New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-22
SUNDAY EDITION.
JAN. "a. 1888.
MR.. CLEVELAND ON PENSIONS
THE PRESIDENTS TALK With JUDGE RIA.


TELLS THE GRAND ARMY COMMANDMENT
CuIEF.
Commander 4 Chief John r. Rea. OF the Grand
Army of the Republic, who has just come on from
Washington, Is spending few days 10 the city look
ing after Grand Army affairs. His rooms at the Bar
ret House have been the headquarters Of the order
since his arrival lie is accompanied By Adjutant-
General Daniel Fish, who like Judge Rea, lives in
minneapolis. On Friday evening Commander Rea
attended reception given him by Lafayette Post and
last evening he was present. at a dinner given by
Uamlto Post In Harlem
While in Washington he held a conference with III,
Grand Army Committee Pensions and also called
on President Cleveland, and consulted with him for
more than an hour the subject of pensions Tho
result Of this conference has stirred up the curiosity
OF many Grand Army men, who want 10 know what
President Cleveland had TO say on the subject and
whether he had modified any of The views y hch led
him to veto many pension bills. Commander
Rea thinks that the Presidents views have changed
and that he is decidedly In accord with the viewf
now taken by the Grand Army. Tho Committee or
Pensions has prepared bill which
was agreed at the Grand Army Encamp.
ment last summer. This bill Is to be
Introduced In Congress this winter II Is substantially
the same one that the President vetoed With the paupcr
clause stricken out 1t was said by Grand Army
men that 50 far could be gathered nom Commander
Icas interview tho bin In present form is not OBJ
jected to By President Clcvelsnd
THE EsIDENT ASKS FOR TIE INTERVIEW
81 did not call the President In reference to
this bll,' Commander lea ssaid last evening To .
TRIBUNE reporter, when asked about the
consultation. The members Of our
committee called at the White House
when he - IL Washington. 1t merely social cal
but the Calnet was in sion, and the President
could not be leh cards. Later In the day
/ received note saying that President Cleveland
would be glad ~ see ME II would call at O'Clock
l met him In Minneapolis his trip last fall
had personal acquaintance with him."
Would you object to giving an account Of Your
interview"
Il would have no objection and would be
peciay glad to give It to TnE TdB-
USE which l have read for forty years. But,
since the consultation was neither official nor conf
Dental, do not feel that statement of should
from This much willing TO say. Our dis
cussion general In character all sorts OF TOPICS
and that OF pensions only mentioned lncilenl ay.
President Cleveland expressed dcs ire that every
who served in the and was deserving Of pension
should have 1t. Nothing whatever was said In re-
lation to his past action. He neither said
that he would approve or dsapproye any bill,
but he did show a kindly feeling toward disabled
soldiers, and those who ed their cOunuy through
the war, and phy sically disabled All that
have said heretofore about our consultation was that
my interview pleasant and satisfactory
You think no Will approve the Grand Army
bII?o
u do not know what he will do, and the En-
ecutlve Officer of the Grand Army, l Wish to avoid
anything that may seem of partisan character IN my
Official action. am Republican,, 'ruck-ribbed Re
publican as are called in my state, and a
pro ,cctionis, but Democrats and Republicans with
arc OF ono mind ON this subject Of penrlons.'
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE INTERVIEW.
Adju ant General Fish In further conversai ion
about Commander itea's interview, gave what he
had heard Of is character Commander lea. he lad,
dent Cleveland in MEnca. oils and acted as escort
to Mrs. Gle Gland. TIC President, Genera h,sh
sad, apparently entertained warm feeling toward
Juu-o ,d ad sent Tor MN pe soliiy ~ ,s-i d. 'no
White Ii use
do not understand he said, that If interview
confidential aud it was not SO told to me- Tho
President himself h>t bI cached IL. sJp!cc. of pm
and judge R"a told him ~ the Grand Ar"y
desired 10 do Mr.. Cleveland IN reply sad In a IA.
mil.ar way: You Know. Judge, thai grea. lot vi
scaiawags have ben getting pensions all over tho
country
wi bout dcservine hcm Judge kea sad N re ~:
Many Of those you speak of Lad
Ln-.f Lo,p'al .eeon wIie" enaelsi ,4 ,..a
the Grand Army now wishes to do IS to secure pen
sions for mer who deserving: who fought through
the war and, perhaps, never received wound, but
whose constitutions undermined by the leo,
and who are. as result, now physical WRECKS. They
are not provided by he pension law and thousands
Of them arc scattered the country
"Of course added General Fish. u do not give
this word for word. but In substance. as u was tod
me. President Cleveland admitted the justice Of srch
pensions. and Judge Rea related the case OF soldier
"a ncighbor Of his who is crippled and useless from
such a man. who had served honorably, deserved a
pension TO this President Cleveland replied that no
did not think that any sensible man could 2oJ,ci no
his to sign the pension BILL n one Is passed.
doubts whether the present Congress VIII pas
any pension bL'