Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-05-22
THE PENSION FRAUDS.
THE PRESIDENT PUTS HIS BIC FOOT
DOWN ON THEM.
A Telling Speech From Congressman Hew.
lit on the Subject.
The River and Harbor Grab.

To the Chronicle.
Some of the Presidents latest work |
has been that OF carefully examining
private pension bills. He was supposed |
to have enough to do already without
assuming any new burdens; but itseems
he feels the necessity of taking a hand
himself in the retrenchment campaign
which Mr.. Hewitt and some other in
fiuential Democrats have begun in the
House OF Representatives. Mr.. Cleve-
lands predecessors have generally re-
garded life as too short to spend in ex-
aiming this class of legislation with
special care. They have contented
themselves with the assurance that Con-
gress had opportunities for investigating
the claims in the most thorough man
ner, and that If the bills had got
through both Houses there must have
been some merit in them.
A few days since rumor about the
Capital, to the effect that any further
RAIDS upon the treasury would be COM
bltted by the Presidents veto, created
considerable sensation. President
Cleveland is the first President, it is
said, who has undertaken to scrutinize
private bills. But he became alarmed
at the reckless way Congress was rush
ing the pension business. A fortnight
ago the Senate alone, in one day, passed
over 40 such bills, after merely read
ing their titles. This hurried and care
less way of taking money out of the
national treasury struck the President
as eminently improper, and he began
sending to the pension Office for the
records in order to satisfy his mind
concerning each Of the cases which
have thus far come before him. 1t is,
perhaps, no more than the Presidents
duty, but it is duty which has rarely
been performed; and the question is,
where Mr.. Cleveland is going to find
the time for the pursuit Of his excel
lent policy.
No speech probably has been made
during the present session OF Congress
which has created so much of a sensa-
ton as the one delivered by Mr.. Hew-
lit, on Thursday, when he protested
against any further raids upon the
treasury under the name of bounties or
other benefits OF that kind to soldiers
OF the late war. Most of these PROPOSE
tions are ill-considered, and although
for seyenty-hve years to come the South
viii be helping to pay pensions to the
soldiers and to the widows of the SOL
diers Of the North, Southern member
cannot raise question as to the propri-
ETY. of any of these grabs, without rem
dering himself liable to the charges of
disloyalty, flippantly and cheaply
brought.
The reference made by the gentleman
from New York to the peculiar position
OF Southern members, who are thus
embarrassed when they woald like to
oppose these ruinous schemes accord
ing to their convictions, was especially
relevant and timely. He declared that
the limit of endurance on the part Of
the tax payer had been reached and
that the discomfort on account OF ex.
cessiye taxation was breaking out in
riots, dynamite, and death. "Those
who wanted to dive their hands down
into the treasury" said he, "take adj.
vantage of the delicate position in which
the Southern men are placed, being
subject to the charge of disloyalty il
they resist the steal" But no one
could make this charge against him and
be would make the fight
The great River and Harbor grab
which went through the House after "a
discussion extending over several
weeks, takes from River Commissions
their power and gives it to the Score.
~ Of Va. During the debate an op-
p nent Of the measure severely crit