Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-07-09
WASHINGTON LErTER.
(From our regular cOrrcspOndent.)
WASHINGTON, July 5, 1886.


gress and the president cruising
about Chesapeake bay in the Cor
sair, some patriotic citizens solicit
ously inquire, 'swhither are we
driftlng!" Scarcely had it become
known however, that Mr.. Cleveland
had been entieed from his hard
work of the past week, for a little
recreation, than he was again at his
desk refreshed for auother round of
executive vetoes of spurious pension
bills.
Some idea may be obtained of the
steady. hard work of tie president
of late, when it is stated that on one
day he approved eight pension bills
and vetoed thirty, giving each case
careful personal attention before &C.
ton. The veto messages were writ
ten by himself and each averged
over page of foolscap paper, close
lY written. In examing each bill
separately, he had for his guidance
the reports from the senate and
house committees and the report
from the pension bureau.
The treasury has never had so re-
liable a watchdog as President
Cleveland. Not only has he beaten
the record on vetoes, but he vetoed
more bills on one day slone than any
previous president had disapproved
during his entire term of Office.
His total record is now about seven
ty-six, while previous to his acces-
SION the whole number of Yetoes
from the foundation of the govern
ment was only 100. All but seven
of Mr.. Cleveland's vetoes were Of
private pension bills. Before his
administration only one pension
bill had ever been disapproYed and
that was by General Grant.
The prospect for an early adjourn
ment of congress has also received q
summary disapproval from the
president. He has notified the able
legislative politicians who have been
in the habit Of crowding through
their schemes during the last grasps
of the session, that he intends to
read each bill carefully and inform
himself of its provisions before he
signs it.
He asserts that he will not go to
the capital and approve bills as fast
as they are brought to him for the
sake of expedlting adjournment.
With regard to appropriation bills
he deems it as his duty to consider
every item, and he warns the MEM
bers of the two houses that they
need not send him long bills appro-
priating large sums Of money written
day or two before adjournment
with the idea that he will approve
them blindly. With his feeling Of
responsibility he declares that he can
do nothing of the kind.
While the Democrats are delighted
with Mr.. Cleveland's aggressive at
titude with relation to pension bills,
the Republicans are frothing with
indignation. Representive BaYne,
of Pa, made vicious attack upon
what he called the presidents un-
paralleled monopoly Of power, and
the Republican side applauded his
vituperation. Mr.. Bayne was In
suited beyond expression by the
temerity of this man (the president)
who had sneered at the reports Of
committees of this house and senate.
This man, himself no soldier, but
walking, the paths Of peace, while
these other men imperiled their lives
to save the union.
Some of the vetoed claims were so
grotesque that the president, in his
messages, could not refrain from
presenting their ridiculous aspect,
for instance this case. A soldier
remained in the army one month and
seventeen days, having entered it as
a substitute at time when high
bounties were paid. Fifteen years
after this brilliant service he disc0v-
cred that an attack of measles had
had some relation to his army en-
rolIment, and that tho disease had
ssettIed in his eyes, Another
claimant asked pension because Of
the death of son killed in action.
Being poor, he sent his son to live
with an uncle and afterwards with q
stranger, The SON was killed in
'62. The president thought after
such an exhibition OF abandment and
heartlessness on the part of father,
he should not be allowed any benefits
of patriotic sons death.
The republicans in the house Of
representatives are engaged in the
business of filibustering against the
introduction of rule making it an
order to provide an income tax for
raising the necessary revenue to any
pension bill. This is clearly and
almost confessedly done to catch the
soldier vote.
After a good deal of speech max
ing which changed no votes, Fitz
John Porter has again gotten safely
through the senate, having passed
the house some months ago. Unless
President Cleveland .nterposes Q