Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-10-27


cratic party Ia unfrendly 10 the soldier
because President Cleveland, in tho ex.
ercise of his constitutional right and
duty, has seen tit TO veto about s. other
pension bills which have passed. TheV
denounce him for vetoing these private
pension bills.
IA large majority OF the pension bills
which President Cleveland has vetoed
had been rejected by the pension Office
while IL was under control of republican
commissioners. The officials and clerks
in that Office and the medical boards
throughout the country were composed
almost exclusively of the partisans N
that party. IL will not be pretended by
gentlemen on the other SIDE of the house
that the pension office was unfriendly
70 the soldiers of the country and to
honest pensioners when these cases were
rejected. The president is required TO
exercise the same care in approving pen
'ion bills that ought 10 be exercised by
the officials in the pension office. For
toiug this he is entitled 10 the thanks of
the honest pensioners OF the country
md TO the gratitude of the whole people.
In this respect as in all others, he is adj.
m ''''o erino his high Off &c as a sacred
public trust
mr. opoaAer, the further statement Is
made that the record of the democratic
oarty shows unfriendliness TO pensions.
| call attention 10 the fact that during
he fiscal year Just closed the admin.
3tratiOn OF the pension Office under Gen.
Black has caused payments to pension.
| ers 10 be made TO the amount Of So 600
| DOO N excess OF "a ose made during the
| previous fiscal year. This is the record
| that the democratic commissioner of
| pensions has made during the first fiscal
| year OF his official term.
Mr.. Speaker, il further appears that
since Commissioner Black assumed
charge of the pension Office up to May
| H. 1885, he issued 10 pensioners ceriiti
Gates to tho number of 1902 $50, being 10
| per cent more tnau the number issued
oy his predecessor during like period
| " time when the total number issued
| vas "a 705. =
The number Of original pension Ger.
| iflcates issued during the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1884, was 1872. The
lumber issued from July /, 1884 10
| March. 16 1885, inclusive, was 10 S64
rom March II, 1885 the time General
| Black took charge of the office, 10 June
| 30 1856 there have been Issued SO 1853
original pension certificates The num-
| Der issued during the fiscal ear Just
closed being 40 1852 the total number OF
certificates of every description issued
| turing the fiscal year ending June 30,
| 1886, is 81 422, and the amount paid out
turing said year on account OF pensions
8 sos, TAI $50.
This record for prompt and efficient
action in granting pension certifica ses is
without parallel in the history OF the
pension office. The thousands of pen,
siOuers OF the country will remember
with lasting gratitude the present com.
missioner OF pensions for his untiring
forts ia their behalf The politicians
may reviie him for exposing the manner
n which they prcstituted the pension
office for political and partisan purposes,
nut the honest pensioners Of the country
will forever regard him as their friend
and benefactor.
AL these facts are cited for the pur-
pose OF demonstrating that the demo-
cratic party Of the country has conclu-
3ively SHOWN its desire TO relieve the
necessities OF the pensioners.
IL has been charged that under dem
ocratic administration the ex soldier had
been at a disadvantage, yet il is matter
If record that in the year 1894, when
more eX. soldiers were employed in the
administration of the pension bureau
han at any previous time of the history
81 that bureau, and when there were
anon the pay rolls 6G9 employees, that
$40 or fraction less than one-third.
we're ex soldiers. IL is also a matter OF
record that the total number Of appoint
ments under q democratic administra-
ton from March II, 1885, TO June 30,
1886, was 170, aud Of this number 80, or
So per cent. Of all the appointments
made were ex soldiers; so that the num-
1er OF ex.soldiers upon the pay roll
June 30 1885 under democratic admins
ration is $50, as against $40 when a.
democratic commissioner of pensions-
entered upon the incumbency Of that