The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-06

crat will say that Grover Cleveland loves the
soldier OF the Union more than the Republican
Presidents did But he is willing that the fig
ures be has ingeniously arranged should say so,
nor help to relieve them Of the false showing.
Lincolnis administration was taken mp with
preserving the Union, with carrying on the war
or the rebellion which filed the country with
future Applicants for pensions. Pension leeislA-
ton was barely reached n his time. He signed
every pension bill laid before him. So. under
the Republican Presidents who followed him.
II required time to get pension legislation and
machinery into form, and no account is taken by
General Blacks figures OF the general pension
laws. under which the bulk OF the pension paw
msnts is made. The arrears of pension lesgis-
lation brought forward the individual claims
and accouns for the increase of private pen
eions.
It is therefore by the bills vetoed instead Of
By those signed that the regard of Presidents
for the veterans is tn be measured. A table
showing the pension bills vetoed since 1861, BY
administrations would tell the story of Presi-
dent Clsveland's love for the veterans, even
emitting the brutal language which he seemed
to take delight in using TO express his negative.
We supply the lack 10 General Blacks repor, OF
such table:
PENSION B ILLS VETOED.
1858, ~
1868. q
1887, >
lSSl-s5. Garfield-Arthur----------------. o
ia INcpupICdH
1ss5ss. Cleveland partial list vetoed)-------- 10
lesoSs, Cleveland, disapproved----..-----.- 100
Total Killed by Cleveland. ssl
Not by the number of pension bills sent tn
him by Congress, with which the executive has
nothing 70 do. but by the number he kills. is tire
Presidents feeling for the soldiers 10 be judged.
This matter, the treatment OF pension bills
under the several administrations, was Well
presented recently by Mr.. Cutcheon in the
House of Representatives,. It is worth while,
in view Of Commissioners Blacks partisan re-
port, to give here an extract from Mr.. Cutcheons
speech:
During the tweLty-four years of Republics ad
ministration, extending from Lincoln TO Arthur. in
elusive. there we're but eight vecoes of pension bills
all by President Grant-fve of which were IN the 10.
terest of the benefcisries of the bills.
Now, how stands it with President Clevelandi Dur
ing the first two years of ma administration Congress
sent to him FOR approval $40 acts. The Constitution
(Article /. Section z, Clause - directs that If be
1.-THE Presidentl approve ian actl he shall sign H.
Therefore. if he does not sign he does not approve.
OF these 949 acts President Cleveland
Vetoed and returned. ia
Disapprcved without returning ..----.-......-. 156
Focketed and defeated L
Total disapproved. 2sl
Approved and Cos
Or he disapprovedo one &C. for ever 2.37 that he sp-
proved. or nearly one in three. Republican vetoes,
ratio of one TO 1G0.
In this statement of vetoes I have not included the
nfteeu senate pension bills and the tnfrty-two House
pension bills tmaking forty-seven in alb which Presi'
dent Cleveland has vetoed during the present session
Of Congress.
In three sessions OF Clevelsnd's administration the
pension vetoes already number III. without count
ing the 157 disspprouals, where the bills were allowed
to become law without the Presidents Signature.
Therefore, we make this comparison:
Vetoes of pension bills In twenty-four Republican
years, eight. or one in three years.
Vetoes of pension bills in three Democratic yesrs,
17l-111 In three years.
! should think further comment unnecessary.
This is a much fairer presentation of the case than
that made by Commissioner Black. After giving
these statistics Congressman Cutcheon said:
My point. Mr. Chairman, is just this, that the Pres
ident has absolutely nothing to do with the number OF
pension bills sent TO him. The question is, how does
he treat them when they come TO hint Does he treat
item in . friendly or an unfriendly wayi am iusti-
fed in saving that the general course of treatment OF
President Cleveland toward pension bills sent TO him
than 175 pension bills, besides l56 he disspproved
without vetoing them. AT one fell swoop be struck
down the dependent pension bin, which would have
benefited thousands and tens Of thousands of needy
veterans who were suffering in the elmshouses of the
country. His whole course has been adverse to pen
sion legislation. L will say nothing here of the undig
nifed and unbecoming language 10 which many Of the
vetoes were couched."
General Black doubtless meant well by bis
chief, but he has not helped him by bis campaign
report 1t is not the Commissioner fault, but
the fault of the record. The cold facts are
against Mr.. Cleveland. He revelei In veterans
wounds and sufferings when election dav was
distant He cannot now, nor can his servitors.
efface tho record or obscure the public's under
standing of IL.