The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-05-22
From Washington.
IRON our Regular Correspondent
WILMINGTON. Nav 10, 1855

been that OF carefully examining PrN"t
pension bills. He was supposed to hav
work enough TO do already without assuming
ANY new burdens; but it seems he feels tn
necessity Of taking a hand himself in the re
treacbment campaign which Mr.. Hewitt an'
some other influential Democrats have begun
IN the House of Representatives. MIR. Cieve
lands predecessors have generally regarded
life as too short to spent in examining thu
class oflegislation with special care.
They have contented themselves with the
assurance that Congress had opportunities
for investigating the claims in the most
through manner, and that if The bills had
got through both Houses there must have
been some merit ia them.
A few days since rumor about the Cap
ital, to The effect that any further raids upon
the Treasury would be combatted by the
Presidents vete, created q considerable sen
sation. President Cleveland is the first
President, it is said, who has undertaken to
scrutinze private bills. But he became
alarmed at the reckless way Congress was
rushing pension business. A fortnight ago
the Senate alone, in one day, passed $50 such
bills, after merely reading their titles This
hurried and careless way Of taking money
out of the National Treasury struck the
President as eminently improper, and he
began sending TO the Pension Office for the
records in order to satisfy his mind concern
ing each of the cases which have thus far
come before him. 1t is, perhaps, no more
than the Presidents duty, but il is duty
which has rarely been performed and the
question is where Mr.. Cleveland is going to
find the time for the pursuit. Sf his excellent
policy.
No speech probably has been made during
the present session Of Congress which has
created so much Of a sensation as the one
delivered by Mr.. Hewitt on Thursday, when
he protested against any further raids upon
the Treasury under the name of bounties or
other benefits 0: that kind to soldiers Of the
late war. Most Of these propositions are
i'll considered, and although for seventy.iye
years to come the south will be helping to
psy pensions to the soldiers and to the
widows Of the soldiers of the north =
southern member cannot raise question as
10 the propriety Of any Of these grabs, with.
out rendering himself lube to charges of
disloyalty, fippantly and cheaply brought.
The reference made by the gentleman
from New York to the peculiar position Of
southern members, who are thus embar.
raised when they would like to oppose these
ruinous schemes according to their convic.
tions. was especially :elevant and timely.
He declared that the limit of endurance on
the part of the tax payer had been reached
and that the discomfort, on account of exces-
sive taxation, was breaking out in riots,
dynamite and death. "Those who wanted to
dive their hands down into the Treasury
said he, "take advantage Of the delicate po-
sition in which the southern men are placed,
being subject to the charge Of dislOyalty if
they resist the steal" But no one could
make this charge against him and he would
make the fight.
The great river and harbor grab which
went through the House after discussion
extending over several weeks, takes from
River Commissions their power and gives it
TO the Secretary of War. During the debate
an opponent Of the measure severely crit.
csed it, No grandeur of place, he said,
nor insignifcance Of spot was ignored. The
bill reached everywhere. 1t was not re.
stricted by any unpronounceable name, by
any obscuriiy Of situation, or by any diff
Guilty Of ACCESS. There was nothing that
seemed to be too incredible to be contained
in this bill. The disfraRchised citizens of
the Capitol join issue with this assertion,
however, and are indignant because an APP
preparation for the Potomac Flats was omit.
red Because of this neglect of their own
fair river they hold the bill is too impuden,
to go unrebuked They contend that its oh
ject WAS not to deepen the channel of noble
streams, or to benefit the property of the
whole American people. Its real purpose
was TO insure the return Of n lot of Con
gressmen to their seats in the House at the
coming elections. All that the people of the
District of Columbia are allowed to do, you
know, is to pay their share of taxes for the
improvement of other peoples rivers and
harbors, bluffs and flats, creeks and coves.
They have no representation in Congress no
votes. They belong to the people of the
United States, absolutely, and are governed
BY them. That is why they complain of be-
ing ignored when Congress is distributing
fifteen millions OF dollars.
--SsS-
Griggs' GIycerine Salve.
The best on earth can truly be said of