Omaha daily bee., 1893-09-02
TO QUIET THE VETERANS
Pension Policy of the Cleveland Admins
tration Temporarily Suspended.
CAUSE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ACTION
Anxious to Avoid Criticism Proposed by
the National Grand Army Encampment
Next week-Probable Course of the
Department In the Future.
WASHINGTON BUREAU OF THE BEB,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,

lutE6 was HuCu COHlillcuJ uduc az buc
capitol today upon Commissioner Lochren's
pension order of yesterday 1t was regarded
by all friends of the veterans rs hedge
against anticipated action at the Grand
Army Of the Republic national encampmcnt
in Indianapolis next week. as it had been
known for some time by Secretary Hoke
Smith, Pension Commissioner Lochren and
President Cleveland that the veterans were
preparing to literally skin the pension policy
of this administration during their epcamp-
ment proceedings next week. The order of
yesterday is not regarded as 'modifica-
tlonn of tho order of some months ago,
whereby pensioners were being dropped by
the thousand from the rolls upon mere
suspicious and then given sixty days in which
to prove that their names should be restored
to the rolls.
The order of yesterday is regarded as
simple reversal of the original order,
humiliation of that action and an acknowl-
edgement that it was wrong, as every
friend of pensions knew it to be. Now
notice of sixty days is TO be given of sus-
pected fraud before the pensioner is
dropped, but it is stated that after the en-
campment next week the practical effect of
the first order will be given the one of yes
terday and the wholesale "notice of suspep-
sionsn will begin. In short, the modified
order is intended to simply throw the
veterans off their guard and allow the ad-
ministration of President Cleveland to
escape a terrible scoring at Indianapolis.
Temporary Humiliation.
For the present the commissioner of pen
sions, at the direction, first of the president
and then Secretary Smith, is willing to be
humiiated until after the encampment,
when the work of reducing pension ex-
| pensesn will be renewed. The modified
order will admit of that work without the
direct criticism that has been received
| lately The new order, it is hoped will
| avert threatened storm Of condemnation
! from congress, for it has been known for
| some time that as soon as the silver bill is
out of the way the friends of pensions intend
| to attempt to pass a joint resolution which
| would make it impossible to suspend a pen
| sion before full proof is produced that the
pension is drawn through fraud, and in the
| discussion the administration would come in
| for q fierce scoring.
| The third section of the order Of yesterday
| will afford ample range for the pension COM
| missioner to reduce" pension expenses" as
| under it he can cut off the pensions of all
| who are now being benefited by the law of
June, 1890, if it is found that they are re-
| ceiving more than they received under prior
| acts. The idea is to force the pensioner to
| accept the lowest amount possible under the
| law, after it is found that by no rule or prac-
| tlce he can be dropped from the rolls. 1t is
| not believed by those in congress who PASSED
| the law of 1890 that the veterans who will
| assemble at Indianapolis next week can be
| fooled, and that they will proceed with their
| program of condemning the antipension
| policy of this administration.
Distributing Patronage.
The nomination of Peter Couchman OF
| South Dakota to the Forest City Indian
agency in that state is said to have been
effected upon the recommendation of Sen
ator Kyle, populist. Senator Kyle's friends
here will now watch with more than ordi-
nary interest his votes upon certain meas
ures in which the president is interested to
see if this nomination was the result of an
understanding" whereby the South Dakota
populist is to reciprocate favors 1t is be-
lieveu TO be trade.
The nomination of John j. S. Hasslcr of
South Dakota to be receiver of public moneys
at Enid, Okl., will doubtless be met with
consdera BILE opposition in the senate. Cap
tam Hassler is now the chief clerk of the In
terror department, where he has made many
friends, but this is the second or third
| fragrant violation by President Cleveland Of
a prominent plank in the Chicago platform,
| the states and territories wherein they are
located. The republicans will oppose the
nomination with vigor and probably de-
| feat it.
The nomination of James A. Smith of
Mississippi to be agent for the Yankton In
| dians in South Dakota will be subject to the
same opposition, although not so violent.
For New Mission School
Senator Manderson is in receipt OF a bill
from the Presbyterian Board of Home Mis-
sons, by which it is proposed to have con
| gress consent to the ceSSlon by the Omaha
Indians of quarter section of land for a
mission school at new location, in lieu of
the lands at present occupied by the mission
for school purposes The bill contemplates
the cession of the following quarter section
Southwest quarter Of north half, and west
half of south half, and the northeast quarter
of south half of fractional section 30, town
ship 25 range s, seast. The measure Is ac
! companled by an agreement signed by the
councilmen of the Omahas and is approved
by Captain Beck of the Tenth cavalry, as
acting Indian agent The schoo! building il
to cost $4,000.
Many Congressman Pleased.
About the happlest men in congress art
those who were in doubt up to last Monda!
morning as To Just how they would vote Oh
the silver bill when N came up in the house
and the men who had many misgivings as Il
whether they ought to vote for an increased
! ratio and continuance OF silver purchases
, and who doubted considerably whether the!
ought to support the proposition TO reyiy
the Bland Allison act but at the critica
moment concluded to vote against al
amendments and for the repeal bill. Subse
! quent developments and clsse study Of tn
situation have convinced those who wer
forced to make up their minds at the las
moment and finally voted a straight ballo
that they were right.
IL was teSty moment fOr many men II
o the house when the roll was first called upo
the motion to adopt free coinage. A doze
men who had declared up to within an hou
of that time that they would support fire
coinage came over 10 the great majority an
: voted mo" A kind OF wave of scntimen
struck them and they could not resist il
d Many others who intended to support an in
G creased ratio weakened when their name
n were called, and instead of voting AYE
voted mo" They came TO the conclusio
l. that if we We're to have free coinage tn
= value of silver money would be fixed by tn
y; standard of our cOuntrys credit and not tn
value of the bullion in the coin, and there
fore it made no difference if the ratio was |
. TO / or 20 to |. Never did sentiment and pc
u sition change so rapidly. Never did the el
= ample set by one man SO affect the actions q
= another. Many members of the hous
3 blindly followed the leadership of those
u whom they trusted.
:, 1t has been many years since so full a vot
Il was recorded in the lower branch of col
. gress Every member Of the house but tw
- was present. and those two We're paired
"a Death had made three vacancies, so that u
but five seats were occupied.
The wires were working SO heavy on III
If afternoon of Monday and for twentyfou
"a hours thereafter that little communicate
- was had between Washington and the eoul
-