The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-20
aosE PENSION yErors.
Reasons oivsa By Fresid.at Cleveland for Offer
log Private Pension Leslslstios.

~. INC president . cent to congress message
sse nas oili granting pension to Mary
"fth . r ro ~. s.a.es 'naI urge shnr
y. .ne report % the senate committee ON pen.
"m";.,s .f ~ a,s1 ~ inc nnMse Gommi,)
s""s thnt ~" in ., y when ,ne woman
in Now lcrrcv s' rosimSM Mn" I'M mo served =,
,, "" , mn;, nns no. Decn nenrd 81 since. She
;s hlSa.t t." !n \. as Inc WIDOW OF Dan
IT,! non:trty, 9nun u was discovered TINT he
mas a,.ve anu living M Philadelphia. and was
.,,..se.i usHwlng pension there. she had
s ;'Ia. IN gcung the pension IN the first
lnetnncc ~ musn inise swearing: The police
,!'. o. Warrington (whcrc slc has been
,Mlnsl snoWet nef 20 I'M woman "fvcry bud
cnaractcr, anu TINT she hal been under arrest
. i:ne .ihcs inr drnnErnnrss lnTcny, creating
.' 's'usOahcss anu other msdcuicnnurs. The
p..siaeht tnen enters upon II consideration
i""s . .es;lsiati@n generally and snys:
slowed through the instrumrntnlity Of the
no mo. o private pension bills that teach mo.
ame theory seems to have lnrn adopted that
hn man VINO served m the army can l@ th"
snnl'rt ot death. or impaired health, except
they are chargeahlc to his service. Mr'liral
tneorics are set ut nnuglt and the most
s'af!'ihE relation IN claimed between alleged
incidents Of military service and disability
or d'sth: Fatal npop'cxy is admitted Z"
ii.e result Of quite insignificant wounds: heart
o'se's" IL attributed to chronic darr'lma,
consumption to- hernia, dn,l suicide is traced
10 army service IN wonderfully devious
anu curious way. Atljni,ati"ns of the pcn-
sion hurcau are ovcrt,Ilr'i III the most
p'rrmptory fashion 10y the slnsnl
: u. OF congress, since nearly all
NJ beneticiaries named in these
l''is nave insurcssfully applied to this bm
tca'i ior reiiei This course oi special lrsisla-
non operates very unfairly. y iiosc with Ger
lam influence or friends to pisl, their claims
procure pensions, but those with neither in
iiuchrr nor friends must content themselves
with their fate under general laws. II ol@r-
atcs unfairly i'y increasing i'll numerous in
stances the pensions OF those already on the
roll, while many other more deserving cases.
from the lack of fortunate advorary, ar.
Obliged to ic content with the sum provided
by general laws. The apprehension may well
tG entertained that the freedom with which
these private pension bills are passed fur.
!,'shcs an inducement to fraud and
imposition, while it certainly teaches
me virions lesson or plea that the
TREASURY, of the national government
invites the approach nf Irivat" need. None
OF us should t9 in ~" least wanting in regard
tor the veteran soldier. and will yield To no
man in n desire I" s's' tl,"ss who .cf'm,lci the
government when It. Observation-Disclosures il"rally
treated. unfrien,ilinrss to our veterans il II
Charge ensily and sometimes dishonesty
mace. insist that the tiil" soldier isa
good citizen and that he will he satisfied with
generous, fair and equal consideration for
hose who are wnrtlily entitled To help. ]
have considered the pension list of the rrpub-
lie y roll Of honor learns names inscribed by
national gratitude, and not by impr"viirnt
and i'lisrriminnte aims giving. have con-
rrly.i the prevention "f thccomplctc ,lisrrclt
w',irl'm,ist ensuc from tl,eun'asonablc,u nfair
ami reckless granting Of pensions by special
acts. to be the best service can render our
Veterans. In the discharge of what has
seemed TO- me my duty az related to lrsisla.
ION ana III the lntcr's, "f all tho Veterans of
tiH mon army, have attempted to stem