Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-12
a PENSION VETO.
The President in q Veto Gives Hrs Views on
Private Pension Bills.

The President in Veto Gives HIS Views on
Private Pension Bills.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE President, in
vetoing another pension bill yesterday,
entered upon a consideration OF pension
legislation generally and sail:
can not spell out any principle upon which
the bounty OF the Government is bestowed
through the fundamentally Of the food 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 10 death
or impaired health except that they are charge
able 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 Fatal apople1y
is admitted as the result OF quite insignIh-
cant wounds, heart disease is attributed
to chronic diarrhea- consumption 10
hernia and suicide is traced TO army service IL
a wonderfully devious and curious way. Ad-
Indications Of the Pension Bureau are overruled
in the most peremptory fashion by these spc-
cial acts Of Congress, since nearly all the bene-
ficiaries named in these bills have unsucceSs-
fully applied 70 that bureau for relief. This
course Of special legislation perates very IN
fairly. Those with certain influence or friends
to push their claims secure pensions, and those
who have neither friends nor influence must be
content with their fate upder the general laws
II operates unfairly by increasing ia numerous
instances the pensions of those already on the
roll while many other more deserving cases
from the lack Of fortunate advocacy are ooilged
to be content with the sum provided by the gen.
eral laws.
The apprehension may well be entertained
that the freedom with which these private pen
sion bills are passed furnishes inducemenL
to fraud and imposition, while 1t certainly
teaches the vicious lesson TO our people that the
treasury of the National Government invites
-. NAra aNNN chx.rnld
be in the least wanting in regard for the veteran
soldier, and will yield TO no man in desire to
see those who defended the Government when
il needed defenders literally treated. Unfrlend-
illness to our veterans is q charge easily and
sometimes dishonesty made. I insist that the
true soldier is good citizen and that he viii
be satisfied with generous, fair and equal con-
sideration for those who are worthily entitlvd
10 help have considered the pension list OF
the Republic u roll Of homer, bearing the names
inscribed by National gratitude and not by i'm
provident and indiscriminate almsgiving. l
have conceived the prevention Of the complete
discredit which must ensue from the unreason-
able, unfair and reckless granting OF pensions
by special acts to be the best service San rem
der our veterans. In the 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 improvident pension enactments, though
confess to full share OF responsibility for some
Of these laws that should not have been passed
1 am far from denying that there are cases Of
merit which can not be reached except by
special enactment but do not believe there is
a member of either house OF Congress who will
not admit that this kind Of legislation has been
carried too far. 1 have now before me more
than one hundred special pension bills, which
can hardly be examined within the time al
lowed for that purpose. My aim has been at
all times, in dealing with bills OF this character
TO give the applicant for pension the benefit OF
any doubt that might arise and which balanced
the propriety OF granting pension il there
seemed any just foundation for the appnca-
ton, but when it seemed entirely outside OF
every rule in its nature or the price OF support
ing it, have supposed 1 did only my duty in
interposing an objection. It seems TO me that
it would be well if our general pension laws
should be revised with view of meeting every
meritorous case that can arise. Our expert
ence and knowledge of any existing DEFICIENCIES
ought to make the enactment OF complete
pension code probable. In the absence OF such
a 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 establishment Of some
tribunal to examine the facts in every case and
determine upon the merits Of the application.
The President also returned without his
approval the Senate bill to grant a pension
to ]. B. Morton, Of Nebraska, as the de-
pendent father of Calvin Morton. The
father claimed that his son was killed in
battle with the Indians in the Custer mas
sacre in 1876 The President in his mes
sage says: His name does not appear in
any record Of the soldiers engaged in that
battle. Considering the complete list OF
the casualties attending this battle now
in the War Department, it must be con-
ceded that the death of the son of the
beneficiary is far from being satisfactorily
established. The claim of the father is
still pending in the Pension Bureau. and
perhaps with further effort more informa-
ton on the subject may be obtained"
The Senate bill to pension Polly b.
Smith. widow of Lieutenant j. 81.
Smith, Second artillery, who served in the
army from 1854 to 1876. was also returned
without Executive approval, on the ground
that his death had no connection with the
service in the army.