent Cleveland but an Endorsement Of
the man IIOke Smith, a rebel who mis-.
represents the Democratic party in his
attitude toward the Union veterans.
We Democrats Of Ohio have been
apologizing for Secretary Smiths pres
ence in the cabinet We have said
that he was not placed there to control
the pension department but for his
knowledge of other affairs in the in
terror department. We have told the
pensioners and old soldiers generally
that the president and Democratic
congress would protect them from this
Confederate secretary of the interior.
Now comes the Democratic party Of
Ohio in State convention sOlemnly
declaring that all Secretary Smith and
his southern sympathizers have said
about the Union veterans being tramps
aud bummers who are fraudulenty
drawing pensions is true.
~ commanded company from
Muskingum county, and 10 per cent Of
the men in that company voted the
Democratic ticket at the front. They
have voted il ever since. Many OF
them drew pensions, and they never
found any partisanship in tie way OF
their securing these pensions. We are
now asked to endorse u platform dc.
claIing ourselves frauds. tell you the
old soldiers of OHIO will not do II. This
ia a soldier State, and voters Of Ohio
have Away been peculiarly sensitive OF
this pension question. You will fiuC
how sensitive it Ia in November wher
the votes are counted.
IL came here AZ a Democrat, but
go home opposed to the Democrat,
ticket because | cannot endorse tn,
platform made today. shall vote 70
for Mckinley because am an OLD
soldier and do not carry my Democ
racy 80 far as to endorse the SANDER
of the men l found it necessary t
fight against. tell YOU Neal will b.
defeated by 10000 majority"
The gentleman gently folded up hi
delegate badge, hand it to one Of tn
Democratic committeeman, and walked
away. The Democracy is gettinl
ready for the most overwhelming de
feat ever suffered by any party both il
this falls elections and in 1896.