The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-04
Who Also Arraigned Commissioner
Raum's Methods of ''RaiIroading'
Applications from Old Soldiers.
LOCHREN HIGHLY PRAISED
Both for Bravery in War and Pen.
sion Bureau Work.
Ruling by AttOrney-General 0lney Con.
STRUNG the Act Requiring No
tice of Suspensions.


tysburg OF Commissioner Lochren and a Wig
orous defense of the pension policy of the
Democratic party by Gen. John c. Black
the Commissioner OF Pensions under the
former Cleveland administration was the
sole thing that relieved the proceedings OF
the House to-day of absolute tedium- After
yesterdays exciting colloquy which forced
the House to adjourn lull was natural
and it came to-day, for not a member
showed the slightest disposition TO stir the
embers OF the war and create i'll feeling.
The House is well up with its work and,
after a tame session of a little over four
hours, during all of which the pension ap-
preparation bill was under discussion. ad-
journed with the bill still before the House.
At the opening Of the session Mr.. Everett,
rising to a question of privilege, created
some amusement by correcting a sentence
in the Congressional Record He objected.
he said, to be made To talk bad grammar.
Two private bills were passed by unani-
nous consent, one on motion, OF Mr.. Rich
ardson. Of Tennessee. to pension Fannie II.
Norman, and the other. on motion OF Mr..
Curtis Of Kansas, to pension Andrew
Frankly, private in the war OF 1872
Mr.. Bryan asked unanimous consent fos
consideration OF bill appropriating $4,000
to reimburse the State of Nebraska for ex-
penses incurred in repelling a threatened
invasion and raid by the Sioux Indians In
1880 and 1884, on the occasion of the Messiah
craze, which eliminated in the Wounded
Knee fight. Mr.. Sayers objected.
Mr.. Haugen asked unanimous consent for
consideration Of bill authorizing the Du-
luth and Superior Bridge Company TO con-
struct a bridge across the St Louis river
between Wisconsin and Minnesota objec-
ton was made.
The House then went into committee OF
the whole for further consideration of ths
pension bill. Mr. Pickler took the floor and
made vigorous speech in behalf OF lib
eral pension policy. The old soldier, his
widow, his children and his grandchildren
should have justice, he said.
General Black. of Illinois, cx-Comniis-
soiner of Pensions. followed Mr Picklcr,
whose kindly speech, he said, might almost
by the House While it was true that there
was no praise of the-union soldier that
would not find an echo on the Democratic
side, the assault of AIR. Grout. speaking for
the Republican minority. could pot be over.
looked. Mr.. Grout, Mr.. Black said. had
the Pension Office was unfriendly to the
soldier; second, that il was inimical 70
their rights, and third, that the Democratic
party was hostile to the Union soldier.
RAUMS WORK CRITICISED.
To the above propositions, Mr.. Black said.
he desired to address himself. In 1S9l-sz
311,O0O claims were allowed-an average OF
1000 pension certificates issued a day In
the final adjudication one clerk passed a.400
cases in a month. or one every four min
utes. After he had made this record he
was promoted. Thousands Of cases were
adjudicated on three papers: first. the pen
sioner's application; second, the date Of en-
tering and leaving the army, without stat
| ing whether he was honorably or dishon-
| orably discharged: third, the medical ex-
| Of the great requisite Of the law-that rho
| condition of the applicant should be shown
| vicious habits 1t was this sort of skeleton
work which produced such enormous re-
only to show the methods that obtained. It
was impossible, except by the interposition
of q miracle, TO avoid gross and extensive
errors with such methods.
Mr.. Black went on TO cite the case OF
Northwestern regiment which went South
| for one hundred days and never saw the
| smoke Of battle nor heard a musket crack.
Six hundred and fourteen men in that reg
iment were on the pension roll. under the
| act OF 1890, with two companies unaccount-
| ed for. Was that making the pension roll
a roll of honor? Democratic applausel
This statement of General Black caused
| great interest. Mr.. Ray, Of New York,
wanted to know If General Black was not
| aware that those men had been pensioned
for gallant and meritorious service in other
| commands.
General Black replied that he knew noth-
Mr. Lacey insisted on knowing the name
| of the regiment, and Mr.. Black declined TO
| give il, saying that he was not playing the
| part of detective He insisted that II a SOL
der pensioned as a member OF a Ger
tain regiment he was pensioned for service
Mr.. Black then drifted into discussion
of the frauds unearthed at Norfolk. New
Orleans New Mexico, Chattanooga, Iowa
and Minnesota by the present commis-
soner of Pensions, which, he said. since
! Dec. %, had resulted in twenty-elgnt ar
| rests, eighty-two indictments and sixty
| two convictions He cited them, ne said, 70
show that Mr.. Lochren had been active IN
| the discharge of his duty as an honesHnan.
| The repeal of order l64 was not 10 De
deemed evidence of Democratic hostn-
ity TO the pensioners; he said The decision
! upon which that order was furnished was
| issued by a Republican assistant secretary
| of the Interior. General BusSey, IN 1ssO, and
rs n tbe last s year % of General
| Raum's administration fell off ten thou
J sand.
NOT HOSTILE TO OLD SOLDIERS.
With reference to the charge that the
Democratic party was hostile to the sol
diers. he pointed out that since 1851 the
House, which originated all pension appro-
priation bills. had been eighteen years un-
der the control of the Republican party.
and during that time IL had appropriated
S676O0 600, while during the sixteen years Of
Democratic rule the House had sent 10 the
Senate bills appropriating ss5lWoo1
| Which party originated the pension legis-
| lation2' asked Mr. GrOut.
Both parties" replied Mr. Black
"HGs q pension law ever been originated
by the Democratic partyT inquired ar,
GrOut.
There are many Of them That provid-
! ing for payment of arTearages Is one OF
them" replied Mr.. Black. Mr. Black stated
that the Democratic party believed that ev-
cry law enacted in behalf or pensioners
should be faithfully administered. but ft
insisted, as il ought to, that the roll OF
honor should not be stained by the payment
of pensions TO those who do not deserve
them.
In replying 10 the charge that Commits
sioner LOchren was dominated by Secretary
Smith, an ex-coufederate soldier, he paid a
glowing and eloquent tribute 10 the former
war record. With vivid words that held
the House spellbOund, he drew the picture
of the second days battle az Getty sourg;
how, after SicIles's corps had been turned
back by the flame and FIRE OF the gray
coated avalanche Hancock. the superb. had
ordered the First Regiment OF Minnesota,
with Lieutenant Lochren IN the center, "a
| check that charge. Their task, said Gen.
Black was as hopeless as that OF the
l Greeks AT Thermopylae But they did their
| duty with a loss of 215 killed and wounded.
and the tide OF battle was turned hack