The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON. ID. c., June 20, 1S'

WIN nest OF nlliDu6terS IN O0n-
gress and the President cruising about
Chesapeake bay in the Corsair, some
patriotic citizens solicitously inquire,
"Whither are we drifting1" Scarcely
had it become known however, that
Mr.. Cleveland had been enticed from
his hard work of the past week, for
little recreation, than be was again at
his desk refreshed for another round
of executive vetoes of spurious pension
bills.
Some idea may be obtained Of the
steady, hard work of the president
lately, when it is stated that on one
day he approved eighty eight pension
bills and vetoed thirty, giving each
case careful personal attention before
action. The veto messages were writ
ten by himself and each averaged over
a page of foolscap paper, closely writ
ten. In examining each bill separate
ly, he had for his guidance the reports
IRON the Senate and House Commit
tees and the report from the Pension
Bureau.
The Treasury has never had so re-
liable watchdog as President Cleve-
land. Not only has he beaten the
record on vetoes, but he vetoed more
bills on one day alone than any previ-
GUS President had disapproved during
his entire term Of Office. His total
record is now about seventy six, while
previous to his accession the whole
number of vetoes from the foundation
of the Government was only 100. All
but seven of Mr.. Cleveland's vetoes
were of private pension bills. Before
his Administration only one pension
had ever been disapproved and that
was by Gen. Grant.
The prospect of an early adjourn
ment of Congress has also received
summary disapproval from the Presi-
dent. He has notified the able legis
lative politicians who have been in the
habit of crowding through their scheme
during the last gasps of the session,
that he intends to read each bill care
fully and inform himself of its provis-
ions before he signs it.
He asserts that he will not 60 to the
Capitol and approve bills as fast as
they are brought to him for the sake
of expediting adjournment. With re.
gard to appropriation bills he deems
it his duty to consider every item, and
he warns the members of the two
Houses that they need not send him
long bills appropriating large sums of
money written a day or two before ad-
journment with the idea that he will
approve them blindly. With his feel
ing of responsibility he declares that
he can do nothing of the kind.
While the Democrats are delighted
with Mr.. Cleveland's aggressive attitude
with relation to pension bills, the Re-
publicans are frothing with indignation.
Representative Bayne, of Pa, made a
vicious attack upon what he called the
Presidents unparalleled monopoly of
power, and the Republican side ap
plauded his vituperation. Mr.. Bayne
was insalted beyond expression by the
temerity of this man (the Presidency
who had sneered at the reports of COM
mittees of this House and the Senate.
This man, himself no soldier, but walk.
ing the paths of peace, while these
other men imperiled their lives to save
the Union.
Some of the vetoed claims were 80
grolesque that the President, in h,s
messages, could not refrain from pie
senting their ridiculous aspect, for in
stance this case. A soldier remained
iu the army one month and seventeen
days, having entered it as a substitute
at a time when high bountles were
paid. Fifteen years after this brilliant
service he discovered that an attack OF
mt asles had had some relation to his
army enrolment, and that the disease
had "settled in his eyes, Another
claimant asked pension because of
the death of son killed in action. Be-
ing poor, he sent his son to live with
an uncle and afterwards with strang-
er. The son was killed in '62 but the
father did not know it until GA. The
President thought after such an ex.
hibition of abandonment and heartless
ness on the part of father, he should
not be allowed any benefits Of patri-
otic sons death.
The Republicans in the House of
Representatives are engaged in the
business of fillibustering against the
introduction OF rule making it in
order to provide an income tax for
raising the necessary revenue to any
pension bill. This is clearly and al
most confessedly done to catch the
soldier vote.
After good deal of speech making
which changed no votes, Fitz John
Porter has again gotten safely through
the Senate, having passed the House
some months ago. Unless President
Cleveland interposes veto, Congress
has at last, after twenty years wrestl
ing, finally disposed of this question
and Porter will be restored to the army
and placed upon the retired list.
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