The National tribune., 1886-05-13
THEPRESIDENT' VETO
OF Two Private Pension Bills, and
His Reasons Therefor.

On Saturday the President sent to Congress
the following messages, with the return of two
private pension bills, which he declined to
approve:
return without my approval House bill No.
Andrew J. Hiil." This bill doubles the pension
which the person named therein has been receiv-
ing for number Of years. II appears from the
referred that claim made by him for increased
pension has been lately rejected by the Pension
Bureau on the ground that the claimant is now
receiving pension commensurate with the degree
Of disability found 10 exist"
The policy of frequently reversing by special en-
aCtnent the decisions Of the bureau invested by law
with the examination OF pension claims, fully
equipped for such examination and which ought
not to be suspected OF any lack of hbeTlity to
veteran soldiers, ~ exceedingly questionable it
may well be doubted il committee of Congress
has a better opportunity than such agency TO
judge OF the merits Of these claims II. however,
there i5 any lack Of power in the Pension Bureau
for full investigation IL should be supplied IL the
system adopted IS inadequate to DO full Justice 10
claimants, IL should be eorrected and If there Is
want Of sympathy and consideration for the de-
Tenders OF our Governments the bureau should be
reorganized. The disposition to cOncede the most
generous treatment 70 the disabled. aged and needy
among our veterans ought not TO be restrainedi
and Il must be admitted that In some cases justice
and equity cannot be done the charitable tend
encies Of the Government In favor Of worthy objects
of IT. care indulged under fixed rules. These
ditions sometimes justify a resort TO special
leg station; but i am convinced that the I'M
. position by special enactment IN the grant
ing Of pensions should be rare and exceptional. In
the nature Of things II this is lightly done and upon
slight occasion, an invitation Is offered for the
presentation OF claims 70 Congress which upon
their merits could not survive the test of an
animation by the Pension Bureau and whose only
hope Of success depends upon sympathy, often
nisdrected. instead of right and justice. The IN
strunnentality organized by law for the determine
ton Of pension claims is thus often overrued and
popular prejudice viii be created against those who
worthily entitled to the bounty Of the Govern
ment.
There has lately been presented TO me on the
day for approval 2iG special bills granting and
increasing pensions and restoring 10 the pension
list the Of parties which for have been
dropped. To aid executive duty they were re-
feFred to the Pension Bureau for examination and
report After delay absolutely necessary they
have been returned 10 within few hours Of the
unit permitted for executive action
classified:
Ei2hty-one cover eases in which favorable action
BY tie Pension Bureau was denied BY reason Of the
insuthcency Of the testimony filed TO prove the facts
/ alleged. These bills have approved on the as
sumption that the claims were meritorious and
that By the passage Of the bills the Government
has waived fuIi proof of the facts.
Twenty-six Of the bills cover claims rejected by
| the Pension Bureau because the evidence produced
tended 10 prove that the alleged disability existed
before the claimants enlistment; u cover claims
which have been denied by such Bureau because
the evidence tended to show that the disability,
though contracted in the service not incurred
in the line Of duty; 30 cover claims which have
lish that the disability originated after the soldiers
i discharge from the army; a cover claims which
have been denied because the general pension laws
I contain provisions under which they could be
allowed. and "a Of the claims have never been pre-
1 sented 70 the Pension Bureau.
estimate the expenditure involved In these bills
I at more than So, GO annually
Though my conception Of public duty leads me
/ 20 the conclusion upon the slight examination
which have been able to give such Of these bill $
/ not comprised in the first class above n1eL-
toned that many OF them should be disapprOged, 4
I utterly unable 10 submit within the time al
lowed me for that purpose, my objections 10 the
/ same
| They viii therefore become operative without
my approval.
sufficient reason for the return Of the particu-
| lar bill under consideration is found in the
! fact that it provides that the name of Andrew j.
Hill be placed upon the pension roll while the rec
/ ords in the Pension Bureau, well a medical
| certificate made part OF the committees report,
/ disclose that the correct name Of the intended
/ beneficiary . Alfred j. Hill.
/ GROVER CLEVELAND.
! The second veto message reads as follows:
/ herewith return without approval bill num-
beFed 30l9 entitled An act to increase the pension
! OF Abigail smith" which bill originated ia the
House Of Representatives. This proposed legisla-
ton does injustice 70 very worthy pensIOner who
the pension rolls at the time OF the passage OF
the law which took effect the 10Th day Of March
last and by virtue Of which oil pensions 0f her class
Z fror fo , nar rmda