Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-09

ant acknowledged that he bad promised to
nav a rascally attorney onethird Of the
money paid upon the claim, and it was
further shown that there had been no sand
storm, such as he alleged. The Presidents
opinion is thus tersely expressed: II be-
lieye this claim for pension to be fraud
from beginning to end, and the effrontery
With which it has been pushed shows the
necessity of careful examination Of these
cases"
Mrs. Randoll, who asks pension, Is the
widow of 8 soldier of the war OF 1Sl2,
named Antipas Tabor, who died abroad in
1881, having never been upon the pension
rolls or having applied for pension.
Twenty-Five years after his death his
widow married again and lived with her
second husband, who was civilian, for
twenty years. What claim she can have ON
the government appears to be very knotty
problem 70 solve. Then we have the case
Of q Union soldier who never applied for
pension, but who committed suicide thir-
teen years after the war. His widow
claims q pension. Suicide certainly can
not be regarded a. death incurred in the
service of ones country. 0ne STRYEER,
an appropriate name, claimed that he had
received an injury Immediately after his
enlistment, bat the medical examiners
tailed &c discover any such injury.
Another msn took an overdose of lsuds-
num and the President rightly says he
cannot see how the government should be
held responsible for the consequences.
Then there is an ex-soldier who was
killed by asnow-slids in Colorado in 1884,
and pension asked for his mother. A
Michigan soldier, who received an injury
while logging long after the war, claims
that it WAS in defense of his country.
Apoplexy carried of another soldier fifteen
years after he left the army, and his
widow wants the government to pay her
pension on account OF his death. Major
PrArr, of Kentucky, on the retired list OF
the regular army, committed suicide.
The Presidents veto of the pension Of
MARY ANN DOUGHERTY, widow" is
current history. Her bill passed both
Houses Of Congress, and the petition was
endorsed by the Admiral and several other
officers OF the navy and distinguished
clergyman of Washington certifying that
they knew Mrs. DoUGHERTY and believed
her facts to be true, yet this woman Is one
of VIGOROUSLY bad character, not widow,
but with husband living and drawing
pension himself
Il cannot always" says the President
in his veto message accompanying the bill,
spell out any principle upon which the
bounty of the Government is bestowed
through the fundamentally Of the flood
of private pension bills that reach me"
and be adds:
The theory seems to have been adopted
be the subject of death or impaired health
Except they were chargeable to his service.
Medical theories are set at naught, and the
most startling relation is claimed between
alleged instances of military service and
disability or death. Fatal apoplexy is sd-
United as the result of quite insignificant
wounds; heart disease is attributed TO
chronic diarrhea; consumption TO hernia,
and suicide Is traced to army service In a
wonderfully devious and curious way.
Authorizations of the Pension Bureau are
oyerruled in the most peremetory fashion
by these special acts Of Congress, since
nearly a.. the benefcisries named in these
bills have unsuecessfully tapplied to that
Bureau for relief. 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 influence must
be content with their fate under the gen
eral laws. 1t operates unfairly by increas-
ing in numerous instances the pensions OF
those already on the rolls, while many
other more deserving cases, from the lack
of fortunate advocacy, are Obliged to be
content with the sums provided by general
laws. Tne apprehension may well be en-
tertained that the freedom with which
these private pension bills are passed furn-
ishes an inducement TO fraud and imposi-
ton, while 1t certainly teaches
the vicious lesson to our people that the
Treasury Of the National Government in
vites the approach Of private need. None
of rs should be in the least wanting in re-
gard to the veteran soldiers, and / will
yield to no man in desire to see those
who defended the Government when 1t
needed defenders literally treated. Un-
friendliness to our veterans is . charge
easily and sometimes dishonesty made.
insist that the true soldier is 3 good citi-
zen. and that he will be satisfied with gen.
erous, fair and equal consideration for
those who are worthily entitled to help.
have considered the pension list Of the
Republic 8 roll Of honor bearing names in
scribsd By National gratitude and not by
imp-oyidents aud indiscIiminste alms-giving
have conceived 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
service can render our veterans In the
duty IS related to legislation and IN the in
tsres. of all the veterans Of the Union
Army, l hsve attempted 10 stem the tide
OF improyident pension ensctments, though
confess to a foil share Of responsibility
for some Of these laws that should not have
been passed. am far from denying that
there are cases of merit which cannot be
reached except BY special enactment; but
do not believe there ia member Of either
House of Congress who will not sdmit that
this kind of legislation has been carried too
fSr.
I have now before me more than one hun
drsd special pension bills which can hardly
be examined within, the time allowed for
that purpose. My aim has been At ali
times, in dealing with bills OF this chsrse
ter, to give the applicant for pension the
benefit Of any doubt that might arise and
which balanced the propriety of granting
4 pension, il there seemed any Just founda-
ton for the application; but when it
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