The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-10

bne government 10 one md-. kApplauSS
on the Republican side.)
Matso. merely remarked IN reply
that he had first learned that in the
Forty-Seyenth Congress q r publican
committee of the Senate had reTOrted
that a woman ought not TO be pensioned
for the same reason that the President
said he thought she ought not to be
pension6d. applause on the Democrat
ic side.)
Long, of Massachusetts,, suggested at
/ that time the woman had a husband
living who was in the receipt of PEN
sion.
The bill and message were then re-
ferred-yeas 1l2, nays Ill.
! When the veto message bill granting D
pension 70 Francis Deming was reached.
! the Republicans demanded and were
accorded half an hour for debate. At
ter debate the message was referred
without objection.
The next and last veto message upon
the Speakers table, was then laid before
the House. Ii was message vetoing
/ the bill granting a pension to Joseph
Romisier, and as this case was T .garded
as presenting especially strong features,
the Republicans were determined to
make hight over its reference.
Burrows, OF Michigan, vigorously
assaulted the veto, and maintained that
there was no re ason why The bill should
be referred to a committee. There were
no facts TO be ascertained, and in such
cases Ii was customary to act upon a
veto without reference The last note
worthy case was the veto OF President
Arthur on the Fitz-John Porter bill.
That bill had been Immediately con
sidered by the House, without reference
70 I
vetoed the Romisier bill because he had
not been mustered in at the time he re-
ceived his wound. 1t was true ROmisier
had no. ia en- the oath to defend
the Constitution, but he had been
defending the Constitution against
domestic enemies of the flag.
A man who, on his enthusiasm and
patriotism, went to the defense of the
Constitution without taking the oath to
defend it, was entitled to some consid-
Grafton. The man who, without tax
ing an oath to defend the Constitution,
but did defend it, was entitled to as
much consideration as the man who
took an oath to defend the flag and
then violated that oath, and yet Jos.
Romisier's pension bill was vetoed and
FitZ John Porter was put upon the
rolls. Applause on the Republican
side).
Warner, of Ohio, believed this to be a
meritorious case, and TO be in the line
of all presidents, but he thought il
ought to be referred to committee.
Snowden, of Pennsylvania, com
mendei the President for his fearless
course. and thought that the other side
was making g blunder in trying to
make the decision party question.
Springer said he would not discuss
of the President thereon, except 10 call
attention to the fact that it was first
vetoed in the pension Office in 1882 by
Commissioner Dudley. But the gentle
men on the other side OF the
chamber had taken advantage of the
discussion to attack the President
and the Democratic party and to charge
that they were opposed 10 granting pen
sions. Nothing could be further from
the truth. During the entire eight years
of General Grants administration, only
$40 private pensions were granted. Dur
ing the Forty seventh Congress, which
was Republican in both branches, only
Isl private pension bills were passed;
but during the last or Forty eighth
Congress, which contain 4 majority
of Democrats in this House, and when
the gentleman from Indiana (Watson)
was chairman on the committee of
invalid pensions, there were $50
of such bills passed and became
laws and during this Congress since
December last, Congress had passed
665 private pension bills, of which about
$50 had either been signed oy President
Cleveland or had become laws without
his acton. He had vetoed about ninety
pension bills, but thirty-three more had
passed and become laws during his ad-
ministration up to this time that were
passed during eight years of Grsnt's
administration. General Black, COM
missioner of pensions, had granted over
no. 600 certificates to pensioners since
he assumed the duties OF his office, be-
ing 10 per cent. more than had ever be-
fore been issued by any OF his predeces-
sors during the same length of time.
The Treasury of the United States
attested the effect of General Blacks
increased efficiency 10 the admins "a
ton of the Pension Office. The pay
ment of pensions during the fiscal year
jus, ended, exceeded those OF the pre-
vious fiscal year by Ss-6OO,OOO. But
no .withstanding this increase IN pen
sion payments, there had been net re-
duction in expenditures during the past
fiscal year of over $4,000 600, as COM
pared with the fiscal year OF 1885. Ex-
binary expenses for 1856, as com
pared with 1885, amounted to
so. 500, 600. This statement was made
from the Treasury Department. .Sprin
ger asserted, that the pension office had
been, previous 10 General Blacks ad-
ininistration, rcn IN the interest OF the
republic party. During the last Presi-
DENTAL year, 8 number OF claims OF
ap, licants for pensions considered by
the examining surgeons in certain states
was very significant. In Maine, con
tested state, there were 779 cases consid-
cred in each congressional district; In
Massachusetts,, reliably Republican,
where no special political efforts were
required. the number so considered
was only 291 in each district
In Illinois reliably Republican,
the number so considered was
only 400 in each district. Thus it
would seem where there were great
political contests during the last Presi-
Dental year, the business OF the pension
Office was concentrated 10 the neglect OF
worthy applicants who happ ned to re-
side in states reliably Republican or