The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-29

c1~h etf6t tiC vi -
not do. because OF alleged unreliability."
The ambushed footpad, from his secure
credf iauI Bat t sevent Wiehsh3feI men in that
town. belonging to both parties, afiirmed
that both the witnesses are respected citi-
gems.
How many OF the 5000 postmasters in the
Northern States have been invited to am,
bush and stab the old and poor veteran!
What think you OF this. old soldiers? what
think you, decent men, generally?
THE POLICY OF PERSECUTION.
Time and space forbid the mention or
the many devices OF Hoke Smith and his
assistants to embarrass and harass the
veteran in proving his case. He must
swear that any evidence he may give him
self shall be written or dictated without
assistance. and the same for his witnesses.
Imagine old men. who are not accustomed
to writing, putting a statement OF their
disabilities and how they occurred into IAN
guage without assistance. or OF men VINO
make affidavits, thirty years after the war,
not being permitted to have their memories
refreshed. This is only a sample.
A system OF reratings of disabilities has
been adopted which causes a reduction or
is per cent. for the same disabilities. In
thousands of cases persons having war dis
abilities for which they are pensioned have
disabilities. In these cases new certificates
have been issued covering the disabilities
proved in both new and old claims. but not
increasing the pension a dollar. A large
part OF the pension certificates issued the
past year were simply reissues of this kind
certificates humping disabilities, which; UNI
der previous systems of rating would nave
increased pensions materially.
During the last full fiscal year Of the
Harrison administration. which ended June
80, 1897, 311,5@ pension certificates were
issued and 3s,39S claims rejected. During
the fiscal year which ended June 80, 1894,
u uIsa s0 Cley ys5 s7s IS SlI2 m1ss certificates Satn ratests We're Tb Is,
Is. almost four times as many pensions were
granted under Harrison as under Cleve-
land; and more than three times as many
as under Harrison. During Hoke Smiths
last year only 39,0S5 new pensions were
by Seat 10 s sns otbsr c causs ss,'0t the MeT bal Hruppe Of
the certificates issued, 4, 12S, were reissues,
reservations and small increases. And yet.
on Dec. 81, 1893, there were 567, S66 claims
which had not been
Again: During the fiscal year which ended
June 80. 1899. s159. 357 .557 was paid as pen
pensions payments were reduced to %$l41,177.-
asa reduction of over SIS, 600. The APP
preparation made by Congress for that
same year for pensions was slS0,6S ,074,
based upon the estimates of the Harrison
administration. If Harrlson's policy, urged
by Lincoln, had been continued, the $780,
priation and the expenditure. would have
gone into the hands of needy veterans.
The appropriation made by Congress on the
sions is $l51, 5S1, $40, or $29,000,0 900 less than
by the previous Congress on the Harrison
basis of pension expenditure. But Presi-
keep their pledge TO cut the pension ex-
penditure $50, GOO, 900.
INDIANA SOLDIERS HOME.
Nearly every Northern State with a Re-
publican Legislature has established homes
where broken-down veterans Of good habits,
with their wives, may spend their days
in comparative comfort. These homes have
uniformly been successful and inexpensive.
In 1892 the Indiana -Encampment of the
Grand Army took steps to have such a
home established in this State. A commit
tee has selected a site secured near La
fayette, and that city and Tippecanoe
county have contributed literally. The mat
ter of an appropriation TO put up the nee
i%slature. With a single exception every
Republican in Senate and House was ear
nestly in favor of the measure. 1t was got
through both houses. but in the last days
of the session the Democratic leaders met
TO slash the large appropriation bill, and
for the Indiana Soldiers Home. Both par
ties are pledged to the appropriation now,
but, from what occurred last year, can a
Democratic Legislature be trusted as can
one controlled by Republicans?
Closing queries: Now that every Mexican
veteran sixty-two years of age. whether in
the confederate army or not, is receiving a
pension, why should the WORKOUT Union vet
eran sixty-two years of age be denied?
When a score of ex-confederate generals
and colonies are receiving pensions be-
cause sixty-two years of age, why should
not the needy and feeble Union veteran VINO
is sixty-two years of age. Of whom there
hundreds, be similarly pensioned?
But Grover Cleveland would veto such a
bill.
In view of the undisputable facts set
forth in this article, how can -. Union vet
eran justify himself in voting for the party
controlled in Congress by Southern men
who are foes of the Union pension system
the Democratic party?