The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-07

ravalrymen during their long rides and furious
charges In the war indicates q state of mind
that incapaeitates. at least temporarily, an
othcial from considering impartiaily pension
claim. It would be we'll if the horns of public
INDIGNATION could be so applied that our soldiers
could get simple justice in times of peace
The President to-day transmitted to the House
messages announcing his disapproval OF twenty
private pension bills Lewis Scanlon filed his
declaration for pension in 1884, alleging that
ne contracted chronic diarrhea in the Black Hawk
war. The records show that he served from
April Is, 1882, to May %, 1882. In vetoing the
bill for his relief, the President says:
II am inclined to think it would have been
fortunate thing If, in this case, it could have
been demonstrated that man could thrive so
we'll with the chronic diarrhea for fifty years as
the case of this old gentleman would prove. The
fact is in this case there is no disability which
can be traced to the thirty days military service
OF fifty four years ago, and / think little 1t any
more infrmity than is usually found IN men OF
the age of the claimant"
In yetoing the bill granting pension to Fran
els Deming, who claims that he contracted
blindness the result of rheumatism incurred in
the service, the President says that
there seems to be no testimony showing the
soldiers condition from the time of his discharge
TO 1880, a period of fifteen years" The Pres-
dent continues: After nineteen years had
elapsed since his discharge from the army. a
pension is claimed for him upon a very shadowy
allegation of the incurrence of rheumatism in
cal examination it appeared that mis- blindness
was caused by amaurosis, which is generally
accepted an affection Of the optic nerve.
am satisfied that fair examination of the facts
in this justifies the statement that the bill
under consideration can rest only upon the
grounds that aid should be furnished to this ex-
soldier because he served in the army, and be-
cause he. a long time thereafter, became blind
disabled and dependent. None of US are en-
titled TO credit for extreme tenderness and con-
sideration toward those who fought their coun-
trys battles; these are sentiments common to all
good citizens the road to the most benefcent
care on the part of the government, and to
deeds of charity and mercy in private life. The
blatant assertion of those who. from motives
that may well be suspected. declare themselves
above all others friends of the soldier, cannot
and affectionate regard Of a grateful
nation. Legislation has been, at the
present session of Congress-, perfected
considerably increasing the rate of pension
In certain cases. Appropriations have also been
made of large sums for the support of national
homes where disabled or needy soldiers
cared for; and within few days liberal sum
has been appropriated for the enlargement 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 special acts which have been passed,
granting pensions in cases where, for smy part,
m willing TO confess that sympathy rather than
Judgment has often led to the discovery of a re-
iation between injury or death and the military
seryice, / am constrained by sense of public
5.aty to interpose against establishing a princi-
pie and setting precedent which must result in
unregulated, partial, and unjust gifts of the pub
JIG money under the pretext OF decentralization OF
chose who suffered in their means OF support as
an incident of military service"