New-York tribune., 1888-08-29
CAN SUCH THINGS BE
,,,,r &c PLAIN DUTY FOR CONGRESS.


,v ,vnrrrsnrp--wiiAr WILL. IT COST
,.v rxLroRAru IHE rKiBUSE)
x-,,nr,o, Aug 2S-The Retaliation message
.,I, orc expression OF the sense OF desperation
- ovc,whclms the President snd his political
.dy;s.r. Il was onc which be could nct refrain
,,om making public Private expressions Of the
sam. sort are not wanting, but as far as prac-
,ic,ble. they are withheld from the public ear. 1t
now becomes the duty o. The Tribune correspond
ent TO call attention 70 one OF these quiet express
sior. Wb,- tire Administration organs have over
flowed with praise of the pension vrtces. the man
asrrs Of Mr Clevcland's canvass have bern brought
70 realize that the veto messages. with their cruel
sippancy. had excited the active hostility OF Union
veterans and their friends. irrespective OF party
and that something must be done The " some
thing decided upon is briefly this: The prepara-
ficn and circulation OF campaign document dc-
voted to a defense Of tbe vctcc,
This document WITH which it is proposed 70
Good Indiana Ohio an4 other States which were
loyal 10 The Govcrnmeni while Mr.. Clevclands
Southern friends were seeking TO destroy tn"
Union, viii contain. OF course citations from
such OF the veto messages only contain no
phrasrs which can hc construed as insnlts 10 the
soldiers and friends OF TIC Union. Thc prepara-
ton OF this document was begun some two weeks
ago.
Where9 In the Pension Bureau in this city
q public building which belongs not 10 Ir. Ctevc-
land nor 70 the Democratic National Committee,
but tc The Government Of the United States
By whom By six clerks or special examiners.
more or less. of sand Pension Bureau. who are paid
by the United States, and assisted by scores OF
clerks and copyis's. who also, are paid from the
Treasury OF the United States.
The whole outfit is under the supervision
L.
receives pension OF $1,000 per annum, plus
salary Of $1,000 per year and travelling eN-
pcnscs which, in the course OF the last year, ex-
ceclcd those OF the General of the Army OF the
United States. Black, again, is under the orders
and subject TO the control OF the Democratic
National Committee. Four OF tue SIX clerks or
special examiners, who arc and have been employed
on the document mentioned are named, res
pectivcly, James KAnncIly, Sl,i00 per year;
Samuel r Ilcrscy, 81 500; William Smith, $4,000,
end Abdl w. Fisher, $1,000. In thcir work tie
elk persons mentioned have been authorized to
call TO their assistance such otcr clerks, copyists,
ETC. rs may bc necessary, and the archives OF the
Pension Bureau have been placed at tbcir disposal
for all purposes relating TO their Investigations
and labOrs. . .
Ii is not too much 70 say that the adjudication
and settlement OF many claims OF Disabled veterans
end needy widows have been postponed by, ana
on account Of thus campaign work which Is now
in nrorrcss solely for the benefit OF Grover Clcvc-
land lie must feel like q sort OF Jcnsoncr Dln-
self, although neither lie nor his iatc substitute
ever had his nam- actually placed on the rolls OF
the Pension Bdreau, where Blacks name hcads
all the rest.
II IS said that the work will be completed next
week and it may he hoped that the persons en-
gagged upon il will then be permitted TO resume
their legitimate duties. II may b. fairy est natcd
that bv the time the work is done and the manu-
script forSardcd-postage tree-to Chairman brice
The actual Gust of IL in dollars, saying nothing ol
tbc drraoralization and arrangement oil tie once,
or DELAY IL the settlement of deserving claims, VIII
must come out Of the money appropriated Tor the
uistratinn of the pension ocrvlce nus stc'is
n small sum; il is small sum III IS ohly u
little more than four timcs Black anhai p,lsiol
Probaby il is not more than oncthlrd the amount
"saved' by all Of Clevelands Neiocs ol lhdi-
NiGual pension bills H. is only onc-hail a. hiuch
rs he las contributed to the Democratic cam
pairn fund ont Of his own salary ID "lN Slleht,y
sxcccds tic amount required TO pay Tor Whole
year the pension OF fity-two pensioners al tne
fetal disability rate Of SS per Ei"ntb' ~ -
chtap: but what do the Union veterans thlhk
81 ii-sav the 1900 needy and destitute vet
slmshouscs AS Clcvelands substitute was
or course there is another matter also 10 he con,
.idrrcd TIE clerks nd Others who are engaged
in this work are liable 10 prosecution ana pun
isllpent under the penal provisions Of the SNu
Service law hut they would lose their places
snecdilv If they should refuse t. d. the task
7I,c official or officials hy and under whose dlrec-
,;or or br whose consent such thing Is dong are
i;sh,. to like prosecution and punishment More,
over. a public officer WHO imposes an una" AZ AZ
tasL unon a public empityc Is g llty oi d.
;on tsn Of nubiic funds and is liable 10 prosecu-
.inn nnder the statAte prescribing penalurs Iot
,noIfcasance in office and embczzlcment OF me
nubhc money In word tIe hatI'r , - 40 I "; :; %
rs to demand speedy ana thofousn oS+ bn
nv Congress 1t is duty which cannon DC