davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
TIE ANTI. PENSION CRUSADE.

The recent action of the Pension Bu-
reau in the case of Andrew j. Huffman,
of Hamilton county, has caused so much
unfavorable comment that it has been
thought advisable to give the Commits
sioner of Pensions q chance to explain
to Col. B. c. Shaw. who wrote to him
on the subject. As the case is likely to
become leading one in fixing the new
pension policy, we give the Commission
er's statement in full:
In respect to the case of Andrew j. HUFF
man in the other newspaper clipping which
you inclose. an examination of the papers
in his case shows that he made application
for pension on account of lnEuinal hernia,
caused by his horse falling on him at
Columbia. Tenn, in July. 1864. The pen
sion was granted March Is. 1885. for left
inguinai hernia. neon plete, at "a a month.
to commence July u, lS65. Upon testi-
mony submitted In the claim for increase
of this pension test was made at Anderson,
Ind. of the applicant on March 80. 1893. and
from the report of this examination ii APP
peared that there was no longer any
left inguinaI hernia. but that there was an
umbilical hernia. As nothing respecting
this umbilical hernia appeared upon any
examination had prior to 1890. it must have
been OF recent origin, and In no way could
have been connected with. or mistaken for.
left In guinal hernia. for which the previous
pension had been granted. Upon this test
examination the case was reported by the
medical board of this bnreau for dropping
from the rolls. and thereupon the notice re-
ferred to in this printed slip was sent. 1
do not see that any other course could have
been taken upon the evidence presented.
If the pensoner shall present any evidence
showing that be Is still afflicted with left
iDgninal hernia, for which he was first
pensioped. and In respect TO which there is
some evidence tracing IL to q service origin,
the case will be re-examinod. Otherwise.
1t seems clear that he should be dropped
from the rolls.
Giving full credence to this statement
and admitting that the Commissioner
honestly believed that it set forth all
the facts in the case, it shows that the
Office is engaged in making an examina-
tion of the pension list for the purpose
of discovering technical flaws in appli-
cations or evidence and cutting off all
cases that will not stand the test of the
severest er pdrte investigation. Such
an examination as that is inspired by
hostility To pensions. 1t is one thing to
examine the pension list for cases of
fraud or violation of law and quite an
for technical defects on which neritori-
GUS pensions may be cut off. The Com.
missioner's letter shows on it's face that
no attempt had been made to obtain all
the facts in Huffman's case. and that the
action of the Office was based on one
sided investigation and reportof board
that was evidently instructed to report
unfavorably on all cases where tech
meal defect was discovered.
And what was the technical defect in
HufTman's case? The Commissioners
says his pension was granted in 1885 for
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
REFORM IN NATURALIZATION METHODS,

Judge Sanborn. of the United States
Court in the district of Minnesota, has
decided that an alien remains foreign
subject until he has complied with all
the provisions of the federal laws re-
lating to naturalization, of which the
following is a portion:
He shall, at the time of his application to
be admitted, declare on oath that be Will
support the Constitution OF the United
States and that he absolutely and entirely
renounces and abjures all allegiance and
fidelity to every foreign prince, pOtentate,
state or sovereignty; and particularly, By
name. to the prince. potentate. state or
sovereignty of which he was before citi-
zen or subject.
Judge Sanborn holds that it is this
oath, taken at the time of his applica-
ton to be admitted to be a citizen,
which naturalizes an alien. and not the
simple declaration of an intention-that
he is an alien during the five years which
intervene between the declaration of
intention until he presents himself to
take the oath of allegiance. He holds
that no State has the right to donation
alize foreign subject who has not fully
complied with the terms of the federal
statutes concerning naturalization. It
is said that this case will go up to the
Supreme Court. IL Judge Sanborn's
decision is affirmed, it will be a long
step toward reform in our methods of
comforting suffrage upon foreigners.
At the present time there are tens of
thousands of Italians who come to this
country with no expectation of becOm-
these years they have been permitted to
vote in fourteen States, including Indi-
ana, in all elections. 1t would be inter-
esting to ascertain how many of these
persons who have been made voters by
the presentation of first papers complete
tho process of naturalization at the ex-
piratiOn of the five years residence
which the laws of the United States
require. In some States the laws
require those who are permitted
to vote upon ''first papers" to
take out the Second papers" and
thus become full citizens, or else relin-
quish the right of voting. If such a re-
quirement is not made there is nothing
in fourteen States to prevent all the
aliens who come to them from voting
all their lives without being citizens of
the United States. There appears to be
no bar to lifelong alien voting in Indi-
ana. As they are voters they may act
as jurors. but they cannot be members
of the Legislature. In time of war they
could not be compelled to do military
duty. 1t must be seen that there are
many, and by no means frivolous, OBJ
jections to an increasing number of
voters who are not citizens of the United
States. but owe allegiance to some other
government or pOtentate.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

000.0 900 in the treasury and the s175..
OOO.OU0. or thereab0nts. In the national
banks. making altogether S2s8. 00O. 900.
Contrast with this England and Wales,
which, with q population of 90 O00. 600. have
circulation. nearly the whole of which 10
issued by the Bank of England. and is se-
cured by $3.50 O.000 of gold: France. W nich.
with q population of s.. co., 900. has $780,
00O. 000 of paper money secured bv $50. Geo.
600 gold. and Germany. with population
of $4,000. 600. having S2S5. DOC. 600 paper Sc
cured by $40. 00O. 900 IN coin and bullion. of
which y small portion only is silver.
La view of these figures it is absurd to
claim that there is lack of currency in
the country. AS the Journal has said
before. the country Is suffering now not
from lack of currency, but from lack of
confidence.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

an examination made in March, 1893,
showed that "there was no longer any
left inguinal hernia. but that there was
an umbiIical hernia" This really shows
that Huffman's injuries we're more seri-
Gus than was first reported, but the
Commissioner does not see it in that
light. He says: ''As nothing respecting
this umbilical hernia appeared upon any
examination had prior to 1890. it must
have been of regent origin. and in no
way could have been connected with
left inguinal hernia" The assumption
that the umbilical hernia ''must have
been of recent origin" because it was
not mentioned in any examination prior
to 1890 is gratuitous and illogical. AS
matter of fact, it was caused at the same
time and by the same accident that
caused the other hernia, as the pension
authorities could easily have ascer-
tanned if they had wanted the truth. 1t
is true, as the Commissioner says, that
there is no physiological connection be-
tween inguinal and umbilical hernia.
but ally layman can understand that the
Same accident might produce both.
On this state of facts Huffman was
notified that unless he could show good
cause for his retention on the rolls
within sixty days, his name would be
dropped, and the Comm issioner says he
does not see that any other course could
have been taken upon the evidence pre-
sented. We beg to differ with him. We
think much better course would have
been to grant Huffman's application for
an increase of pension. on the evidence
on file in the Office that he has both
inguinal and umbilical hernia. He
says under oath:
While ut Columbia. Tenn. during this
campaign, my horse was shot under me- and
In falling was pinned to the ground un-
der my horse. The horse of the next man
In the rear stepped on me. his hoofs strik-
ing. one on the left groin and the other in
the center of the abdomen over the navel.
This injury resulted III double hernia, one
complete.
This shows plainly enough that the
umbillcal hernia was not, as the Com
missioner infers, of recent origin. 1t is
also in evidence that Huffman's dis
and that he wears a supporter all the
time for one hernia and a truss for the
other whenever he has any lifting OF
STOPPING to do. 1t is pretty hard lines
for a veteran who suffers from such in
juries, received in the service, and who
has not been more than half a man,
physically, for twenty-five years past,
to be- notified that, unless he can show
cause to the contrary, within sixty days,
his pitiful pension of "a month will be
cut off.
1t is quite likely that Huffman will be
restored to the pension list. but he will
be put to considerable trouble and ex-
pepse to accomplish it. His claim is so
manifestly just and the evidence SO COM
plete that it cannot be rejected on any
technicality. No question would have
been raised in the case if the PEN
sion Office had not instituted micro
scopic hunt after technical pretexts for
the rejection of just claims.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
CLOSING OF A GREAT SILVER MARKET.

For many years India has been one of
the largest markets for silver bullion in
the world. Great Britain, which made
a gold standard for itself, imposed
silver one upon India. Since the depre-
citation of silver began, British mer-
chants have profited largely by purchas-
ing silver bullion in England and send
ing it to India to be coined into legal
tender rupees. which, in turn, have been
used in the purchase of wheat and cot
ton to be shipped back to Liverpool.
An authority estimates that from 1860 to
1889 f227. O0O. 900 in silver have been i'm
ported into India. This is an average
of over $39,000.000 worth of silver a
year. In all the years of silver depreci-
alton the British merchant has made a
handsome profit off of India In this sill
yer trade and coinage; but. while it has
been good for the Englishman. it has
been death to those in India who have
payments to make in England. The
rupee, which is legal tender for face
value in India, ia worth but two thirds
face value when it is used in purchasing
British exchange. For years India has
being made a silver money country.
Financial collapse being imminent, the
British government has closed the In
dian minis.
In view of these facts the announce
ment that the minis in India will coin
no more silver bullion should not cause
surprise. The wretched people of India
are no longer able to absorb a money
which loses a third of its value when
turned into the money of commerce, and
the British merchant in India will be-
come bankrupt if the free coinage of
silver should continue. Consequently
it is stopped, and with the stopping the
largest silver bullion market outside the
United States has been closed.
With the discovery of gold in Cali
fornia and Australia the value of that
bullion DEPRECATED in comparison with
silver. If the large output of gold from
1849 to 1859 had con tinued, the value
of that metal in silver would
have been further deprecated if the
output of silver had continued about the
same. The depreciation of gold took
place In spite of the fact that the minis
of every civilized nation were open to
its free coinage. The output of silver
bullion was four times as great in 1890
as it was in 1860. and twice as much as
it was in 1870. Since 1887 the increase
has been more marked, rising from 122,-
100000 ounces in 1889 to 144. 1000. 600 in
1891. Two-ffths of the worlds silver is
| mined in the United States. and that is
nearly absorbed by the provisions of
the Sherman purchase act. The closing
of the Indian mints has deprived at
| least one-fourth of the sc, 600. 900 ounces
| produced outside of the United States
| of a market. No European country is
| coming an ounce of silver bullion into
| legal tender money. With the loss of
the India market and the limited de.
| mand for silver bullion for the coinage
of token money and for the arts, the out
| look for the future of silver is very
| gloomy, as the announcement of the
| closing of the Indian minis, followed by
fall in the price of bullion from 81 to
| n cents. and a further fall to 70 yester-
| day, clearly shows.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.
THE Princess of Wales and her daughters

THE Princess of Wales and her daughters
are excellent butter makers.
PROFESSOR BoYEsEN. speaking at Smith
College the other day. said that the dickens
was being raised by the employment of
mere grammariaDs TO teach literature
1 his was q poke at the pathological breth-
rem.
WILL" MACKAY. the heir of the Bonanza
Kings millions, 10 q quiet.looking young
map. irreproschable in his attire. shave i'm
manner and sble TO enjoy 20 the full the
good things money can procure for those
W no know how TO 1--we.
SARAH BRRNHARDT has become lessee of
the Renaissance Theater In Paris. One of
her reforms Is to lower tho prices of the
place, another TO do away with the claque.
The prom pters box will be abolished. and
he will take himself OFF TO the side scenes.
GEN. LEW WALLECE's novel. 1.-The Prince
of INDIA" is nearly ready for publication,
and will soon be brought ont by the Hsr.
pers. The catastrophe of the book 10 the
assault and sack of Con stan tinople In 1853.
and the entry of Mohammed Ii into Saneta
Sophia.
THE next royal visitor to the United
States will probably be the Gaekwar of
Bsroda. India. He 10 Hndoo prince.
thirty years old. and the ruler Of $500, 900
people. HIS annual income is some thing
like S7.500.000. He is known as Ros the
Third. has been Gaekwar eighteen years,
has travelled ia Europe. and speaks English
we'll.
MILF. IscH. the yonnR telegraph oper-
at0r in Tifiis with whom the second son of
the Gear. Grand Duke George. has fallen
in love. is said TO be Q beautiful girl She
Is the last descendant nf one of the oldest
noble families of the province. She Ia
poor, however. and was Obliged To earn
her living. she chose t~lesraphy. and i,e-
came the head OF the I,ais station.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

If any reader of the Journal is in
clined to think that the present fnan-
clal stringency is due to an inadequate
volume of currency. let him study these
figures, compiled by financial writer
of reputr:
At present the currency of the country,
which is declared by so many to be insnffi-
cient for our wants and as needing fur
Their increase comprises $5i6. 000. 00J in egal
tenders. Sl25 000.0OO treasury notes, Sl75.-
O00,O00 national bank notes and about
500. 100000 OF silver certificates and dol
par with gold only because they are prac-
pically interconvertibie with gold This
makes 81. O56. coo. 900 of credit money for CO.,
600. 900 people. and ALL the gold availa-
BILE for it's r-dem2tion. when re-
demption 10 called Tor. IN the cIi.-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

timated that upon liquidation it will
have S450.0OO. And yet the company
could not borrow $1,000. and has gone
into liquidation. W0rkmen will be dis
charged and a general loss will result.
A year ago the banks would have bid
for the chance to take the paper of that
company. 1t is not failure because
the company is without assets. but a
failure of a practically rich corporation
because bank dare not lend it $1,000.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

The Democratic State officers in Illi-
nOis cannot be charged with neglecting
to provide for their families. The State
Auditor has three sons in his Office; the
Secretary of State has brother in his
office. while his sister is State Librarian;
the State Treasurer has his son in his
Office, the State Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction daughter, and the Ad-
jutant- general a son. 1t must be re-
membered that the Illinois Democrats
had been out of Office long time, and
were very, very hungry.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

CONGRESSMAN COBB, of Alabama, says
his constituents want both a greater
volume of money and such modification
of the financial system, as far as leeis-
lation can effect it, as will bring about a
more equal distribution of the currency"
just SO; they want such modification
of the currency as will give Alabama as
large q circulation as New York and
make money as abundant In Montgom-
arr as il il In Boston.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

this the sooner aud tho moro surely will
We get our rich share of tho commerce OF
the world with its accompanying prosper
ity.-New York Times.
THE prospect with which the lately OBJ
streperous silver miners are now confront
ed is anything bnt pleasing. and surely
none the more so because of the conscious
ness that ii is the trap set and ba,ted by
their own creatures at Washington into
which they have walked.--New ork Even
is,.x
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28


The man with the ginger beard was watching
Lie neighbor laboriously digging postholes.
''They didn't dig 'em that way out in Colorado
where lived" saddle
The neighbor, who was a hired man. dropped
his patent digger" looked around to see If his
employer was visible. found he was not, and
took seat on the ground. ready to listen. "How
did you work itl" he asked "By steaml"
"steaml" said the man with the ginger beard.
"Naw Done it by lightning"
"Lightning3'
"Yas. You see, in the part of the State was
in they is no metals of any kind in the ground
and no trees. I've often watched the lightning
cavortin' around In the heavens fer hour at
time, jist achin' fer somethin' to strike at; but
not bein able to do SO. cause they wasn't nothin'
1t could take start at-no attraction, you see.
Well, one day was a-sweatn' away, just like
you would be If the boss was around now, when
q old Teller. that lived there before come,
come along and says he'd show me O scheme to
save all that work. You can bet I was willin',
so he sends me to the house fer O bag o. ten
penny nails. and he plants a nail in every place
1 had marked fer a hole. They is q storm
COMM says he. 'and IL amt mistake ned she Is
a. goin' to do the job in one whirL' 1 didn't say
nothing, fer, honest. thought he wuz crazy, an
lowed I'd better hum0r him. After he got the
nails all planted he dragged me away to a safe
distance an told Inc to watch her work. Pretty
soon the storm come along, with more thunder
an lightnin' in 1t than you Will see here in
month o. Sundays. Dreckly it got over them
nails. Then-bif-p 1t went TO pluggin'
away at them there nails stuck in the ground,
the most delighted lightnin' you ever see to git
somethin' to shoot at. And evy time she hit
&t~l~
see did hat to trim q few of 'em up with q
spade. but, as gineral thing they was as neat
as a body would want to look at. Natur' is
mighty useful if you know how to handle her."
The hired man said "Gosh!" and resumed work
I'm the automatic manner of one in a dream.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

AN item of news in yesterdays dis
patches illustrated the feeling which
pervades business circles, and bank
managers in particular. A paper COM
paDy which has an established reputa-
ton and has been doing paying bust
ness for years asked bank for the
small sum of $1,000, and was refused.
The company's assets are moro than
three times its liabilities. ana il ia es-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
THE INDrANAPoLIs JOURNAL
REPUBLICAN EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION.

At the request OF a large number OF the NOM
beers OF the Republican Editorial Association. the
executive committee has changed the place Of
the July meeting from Warsaw to the Indiana
Building, Chicago The meeting will be held
during the last week Of July. Full particulars
as TO the time of meeting programme. hotel
rates. special courtesies TO Dc extended and other
information will be given the members by letter
in due time. All Republican editors Of Indiana
are urged to arrange TO be present
II. A. BROWN, Franklin, President.
j. A KEMP Salem. Seerefary.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
at once"

THE cheek of the Roby manager, who
has sued the sheriff of Lake county for
damages because he has interfered with
his prize fighting. is without equal. The
granite hills are June butter compared
with the adamant of the cheek of the
Robv plaintiff
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
A WASHINGTON dispatch says that

A WASHINGTON dispatch says that
pensioners and pensions arc tho subject
of current jokes in the Pension Bureau.
The anxiety that reports of the inten-
tons of the bureau 10 causing to thou
sands of poor men who served their
country faithfully is anything but a
joke to them. and if the reported inten-
tions are carried out the sense of obli-
CATION which patriotic people feel
toward these men will. in good time.
arouse righteous indignation.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

IT is reported in Washington that Mr..
as soon "a possible and run for Gov
ernor of Georgia. His platform would
probably be, eff any man hauls down
the American flag elect him Govesnor
~
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

IT seems unnecessary to put any con-
siderable portion of the police at work
fixing things for Sullivan and Buskirk
unless the Democratic primaries are to
be held in the course of q couple of
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

WHILE boards of trade and CONNER
cial bodies all over the country are
adopting resolutions urging an immedi-
ate session of Congress to relieve the
financial situation, the cheerful an
nouncement comes from Washington
that the President is making his ar
rangements to go fishing.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

WHEN Secretary Carlisle declared
that he would have none but entirely
trusty and efficient Democrats in the
revenue service be intended that large
part of those seeking places should cease
their qualifications
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

The scheme of paying pensioners in
treasury notes bearing low rate of in
terest is one worthy only of a man who
has become Democrat of the mug
wump- Cleveland brand.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

IF there is another man who wrote
anything glorying in the assassination
of Abraham Lincoln he should forward
it to the President with an application
for q good office
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

A DEMOCRATIC club IN Chicago has
adopted resolution declaring that it
land TO carry out the principles of the
Chicago platform on the tariff question"
It is not safe to expect any thing of Mr..
Cleveland too confidently.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

IThas been suggested that Mr.. Spreck-
els be made the successor of Paramount
Commissioner Blount at Hawaii. He
would restore the ex-Queen to her little
throne in iiffy.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28

Two women of st. Louis withdrew 81, 700
from bank because they feared it might
fall and put it In q stove. third sister
made fire in the stove. This should be q
warning to those who think any sort Of q
hiding place for money is as safe a. bank
dong good business.