Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1900 — An Old Soldier Repudiates McKinley. [ARTICLE]

An Old Soldier Repudiates McKinley.

The following letter from a former Jasperite to a friend at Dun. ville explains itself: West Lebanon, Indiana, Oct. 10, 1900. My Dear Friend:—This letter may be a surprise to you, John. You remember what I said after ! voted at Dunnville in 1896. I had voted the republican ticket. I voted for the promises held out by McKinley to the old soldiers As you remember, I went from Rensselaer in company with other old soldiers to see McKinley at Canton, Ohio. I heard him talk from his porch. He greeted us with his hand, and said among other things these words:

"Old comrades, we stood shoulder to shoulder in the time of the great rebellion from 1861-1865, and we saved our country. We have the best country on God’s green earth. If I get to be president ol the United States I'll put a man in the pension office who will see after you old soldiers, and not do like Grover Cleveland did by putting in a man like Hoke Smith. I’ll put a man over you who will watch over you, and care for you.”

I don’t know who paid .0 ur fare, for we paid for no tickets. It was a free ride to see our next president. I believed what he said, and re turned his supporter, like many others who heard his rainbow promises. I was’nt the only one. I contracted the asthma during the war. Since the election in 1896, I broke completely down with it, and am unable to work, and much of the time unable to stand on my feet. I thought that McKinley would fulfil his promises and set about to be cared for by the pension department. Certificates and affidavits of the officials of the county, old soldiers, leading business men and farmers, were sent in. All the testimony required was sent in by my attorney. and all said that I’d get my pension as certain as the sun would rise. Several weeks after ail the information was sent in on the special application, which noted my disability, and unable to stand on my feet but a few moments at a time, and in a povertystricken condition, I got a letter from Henry Clay Evans stating my claim had been rejected. My neighbors contributed to my needs as much as possible, and are still doing so, which is keeping me out of the poor house. My neighbors are poor in this world’s goods, but they have good hearts, if their means are limited.

Congressman Crumpacker, three days before the last congress adjourned, introduced a bill giving me $33 per month pension. This he knew would not be acted upon in that time, and only wanted to “taffy” me with pretended intention, like what is being done with many others at this time. The newspapers in this section and Illinois published that I had been granted a pension of $33 per month, which was widely circulated for an effect upon my friends who knew I needed a pension, and who said that if McKinley’s adniinistration failed to grant me a pension they would vote against him. This is the way it was misrepresented, and for no other purpose than to fool my friends. They are aware of this, and will vote with me this time, but not for McKinley. I shall vote for Bryan, who is a Lincoln among the common people. My friends wrote to me congratulating me upon my food luck. You can imagine how felt in my poverty-stricken condition.

I have waited for three years for McKinley to fulfil his promise to me, and that is long enough. Evans is only a tool, and is exactly the kind McKinley wants. McKinley only wanted the soldier vote. Since he got it, he has not given them a favor. I can show deep scars of wounds received while serving in the 182nd Ohio volunteer Regt. Co. E. I deserve a pension, and soldiers who know this and helped me get my papers will vote against the administration. I’m not the only one who has been treated in this manner, under a worse rule than Hoke Smith’s. I cannot see how an old soldier can vote for him again when they know how little attention we receive from this administration. If I get one soldier to vote against McKinley I’ll wear a brighter crown in heaven. To think that I have a wife and children who have been separated for want of food and clothing, is something dreadful to think of. My children are away from home with faraway friends. Think of a happy home torn assunder by such broken promises as these were. I love my dear children, and in my deep' affection their pattering feet are far away at the

hearthstones of others. Think of it! ' All who read this will not know the sadness and anguish which my heart now holds. I am, your friend,

JOHN REESE.

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