The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-07-13
Cleveland Speaks Out,
REASONS FOR HIS HAVING VETOED PRIVATE
PENSION BILLS.



PENSIONERS ARE NOT MENDICANTs.
WASHINGTON, July Sin message |
to Congress to-day returning without
his approval Senate bill TO place the
name of Mary Ann Dougherty on the |
pension rolls, the President gives a |
general exposition of his views in re-
gard to pension legislation. The Presi-
dent first takes up the reasons advanc-
ed for the pensioning OF Mrs. Dough |
erty. Ve says that large share of
the report of the Senate committee
recommending the bills passage con-
sists of petition signed by Mrs.
Dougherty, in which she states that
she resides in Washington, having re-
moved here with her husband in 1868
from New jersey that shortly after
their arrival in the city her husband,
Daniel Dougherty, returned to New
Jersey and enlisted in the Thirty-fourth
New Jersey Volunteers that she OBJ
tanned employment in the United States
Arsenal, making cartridges, and that
while SO engaged she was injured by an
explosion. She also states that she had
young son killed by machinery in the
navy yard, and that at the grand re-
view of the army after the close of the
war another son, 6 years old, was
stolen by an officer of the army and
has no: been heard of since She furth-
er says that her husband left his home
in 1865 and has not been heard of since
and that she believes he deserted her
on account of her infirmitjes.
1t is alleged in the report, the Presi-
dent says, that she received pension
as the widow of Daniel Dougherty un.
til discovered that he was alive, when
her name was dropped from the rolls.
The petition Of this woman is indorsed
by the admiral and several other Of
ficers of the navy and distinguished
clergyman of Washington, certif ring
that he knew Mrs. Dougherty and be-
lieved the facts stated to be true.
HER RECORD WAS LOOKED UP.
There is no pretepse made now
that this beneficiary is widow, though
she at one time claimed to be, and was
allowed a pension on that allegation.
Her present claim rests entirely upon
injuries received by her when she was
concededly not employed in the mill
tary service. If the pension now pro-
posed is allowed her it will be a mere
ct of charity.
Her husband, Daniel Dougherty, is
now living in Philadelphia, and is a
pensloner in his own right for disabil-
ity, alleged to have been incurred
while serving in the Thirty-fourth New
Jersey Volunteers. Of this fact this
beneficiary has been repeatedly inform.
ed. And yet she states in her petition
that her husband deserted her in 1865
and has not been heard of since. 1t is
alleged in the Pension Bureau that in
1878 she succeeded in securing pen
sion as the widow of Daniel Dough-
erty through fraudulent testimony and
much false swearing on her part. The
police records of the precinct in which
she lived for years show that she is a
woman of very bad character, and that
she has been under arrest nine times
for drunkenness, larcency, creating dis
turbance and misdemeanor of that
sort 1t happened that this claimant,
by reason of her residence here, has
been easily traced and her character
and untruthfulness discovered. But
there is much reason to fear that this
case will find its parallel in many that
has reached successful conclusion.
EVERYBODY WANTS A PENSION.
The President then enters upon q
consideration of pension legislation
generally, and says:
l cannot spell out any principle up
on which the bounty of the govern.
ment is bestowed, through the instru
mentality of the flood of private pen.
sion bills that reach me. The theory
seems to have been adopted that nc
man who served in the army can bt
the subject of death or impaired health
except they are chargeable to his ser
vices. Medical theories are set a
naught and the most startling relation
is claimed between alleged incidents O
military service and disability
or death. Fatal apoplexy is admitted
as the result of quite insigniican
wounds, heart disease is attributed tc
chronic diarrhoea, consumption to her
MIA aud suicide is traced to army ser
vice in a wonderfully devious and cur
, ious way.
Adjudications of the Pension Blu
reau are overruled in the most pei
emptory fashion by these special act
OF Congress, since nearly all the benef
Charles named IN these bills have sue
ce.sfully applied to that bureau fo
relief. This course of special legisla
! tion operates very unfairly. Those wit
certain influence or friends to pusl
their claims procure pensions, an
, those who have neither friends nor il
r tiuence must be content with their fat
= under general laws. 1t operates un
{ fairly by increasing in numerous il
g stances the pensions of those alread
q on the roll, while many other more d,
= serving cases from the lack of fortunat
= advocacy are obliged to be confer
!, with the sum provided by general law
: The apprehension may we'll be ento
:. tanned that the freedom with whic
e these private pension bills are passe
Q furnishes an inducement to fraud an
d imposition, while it certainly teache
the vicious lesson to our people that th
Treasury of the National Goverumer
invites the approach of private nee,
4 REGARD FOR THE VETERAN SOLDIER.
: None of us should be in the leai
d wanting in regard for the veteran 80
: der, and | will yield to no man in
s desire to see those who defended til
i government when it needed iefende,