The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-06
THOSE FAMOUS VETOED PENSION BILLS.
The President Tells How Much More
He Knows of Them
Than the Congress by Which They
Were Passed,
And Recommends Tribunal to Try
The Veterans Claims.

WASHINGTON, July 5.--Presdent Cleve-
land today returned several Senate pension
bills without approval, giving his reasons in
each case. He also enters upon the consid-
Grafton Of pension legislation generally, and
says: 81 cannot spell out any principle up
on which the bounty of the government is
bestowed, through the instrumentality of
the flood of private pension bills that reach
me. The theory seems to have been adopted
that no man who served in the army can be
subject to death or impaired health except
they are charged to his service Medical au-
thorities are set at naught, and the most
startling relation is claimed between alleged
incidents of military service and disability
or death. Fatal apoplexy is admitted as
result OF quite insignificant wounds. Heart
disease is attributed to.chronic diarrhoea;
consumption to hernia, and suicide is traced
to army service. 1t is a wonderfully devious
and curious way. The adjudications of the
pension bureau are oyerruled in most per-
emptory fashion by these special acts of
Congress- Since nearly all the benefciaries
named in these bills have unsuccesStully ap-
piled to that bureau for relief, this course of
a special legislation operates very unfair
ly. Those with certain influences
or friends to push .their claims-procure
pensions. Those who have neither friends
nor influence must be content with their fate
under the general law. 1t operates unfairly
by increasing in numerous instances PEN
sions OF those already on the roll while
many other more deserving losers, from the
lack of fortunate advocacy are obliged to be
content with the sum provided by the gen.
eral laws. Apprehension may well be enter
talned that the freedom with which these
private pension bills are passed furnishes
an inducement to fraud and imposition while
it certainly teaches vicious lesson to our
people, that the treasury of the national
government invites approach of private
need. None of us should be in the least
wanting in regard for the veteran soldiers.
/ will yield to no man in my desire to see
those who defended the government, when
1t needed defenders, liberally treated. I'M
frlendllness to our veterans is char ge
easily and sometimes dishonesty, made. /
insist that true soldier is good citizen
and that he will be satisfied with generous,
falr and equal consideration for
those who are worthily entitled to
help. have considered the pension
list OF the Republic, the roll of honor bear
Ing the names inscribed by national graft
tude, not by improvident, indiscriminate
aims giving. | have conceived that the pre-
vention of the complete discredit which must
ensue from unreasonable, unfair and reck-
be the best service / can render our
veterans. In discharge Of what seemed to
me my duty as related to legislation and in
the interest of all the veterans of the Union
army. have attempted to stem the tide of
improyident enactmentS, though l confess to
a full share of responsibility for some of
these cases that should nothave been passed.
l am lar from denying there are cases of
merit which cannot De reached except by
special enactment, but do not believe there
Is a not member of either House of Congress
who will not admit that this kind of legisla-
tion has been carried too far. have now be-
fore me more than one hundred special pen
sionbills which can hardly De examined
within the time allowed for that purpose. My
ing with bills of this character,
to give the applicant for the pension the bene
fit of any doubt that might arise, which bal
anced the prosperity OF granting pensions
If there seems any just foundation for the
application. But when it seemed to be en-
tirely outside of every rule, in its nature or
the proof supporting it, have supposed, [
only did my duty in interposing objec-
tlon. 1t seems to me it would be well if 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 make
the enactment of a complete pension possi-
BILE. 1t the absence of such revision, and if
pensions are to be granted upon equitable
grounds without regard to the general law,
the present methods would be greatly i'm
proved by the establishment of some tribu-
nan to examine the facts in every case and
determine upon the merit of the application.
The Pension List.
The following Maine pensions were grant
today:
ORIGINAL, INVALID.
Brance Woodworth, Egypt
David Flanagan, navy, National Military Home.
Samuel Leighton, CoOper's Mills.
Lorenzo Pennington, deceased, Bucksport.
INCREASE.
Robert Bunker, Harmony.
Luther Stone, Jr., Machias
VIM. w. Brown, Harmony
Sewell l.. Haywood, Bueksport.
REISSUE AND INCREASE.
Eli Andrews, Caribou.
ORIGINAL WIDOWS, ETC.
Susan G., widow of George w. Hunt, Gardiner.
Arana Is. neither of Eugene A. Chaplin Orring-