The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-24
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ed out to do with such flourish of trump
cts, would totally disprove every assertion
made in that ScurrilouS article copied from
the New York Sun by the News in it's issue
of Dec. "a, and Endorsed editorially in the
same number, and would brand them as in
famous liars9 The pensioners call on the
News to proceed with its duty, and thereby
help to unearth the pension frauds which
it claims reach into the hundreds of thou
sands. 1t can scarcely seem possible that
it and the New York Sun are waiting for
appropriation by the government to pay
them for their pa triotic effort in irving To
save 1t from the cheats and swindlers,
fake widows and veriest harlots, who, by
perjury and forgery, are about to destroy
1t, in this its hour of great peril. And can
they not and will they not proceed in their
patriotic work without their pay IN ad-
vance? They know judging by the past,
that this benefcent government will beau
tifully reward all who come to its aid when
in dire Distress even II 1t makes them no
promise so to do We pensioners are
anxious for these worthless to so on with
publication of the list, and challenge them
to do so: and why? Because, before
said we know ii will disprove every charge
in the vile ISLANDERS uttered against the llv-
ing soldiers and the widows of those who
are dead. 1t will prove that, instead or
pensioners receiving such liberal aid from
the government as will permit them TO live
in luxury, as IS alleged, not one IN a thou-
sand receives enough to pay for the renc
of house in which the editor of the News
would live for a single day. 1t Will prove
that the padding of the pension rolls which
the Sun and the News charge as having
been done is false charge against the pen
these papers have done the padding for tha
purpose of supporting their vicious attack
on the Union soldiers, for whom every line
in that article, copied from the Sun and
indopsed by the News, shows nothing but
scorn and contempt and, instead of a fair
treatment of the subject under cOnSidera-
ton every line breaths nothing but a desire
to throw odium on the entire pension sys--
tenn, seeking thereby to raise a clamor that
as they say, will result in the repeal OF the
pension laws now in force.
In the figures given in the article referred
to not a word is said to the number OF
pensioners borne on the rolls growing out
of the war Of the revolution, the pensioners
of the war of 1872, the pensioners OF the
war with Mexico, the pensioners of all the
Indian wars, the pensioners from the regu-
lar army whether they have served in any
war or not and the widows and children OF
all these classes named, but all are placed
in their padded figures and charged up to
the Union soldiers, making, as the News
says, a grand total of 976014 But the corre-'
spondent of the New York Sun, who is in
dorsed by the editor of the News, goes on
terms it, to show that because there are on
the pension rolls total of 9l6,0l4, which liz
cludeS, as before said the pensioners of all
wars, their widows and children, and be-
cause, in the language of the News, there
are sin the Grand Army clamoring at the
gates of the treasury, wailing their needs
139,317. including pensioners and those de-
manding increase, survivors and widows de-
manding 10 be placed on the pension rollss
hence, say these astute mathematicians,
There are more Union soldiers drawing
pensions than there are survivors of the
war The country's bounty is be-
ing abused, and the fake widows and cheats
and swindlers are defrauding the govern
ment out of millions" A publication of the
list for which we clamoring, will also
show in the various localities where PEN
sionerS reside, and where they are known.
that their wives are doing more and the
widows of those who are dead have done
more, toward the support of their soldier
is doing, Notwithstanding they are classed
by these worthless as fakirs swindlers and
harlots.
The list will also show that there Is no
class of citizens more industrious than these
same pensioners, considering their ability
to do, for the inmates OF soldiers homes
and poornouses are comparatively few TO
the number absolutely disabled, and the
pensions which they actually receive are
not enough to keep them, for it will show
that not one in ten is receiving TO exceed
$12 per month, while many of them are re-
ceving no more than 81 or &c. and In the
list so far published by these papers, those
receiving big pensions" there are in the
State of Indiana, where there are g. 2l3 PEN
soners III who receive $72. one SEQ and for
ty-nine $50: while in the city OF lndianapo-
u.s. with its population of nearly 10000 six
teen receive $40 and three $50.
No wonder the Indianapolis paper has
thrown UP its job for it's aim was to create
feelings of envy and jealousy by charging,
as it has on the average pensioner. dts
position to ask for more than fair re-
enumeration for his disabilities, or, as 1t ex-
presses it. 'shamelessly clamoring Tor an
creased where they are receiving only 81
So or S. per month
Evidently the Sun correspondent and the
Indianapolis editor had forgotten, while
culing their information from the report
of Commissioners Lochren-who, II they re-
ported hirn correctly, said whole commu-
mites lost TO shame had conspired TO de-
fraud the government that this same
Lochren expended over half a million dol
lars in vain effort to detect the wholesale
frauds which they so fiippantly charge the
pensioners and pension agents with being
guilty of perpetratng: and as he reports
ne was very successful, certainly the rolls
must be very near correct But let the
good work go on. say we, the pensioners
let the Investigation and publication pro-
ceed: point out to every fraud let ii be
ever so small; but in doing so let them at
least be decent in their effort and not apply
to our wives and the widows OF our dead
comrades epithets not fit TO be used in the
slumS--sO that to be called the wife or Wild
ow of a Union soldier will cause them TO
hang their heads in shame il among
strangers. w. III. WEBSTER.
Ipdiapar1o1is