The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-22
SMITHS PENSION RULINGS.

Eject They Are Having the Veterans
Tn. Secretary Ignores q Challenge.
Washington Letterin Pittsburg Dispatch.
It's cropping out that the Grand Army
of the Republic lis receiving the rulings of
Secretary HOke Smith, which are intended
to curtsil pensions. with feelings OF lndig-
nation not unmiXed with pleasure. One
of the leading local lights of the orgapiza-
ton said to the correspondent of the Dis.
patch to-day.
Nothing could have happened that
could have soliditied the u. A. K. In support
of the Republican party more than the
rulings of Secretary Smith. His attempt
to erase pensioners for total disability
from the role. on account of their inability
to prove total disability. will fall fat. The
suspensions so far are without authority.
and within the sixty days allotted for the
production of proof. although the time is
short, l Will venture to predict that nearly
every one of the suspended persons will be
able to furnish proof that they are entitled
to all they have been receiving.
I'VE have challenged Secretary Smith TO
take from the rolls Unfortunately two
thousand names, and to honestly investi-
gate and give To the public the proportion
OF pensioners whe are not honestly entitled
to she help they receive. but no attention
has been paid to orr request The whole
business 10 simply an attempt to throw
odium upon the pension system and to
adopt desperate measures to make up q
case.
"a vast deal of fun and Nss has been
had Of the expense of a pensioner W 10 was
said to have been drawing a pension for
long years on account OF his bald head, rrO-
A clerk who had been removed for giving
misleading information In regard To this
case. has been restored TO his position by
Secretary Smith. Now. we have Investi-
gated this matter TO the bottom. and the
facts are that the pensioner had n terrible
case of typhoid fever while he was in the
army, and was also afflicted with painful
varicose veins, produced by hard marching
and exposure. The application was care
lessly drawn, ana mei ely specified that on
account of ills contracted in the service the
peDsioner lost all his hair. No mention
was made of typhoid fever or varicose
veins, and so the Democratic reformers
were furnished with the greatest piece of
ammunition they have ever had against
pensions.
Let me tell You this that the Grand
Army itself has always been alive 30 the in
furious use that would be made OF cases of
fraudulent pensioners, and have used their
utmost endeavor To prevent such fraud,
and when the alleged frauds came 70 be
sifted. even by persons opposed as Secre-
sary Smith Is. to the whole system of PEN
eioDing Union soldiers. the frauds will
dwindle down TO a contemplate minimum.
OF course, there are some frauds among
nearly n million pensioners. but they are
not worth ccntem plating when compared
with the whole number.
Take also the assertion that Assistant
Secretary Bussey ruled that deserters were
entitled to q pension. Now. right here 10
something that is not understood by the
public at all In the case of revolutionary
ana Mexican war soldiers the Supreme
Court of the United States has de cided
that a charge of desertion. OF dishonor-
able discharge was no bar TO "a pension. In
the Mexican war who;e regiments deserted
because they deemed that the government
was not keeping lite contract with them.
or because they did not want TO stay IN q
hot and unhealthy country during the
sIckly season.
in the late war the final enlistment of
most of the soldiers Was Tor three years or