Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-07-16

in their affected Indignation, for they
must have recognized the force of the clear
and eogent reasons set forth by the Presi-
dent as the Involvement to the exercise of
his veto power. What has been said in
Congress on the subject must be regarded
as merely for buncombe and the whole an
linus of it seems to have been to play up
on the prejudices of the all important
soldier vote" with which the Republi-
can party carries on such an unceasing
coquetry, and make political capital if
possible.
1t is most gratifying. however, to OBJ
served that tho Democratic majority OF
the House has had the courage and good
sense to fully sustain the President III the
manly stand he has taken in defending
the public treasury from the inroads Of
such hasty and i'll advised legislation. 1t
seems probable that the Democratic ma
iiority of the House will unite in sustsin-
ing the President in all his vstoes and this
will preclude the possibility of the passage
of the bills over the veto
Whatever may be said 5y partissns fer
partisan purposes and by interested per-
sons, disappointed in receiving gratuities
from the public treasusy, there can be no
doubt that the country will sustain the
President in his action and commend him
for his courage and diligence in thwart-
ing, as far as he has been able, these frau
dulent schemes. 1t cannot be charged
that the Federal government has been par
simonious in dealing with its disabled
soldiers; but on the other hand its great
liberality in this regard cannot fail 10 be
admired. Liberal appropriations amount
ing to many millions of dollars nave been
provided by law for granting pensions TO
all disabled soldiers whose disabilities re-
suited from service in the Federal armies
and those dependent upon them. and these
appropriations have always received the
support of the Democratic party. A reg
ular bureau has been established by law
for auditing these claims, where compe-
tent officers examine with care and DELHI
Grafton the evidences upon which calm
ants of pensions base their claims In no
case where disability has been proved
with any degree of certainty as resu ting
from service in the army or navy, has the
claimant failed of receiving a pension
from the pension bureau.
But. through the instrunentality of dis
honest claim agents and pension attorneys
persons who never dreamt of asking
pension of the government have been in
siigated to coDjure up some kind of an
war; and thus most absurdy frauduen,
claims have been presented. To res rain
the rapacity of these prowling wolves the
pension attorneys, stringent laws have
been enacted, prohibiting them from re-
ceiving percentage of The claim as their
fees; but these laws have proved to he
nugatory and their ubiquitous work goes
on.
Now it is worthy of remark that al of
those persons to whom the Presidext has
refused to sanction the granting of pensions.
have first presented their claims to Re-
publican pension bureau, established I'M
der Republican laws, and they have been
there rejected because no case was made
out. Not satisfied with being thus reject
ed, the indefatigable pension attorneys
have succeeded in convincing(O some
credulous(O Congressman of the merits of
the claims Of their clients and thus,
through the lax and reprehensible meth
DDS which have grown up in Congress.
these unfounded claims have in due time
through private pension bills received the
sanction and endorsement of the lsgisla-
tive branch Of the government. And these
bills have of late been sent to the Presi-
dent by the hundred and the functions of
a pension bureau thus put upon the Chief
Executive of the government. Either the
President had to violate his constitutional
duty, by giving the same tacit acquies-
cence to the passage of these fraudulent
measures that many honest, but negligent
Congressman did, or else he must resolve
himself into pension bureau.
Surprised and indignant at the magni.
tude these frauds have assumed, the Pres
ident has chosen the latter alternative and
though unable to personally examine al
the numerous bills of this character that
have been rushed upon him, has neverthe-
less devoted himself with his Characters
tic zeal and industry to the work and the
result is the numerous vetoss that have
been sent to Congress. This action of the
President will direct the public eye to
these Ubiquitous frauds and will do much
toward their suppression. There can be
no doubt that it will receive the sanction
of all true soldiers, receiving honest pen
sions, as well as all honest citizens who
despise fraud, without regard to party. 1t
is said that the Republicans will print the
caustic report Of the Senate pension COM
mittee as campaign document. That
would be well; but it would be better
still for the Democrats to print the report
as an appendix to the Presidents vetoes
of these fraudulent jobs.
While the American flag WAS being carried
by party of NorwsgiaHs in procession in
Chicago on Monday Of last week it was fred
at by some miscreants from a crowd on the
dewaik, and one Of the paraders was Slightly
wounded. Fearing another riot like that of
tLo IL