The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-10
VETOED BY THE PRESIDENT.
The Presidents Reasons for Refusing to
Sign Two Private Pension Bills.
The House Not Inclined To Be Extravagant
in the Matter of New Public Buildings
Personal Notes About Indiana People.
PRIVATE PENSION BILLA
Views of the President as to This Glass
Legislation-Two Bills Vetoed.


Legislation-Two Bills Vetoed
WASHINGTON. May 8.-The President to-day
sent TO the House of Representatives two veto
messages. The first is as follows
"To the House of Representatives:
81 return, without my approval House bill
No lat. entitled AN act increasing the pension
of Andrew j. Hill This bill doubles the pen
sion which the person named therein has been
receiving for a number of years. 1t appears,
from the report Of the committee to which the
bill was referred, that the 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 common
surate with the degree of his stability found to
exist. The policy of frequently reversing the
decision of the bureau invested by law with the
examination of pension claims. which is fully
equipped for such examination, and which ought
not to be suspected of any lack of liberality to
our veteran soldiers, is exceedingly question
able 1t may we'll be doubted if a committee of
Congress has better opportunity than such
agency to judge of the merits of this claim. II,
however. there is any lack of power in the
Pension Bureau for a full DEMONSTRATION, it should
be supplied. If the system adopted is mad
equate to do justice to claims, it should be-
corrected The disposition to concede most gen.
erous treatment to the disabled, aged and needy
among our veterans should not be res strained
and it must be admitted that in some
cases justice and equity cannot be
dbtdluCu WibuOUL ZIG CUarlCaDl6 LeuQeDcloS Oh LILO
government In favor of worthy objects of its
care INDUCED under fixed rules. These condi-
tions sometimes justify resort to special legis-
lation. but am convinced the interposition by
special enactment in the granting of pensions
should be rare and exceptional In the nature
OF things, If this is lightly done and upon slight
occasion, an invitation is offered to the passage
OF Claims by Congress which, upon their merits,
could not survive the test of an examination by
the Pension Bureau and whose only hope of
success depends more upon sympathy. often mis-
directed, than right and justice The instru-
mentality devised by law for the determination
OF pension claims is thus overruled and discred-
ited and there is danger that in the end popular
prejudice will be created against those who are
worthy and entitled to the bounty of the govern
ment There have lately been presented to me-
on the same day. for approval, nearly 240 special
bills granting and increasing pensions and re-
storing to the pension list the names of parties
which, for cause, have been dropped. To aid
executive duty they were referred to
the Pension Bureau for examination
and report After a delay absolutely
necessary, they have been returned
to me. Two hundred and thirty-two Of these
cases in which favorable action by the Pension
Bureau was denied by reason of the iusuficiency
OF the testimony filed to prove the facts alleged.
These bills have approved, on the assumption
that their claims were meritorious Twenty-six
of the bills cover claims rejected by the Pension
Bureau because the evidence produced tended to
prove that the alleged disability existed before
the claimants enlistment Twenty-one cover
claims which have been denied by such bureau
because the evidence tended to show that the
disability though contracted in the service, was
not Incurred in the line of duty. Thirty three
cover claims that have been denied because of
evidence tending to show that the disability origi
mated after the soldiers discharge from the
army. Forty seven cover claims which have
been denied because the general pension laws
contain no provisions under which they could be
allowed, and twenty four claims have never been
presented to the Pension Bureau. / estimate the
expenditure involved in the bills at m6re than
$50, 900 annually Though my concaSton of
public duty leads me to the conclusion, upon the
slight examination which I have been able to
give to such bills not embraced in the first
class above mentioned. that many of them should
be disapproved. l am utterly unable to submit
to the same They will. therefore,
become operative without my approval
"a sufficient reason for the return Of the par
ticular bill now nnder consideration is found in
the fact that it provides that the. name of An
drew j. Hill be placed on the pension roll, while
the records of the Pension Bureau, as we'll as the
medical certificate made part of the report, dis
close the fact that the name of the beneficiary
ls Alfred d. Hill. GROVER CLEVELAND"
The second veto message is as follows
II herewith return, without approval, a bill
numbered 30l9 entitled An act to increase the
pension of Abigail Smith, which bill originated
in the House of Representatives. This proposed
legislation does injustice to a very worthy peu-
sioner, who was on the pension-roll at the time
Of the passage of the law which took effect on
the 10Th day of March last, and by virtue of
which all pensions of her class were increased
from SO to $l2 per month. Under this law she
became entitled to her increased pension from
the date of it's passage. The bill now returned
allows her the same amount; but if it becomes
law. / suppose it would supersede her claim I'M
der the previous statute and postpone the re-
ceipt by her of the increase date of passage Of
the new law. she would thus lose for nearly
two months the increase of pension. already se-
cured to her.