Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-07-09
Why the President Vetoed the Dcming Pension
Rill


WASHINGTON, July In the veto mes
sage granting pension to Francis Dem
ing, who claims that he contracted blind
ness as result of rheumatism incurred
i'll the service, the president says there
seems to be no testimony showing the
applicants condition from the time of his
discharge to 1880, period of Is years.
The president continues: After 19 years
had elapsed since his discharge from the
army, pension is claimed for him upon
the very shadowy allegation of incurrence
of rheumatism while i'll the service,
coupled with the startling proposition
that the rheumatism resulted, Just pre-
viOus TO his application, in blindness.
Upon medical examination it appeared
that his blindness was caused by a
Maurosls, which is generally accepted as
an affection of the optic nerve. | am sat
istied that a fair examination of the facts
of this case justifies the statement that
the bill under consideration can rest only
upon the grounds that aid should be furn
ished to this soldier because he served in
the army, and because Il long time there
after he became blind, disabled and de-
pendent. More of US are entitled to
credit, for extreme tenderness and con
sideration towards those who fought
their countr'S battles.
These are the sentiments common to
all good citizens. They lead to the most
benevolent care on the part of the gov
ernment and deeds of charity and mercy
in private life. The blatant and noisy
self-assertion of those who from motives
that may well be suspected declare them
selves above all others the friends of the
soldier, cannot discredit or belittle the
calm, steady and affectionate regard of
a grateful nation. Legislation has been
at the present session of congress per-
fected considerably, increasing the rate
of pension in certain cases; apprOpria-
tiOns have also been made of large
sums for the support of the national
homes where sick, disabled or needy sol
diers are cared for, and within a few days
a liberal sum has been appropriated for
enlarged and increased accommodation
and convenience of these institutions
All this is no more than should be done,
but with all this and with the blunders of
the special bills which have been pushed
granting pensions in cases where, for my
part, am willing to confess that sym
pathy rather than judgment has often
led to the discovery of the relation be-
tween injury or death and military ser
vice, l am constrained by a sense of
public duty to interpose against estab
fishing principle and setting a prece-
dent which must result in unregulated,
partial and unjust gifts of money under
the pretext of indemnifying those who
suffered in their means of support as an
incident of military service.
Busy Examining the Pension Bills.
WASHINGTON, July THE president
has been engaged the past two days in
personally examining the 141 special pen
sion acts delivered to him June oath
which by reason of the time required
by the pension bureau to examine its
records concerning them were only ready
on Saturday for his consideration. He
has carefully studied all the facts pre-
sented i'll the reports made by the con-
gressional committee in each case and the
special reports prepared for his informa-
ton by the pension bureau which are
voluminous and a complete result of his
investigation is twenty bills vetoed. and
12O approved and signed one having been
recalled. During this session of congress
565 special acts have become laws and 80
have been vetoed.