Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-10-15
WIS9pNGTON LETTER.
Wnstington, Oct. 8, 1894.
.sel.-,sozSos OF RAD MoStros

Washington, Oct. 8, 1894.
The U. s. Pension bureau, branch
of the Government in which political
partisanship should never be intro
duced, is now being used to coerce ap-
plicants for pensions to vote for dem
ocratic candidates for Congress. Ger
tainly a more shameful abuse of auth
oritv has never been known in Wash
ington. 1t is stated that no applica-
tions will be acted upon between now
and the date of Congressional election,
except those endorsed by the demo
cratic candidate for Congress in the
district in which the applicant has
a vote, and in order that democratic
candidates may have chance to try
to influence the vote Of every appli-
cant for pension in their districts they
are furnished with lists, giving names
and addresses, by the Pension Bureau.
The number of names on these lists
furnished to the democrats in single
state-Indiana- $4,000. There
is double ignominy IN this sort OF thing
for the ad administration. First, in trad
ing upon the necessities of old soldiers,
many of whom are known to be sadly
in need of the pittance for which they
have applied. Second, in taking up
the time of clerks in the Pension Blu
reau to prepare lists of applicants to
be used by democratic candidates,
thus lessening the number Of appli-
cations granted and robbing the old
soldiers, out Of just that much assist
ance. And all for the purpose Of
making votes for the democratic par
ty, which has during the short time it
has been in power managed TO do the
country more harm, aside from actual
loss of life, than did four years of war.
AS rule the old soldiers are thorough
Iy patriotic, and for that reason it is
doubtful whether these tactics will
influence many of them to vote to
send democrat to Congress, thus
helping to continue the democratic
times of the last year and half.
The result of the Georgia legislative
election has put the democratic cam
paign committee into what closely re-
sembles a panic. It's members now
concede the loss of one Georgia Con-
gressional district to the populists and
other democrats say they will be lucky
if they do not lose at least three.
There is disposition among demo-
Gratis to make Senator Faulkner, who
is chairman Of their campaign rcom7
mittee, the scape7 goat for the. q un-
promising outlook Of their Congress
ional campaign. They do not object
to his making his talks for publication
rainbow hued, but they say that he
talks the same way to them when they
know better, and they think if he
doesn't know any better that he isn't
fit to be at the head of the committee.
Hoke Smith comes in for most of the
blame for the result in Georgia. He
is charged with having unnecessarily
introduced the silver question into the
state campaign and with having, by
his extreme position in favor ola gold
standard driven many silver demo
Gratis into voting with the populists.
The situation in New York is giving
the democrats much trouble, largely
owing to their uncertainty as to the
real position of the administration. 1t
is presumed that the administration
will be compelled in self-defence to
aid Hill to the full extent of its power,
but it is not known that it will do so,
and the democratic cam paign COM
mittee is in consequs nee afraid to
commit itself, although it is over
whelmed with letters and kilograms
asking what it proposes to do. ALI of
which is entirely unobjectionable to
the republica ms.