Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-08-05
especial Legislation.

The president and those who sympa-
thize with him are trying to make
mnch capital ont of general TRADE
against special legislation" in pension
cases.
"See the unfairness of the system, '
he and they say. Here is Brown, who
is good soldier, aud was undoubted-
ly broken down in his country's SER
vice, but he cannot get Congressman
to enlist in his behalf because he does
not happen to be an active political
worker, or he is of different politi-
cal faith from the Representative OF
his District; therefore he cannot offer
any inducements for an earnest espou-
sal of his cause. He must therefore
go without any relief. On the other
hand, Jones, who was shirk and a
hummer, is an active 'heeler,' and
does good work for his man at the
earth are are moved to give him a pull out
of the T5saGgpYe 20 opr,.vuo, %. ,e.,
unsound. Still farther, it cunningly
evades the real issue.
Thank to the G. A r. and to the
feelings of generosity and justice COM
mon among our people, no deserving
and broken-down soldier lacks inilu-
ence sufficient to strongly interest his
Representative in his behalf. 1t mat
tiers little whether his politics be in &C
cord with those of his Representative
or not II he has good soldier rec
ord, and is needy, public opinion will
force the Representative to exert him
self in his behalf Quite early in every
politicians career he learns that the
hearts of the people are with the vet
Grams. and that they will appreciate
kindness done them.
The cowardly "shirks"-such of them
as are still alive-are not conspicuou:
for political activity and influence. A
man who SUNK and skulked in the ar
my is not likely to have force enough
to make himself felt in any way al
home.
The Presidents fling would impl,
that the great If not greater portion o
the soldiers were skulkers and towards
This is frightful injustice to an arm.
which did more fighting in proportion
to its numbers and length of servic,
than any other in modern history.
The president harangues agains
special legislation" as something
vicious in itself This betrays his ig
norance of the true spirit of our in
stitutions as badly as other feature
of his vetoes do. II is inevitable wit
our form of Government that W
should have special legislation. lr
deed, whenever general laws are mad
apply ing TO vide range of cases
there must be special legislation.
is the rule that the operation of a
general hardships which must b
remedied by special enactments.
. This is particularly true of such q
institution as the pension system
Every consideration OF wise econom
dictates that the expenditure of greG
! sums of money, such as the Pensio
I Bureau pays out every year, shall b
: carefully regulated by general laws
> OF necessity these laws must be mad
! stringent in their application, an
2 those charged with the disbursement
( should be- allowed as little discretio
( as possible. 1t would be rank foil
: and extravaganza to do otherwise.
: But this compels special legislatio
! to meet special cases, in which III
general laws either work an absolut
injustice or fail TO give the deserved r,
, lief.
II is the right and duty of Congress.
! which hos the prerogative of maxim
> the general laws, to take cognizanc
of the exceptional case in which thes
may work badly and supplement- ther
, by special action suited to individual
When Mr.. Cleveland disparages thi
right and duty he makes Iamentabl
showing of his own ignorance OF TN
principles of Government. --Ndttono
} Tribuns.