US Presidency
1887

The attempt of the Government to escape the payment of a pension on such a plea would of course in a very large majority of instances, and regardless of the merits of the case, prove a failure. There would be that strange but nearly universal willingness to help the individual as between him and the public Treasury which goes very far to insure a state of proof in favor of the claimant. The disability of applicants must be such as to incapacitate them for the performance of labor in such a degree as to render them unable to earn a support. It will be observed that there is no limitation or definition of the incapacitating injury or ailment itself. It need only be such a degree of disability from any cause as renders the claimant unable to earn a support by labor. It seems to me that the support here mentioned as one which can not be earned is a complete and entire support, with no diminution on account of the least impairment of physical or mental condition.