The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-07-13
HIS CRITICS ANSWERED.
President Cleveland Replies to the Report
of the Senate Pension Committee, and
Defeuds His Many Vetoes

President Cleveland Replies to the Report
of the Senate Pension Committee, and
Defeuds His Many yetoes.
WASHINGTON, July 6.-The President sent
to Congress yesterday message vetoing
a bill granting a pension to Mary Anne
Doherty. 1t says that large share of the
report of the Senate Committee ON Pen
siolts adopted also by the House Commit
tee) consists of the petition in which the
woman says that her husband who had
served IL a New Jersey regiment, left
her IN 1865 and has not been heard Of
since. She had received a pension as the
widow Of Daniel Doherty until it was dis
covered that he was alive and living in
Philadelphia and was himself drawing
pension there. She had succeeded in
getting the pension in the first instance
by much false swearing. The police rec
ords of Washington, where she has been liv-
ing, showed her to be a woman of very
bad character, and that she had been
under arrest nine times for drunkenness,
larceny, creating disturbances and other
misdemeanors. The President then enters
upon consideration of pension legislation
generally, and says:
II can not spell out any principle upon which
through the instrumentality of the flood OF pri-
waite pension bills that reach me. The theory
seems to have been adopted that man WHO
seSved in the army can be the subject of death
nor impaired health except they are chargeable
to his service. Medical theories are set at
naught, and the most startling relation iS
claimed between alleged incidents of military
service and disability or death. Total
apoplexy is admitted as the result of quite
insignificant l.. h
uted to chronic diarrhea, consumption to
hernia, and suicide is traced to army
service in wonderfully devious and curious
way. Adiudications Of the pension bureau
are overruled in the most peremptory fashion
by these special acts of Congress, since nearly
all the benefciaries named in these bills have
unsuccessfully applied to that bureau for re-
lief.
.This course of special legislation operates
very unfairly. Those with certain influence or
friends to push their claims procure pensions
and those who have neither friends nor in
huence must be content with their fate under
general laws. 1t operates unfairly by increas-
ing in numerous instances the pensions of
those already on the roll, while many other
more deserving cases. from the lack of fort.
innate advocacy, are obliged to be content with
the sum provided by general laws.
The apprehension may well be entertained
sion bills are passed furnishes an inducement
to fraud and imposition, while it certainly
teaches the vicious lesson to our people that
the Treasury of the National Government in
vites the approach of private need.
None OF us should be in the least wanting
in regard for the veteran soldier, and I will
yield to no man in a desire to see those who
defended the Government when it needed
defenders literally treated. Unfriendlness
ic aoo i1u
and sometimes dishonesty made 1 in
sist that the true soldier is good
citizens and that he will be satisfied with gen.
erous, fair and equal consideration to those
who are worthily entitled to help. have con.
sidered the pension list of the Republic roll OF
honor, bearing the names inscribed by National
gratitude, and not by improvident and
indiscriminate alms-giving. I have con
ceived the prevention of the com.
plete discredit which must ensue from
the unreasonable, unfair and reckless granting
Of pensions by special acts to be the best serv
ice can render our veterans. In the discharge
OF what has seemed to me my duty as related
to legislation and in the interest of all the vet
Grams of the Union army, have attempted te
stop the tide of improvident pension enact
ments, though confess to a full share Of re-
sponsiblity for some of these laws that should
not have been passed"
of merit which can not be reached except by
special enactment but do not believe there is
member of either house of Congress who will
not admit that this kind of legislation has been
carried too far. have now before me more than
100 special pension bills which can hardly be ex-
amined within the time allowed for that par-
pose. My aim has been at all times in dealing
with bills of this character to give the appli-
can't for pension the benefit Of any doubt that
might arise and which balanced the proprety
of granting pension if there seemed any just
foundation for the application; but when it
seemed entirely outside of every rule in its
nature or the proof supporting it have sup.
posed did only my duty in interposing an OBJ
lection.
'It seems to me it would be well if all our
general pension laws should be revised, with a
view of meeting every meritorious case
that can arise. Our experience and knowl
edge of any existing deficiencies ought
to make the Enactment of complete
pension code possible. In the absence
of such revision, and if pensions are to be
granted upon equitable grounds and without
regard to general laws; the present methods
would be greatly improved by the establish
ment of some tribunal to examine the facts in
every case and determine upon the merits OF