The National tribune., 1888-11-01
OYER 100000 VETOES.
President CIeveIand's True Rec
ord on Pension Claims.

The chief cornerstone Of the defense of
the President against the charge of inyeter-
ate hostility to veterans is theassertion that
since he has been in Office he has approved
I 500 private pension bills, or more than any
Of his predecessors.
We're this true it would be an absurdly
inadequate defense. What beggarly frac-
ton 1869 is of the whole number of veterans
and veterans widows who are disabled and
destitute, and justly entitled to the relief
from the National Treasury! It is scarcely
one in a hundred of those who are no less
deserving of justice than those for whom
bills have been passed and approved.
Two years ago the Invalid Pensions Com
mittee Of the House of Representatives
estimated that there were about $4,000 old
soldiers dependent upon public charity for
support.
This did not include the widows and
orphans Of veterans who had been left in
destitute circumstances, and were therefore
proper objects Of the Nations care.
Nor did it take into account the thousands
more Of all classes whose minds revolt
against the idea Of going to the poorbouse,
who are supported outside those institutions
by Grand Army Posts or by private benevo-
lence; or those who, TOO proud to receive
charity Of any kind, are fighting grinding
poverty on The bsggarIy pittance their d.
minisEed strengthwill allow them to earn.
This was two years ago. The two years
which have elapsed since then have made
frightfuI threads upon the health and
strength of the veterans and their depend
ent ones It has increased immensely the
number of these whose disabilities cry day
and night for relief, and to whom relief is
justly due.
The bill which the Grand Army of the
Republic urged for years, which in one form
or another was repeatedly passed by both
Houses Of Congress separately, and at last
conformity, and which was vetoed by the
President, you'd, according to the esti-
mates of the best-informed, have put on the
pension roll at least 10000 dependent par
ents, 10000 disabled veterans, 10000 widows
and 10000 minor children, or at least 100000
in all
How pitifuIly mean does the Presidents
boosted ], 369 appear by contrast!
/ Nor is it true that lie approved this
number, as his defenders would make out.
Forabout one-third this number he could not
ind even so thin excuses for vetoing as he
employed in vetoing the hundreds which he
actually refused to sign. So he disapproved
them by Withholding his signature, but they
became laws by Constitutional provision.
He IS consequently entitled to no credit for
their becoming laws, except the negative
credit Of not doing cruel and unjust deed
where he had the power.
ms, theni is the situation IN nutshell
Where the Grand Army of the Republic ear
nestly asked for relief for at least 100000
veterans and their dependent ones, and
where this relief was voted by Demo
cratic House and a Republican Senate, ii
was vetoed and denied by Mr. Cleveland
who gave instead a grudging relief to some
500, aud did not actively interfere to pre-
vent its being given to some 500 more!
| Yet, with this record, 8fr. Cleveland claims
to be a friend of the soldiers What eli:
frontery!
+" IN the matter Of procuring pensions there
---.4. -.--.1I L..th IN ..cco