The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-31

William A. Ketcham who cherishes an
ardent desire 10 warm the seat now Occu-
pied by the Hon. a. G. Smith, took an
active part in the business end Of the late
war of the rebellion. Let not the ex
preston business end" be miscOnstrued.
To old veterans this term will naturally
convey the impression that the republican
candidate for attorney-general during
that eventfuI period was actively engaged
where bullets were flying thick and fast,
and cannon belching forth death and de-
struction. Mr.. Ketcham was in the strict
sense of the word in the business branch
Of the service. If any leaden missiles
came Mr.. Ketcham's way they We're stray
ones. for he fought for his country in the
commissary department. Mr.. Ketcham
may not be qualified to speak with ref
erence to the various methods of warfare,
but he could turn out valuable treatise
on the different varieties of hard. tack.
While in the c1nmlssary department he
naturally handled great quantities Of TINS
nourishlng article Of food.
AIR. Ketcham did not tear his wearing
apparel in the mad effort TO get TO the
front when President Lincoln issued cali
for volunteers, but waited until tn great
struggle for supremacy between the two
sections was nearly ended. h enlisted
as a lieutenant in Company Il, OAe nun
dred and Thirteenth Indiana, Dec. ~, bot
The One Hundred and Thirteenth indiana
was fighting regiment, but MT he.eA-
am did not participate in any OF Us p5l-
ties. He simply kept tabs on the army
supplies in the commissary department
This is Mr. Ketcham's war recoi4.
Mr. Ketcham's love for the old SOldler Is
deep and fervent. At least Mr.. ketcham
has always given the old soldier that m
preston. There came a time IN the career
of the republican candidate Tor attorney
general however, when the confidence Of
the veteran in Mr.. Ketcham's deep-seateG
affection for him and his cause received
a rude shock.
1t was in 1890 that the Morrill, service
pension bill was pending before congress.
This bill provided for the payment OF
certain per diem II each soldier Tor the
number of days that he served during the
war. whether disabled or not. IAe soldiers
service pension alliance Of Indiana, COM
posed entirely of old soldiers, was or
ganiZed for the purpose of taxing con-
certed action toward, securing the passage
Of the measure. They passed series OF
resolutions Endorsing the bill. and meet
ing after meeting was held at when
strong speeches were made by pronlneIlI
G. A. R. men favoring the enactment Of
the law.
shortly before this agitation began w.
A. Ketcham was elected a delegate TO
represent the department Of Indiana, 6.
A. r.. at the national encampment at
Boston. 1t being considered highly prob
able that the national eilcampment would
take some action on the Morrill, bill one
Of the local papers procured an interview
with Ketcham. in which, he denounced the
movement in favor Of service pensions Bit
teriy He declared that liz was only adVo-
Gated by professional soldiers and pesti-
lent demagogues. He took occasion to
sheer at the three months, and the one
hundred-day men. and said that the bill
was merely advocated t. place them. and
the men who had been Drafted on a basis
with the soldiers who haf served through
out the struggle. He further stated that
the bill was largely iTt the interests Of
men who had Joined tie regiments after
the war closed.