The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-06
The President Acts in Two Gases,
He Vetoes Two Bills and Gives His
Reasons for So Doing.
The Executive Prerogative Exer.
cised In Just Manner.
He Makes Characteristic Diagno-
sis of Many Cases.
The Most Unusual and Ridiculous Roa-
sons For This and That Disease
the Causes of Which Claimed To
30 Military Service.

WASHINGTON, July 5.--The President
sent to Congress today message yetoing
hill granting pension to Mary Ann Do
herty. II states that large share Of the
report of the Senate committee on pen.
sions adopted also by the House commit.
tcc) consists Of the petition, in which the
woman says that her husband (who had
served in a New Jersey rcgiment left her
in 1865 and has not been heard Of since.
She had received a pension rs the widow
OF Daniel Dohcrty until il was discovered
that he was alive and living in Philadcl.
phia, and was himself drawing pension
there She had succeeded in getting the
ponson in the first instance 10y much false
swearing, The police records of Washing.
ton, where she has been living, show her
to bo woman of very bad character and
that she had been under arrest nine times
for drunkenness, larceny, creating disturb
unccs and other misdomcanor,
Tho President then enters upon con.
sidcration OF pension legislation generally,
and says: 81 cannot spell out any principle
upon which the bounty OF the government
IL bestowed through the instrumcntaity
Of the flood OF private pension bills that
reach me. The theory seems Ia have been
adopted that no man who served In the
army can be the subject of death or i'm.
paired health except that they are charge
able TO his service. Medical theories are
set mt naught and the most startling rcla-
| ton is claimed between alleged incidents
| oi military service aud disability or death
Fatal apoplcxy is admitted ns the result ol
| quite insignificant wounds heart disease
| il attributed 10 chronic diarrhua, con.
sumption 10 hernia, aud suicide Is traced
/ 10 army service in wonderfully devious
way. Authorizations Of the pension bureau
are overruled In the most pcromptory
fashion 10y these special acts of Congress,
since nearly all the bcnchciarics named In
! these bills have unsucccssiully applied Ia
| that bureau Tor relief. This course OF spc
cim legislation operates very unfairly
| Those with certain influence or friends To
push their claims procure pensions, and
those who have neither friends nor iuhu'
cnce must bc content With their defeat
with general laws. II operates unfairly
hy increasing in numerous instances the
pensions OF those alraiy on the roll,
while many other morc deserving eases,
from the lack Of fortunate advocacy, ac
Obliged to Ice content with the sum pro.
yidcd by general laws.
"Thc apprehension may well bc enter.
tanned that the freedom with which these
private pension bills arc rarrch furnishes
| nn induccmcnt Ia fraud and imposition
to our people that the treasury oi the M.
tional government invites the approach Of
| private need.
"Nonc of usshoud be In The least wanting
| In regard for the veteran soldier, aud |
will Yield 10 no man in q desire To see those
! who defended the government when Il
| needed defenders libcmly treated. Tn.
] ificndlincss 20 our veterans Is n charge
/ easily aud sometimes dishonesty made
/ insist that the true soldier IL a good ciii.
| zrn, aud that bo will b. satisfied with
generous. fair and equal consideration for
| those who arc wonhiIy entitled a.
! help. have considered thc pen.
sion list Of the republic roll
VI honor, bearing names inscribed
by national gratitude, and not be- IMPROVE
! dent and indiscriminiic aims giving. |
| have conceived the prevention Ol the com
| plctc discrcdit which must cnsuC from thc
unreasonable, unfair aud reckless granting
| Of pensions by special acts 10 DC the best
| service | can render our veterans.
"ln the discharge oi what seemed 30 ne
| my duty ~ related "a legislation and IN the
| interest Of all the veterans Of the Union
| army, have attempted a. stem the tide ui
| impfoyidCnt pension cnaCtmcnls, though
| confess Ia full share Oi responsibility Tor
some oi these laws that should not have
| been passed. am Ear from denying that
| there are cases oi merit which cannot be-
| reached except 10y special enactment, but
! | do not believe there IN n member oi
| either house Of Congress who will not MI.
nit that this kind u legislation has been
| carried on too far ] have now before mo
| more than 100 special pension bills which
| can hardly be- examined within the time
allowed Tor that purpose.
! Nv aim has been nt all times, In dealing
! with bills " this character, 90 give the up.
! plirant for n pension the benefit Ut any
! doubt that might arise and which balanced
| the prophcly Oi granting q pension, II there
seemed any Just foundation for the appli.
I cation. but when II seemed entirely out.
side OF every rule, in ils nature or the
proof supporting u, have supposed did
only my duty In intcrposing an objection.
! ID seems b. me that Il would be- well II our
general pension laws should bo revised
| with q view Oi meeting every mrntpnOus
case that can arise Our experience and
knowledge Of any existing deficiencies
ought to make The enactment VI com.
plctc pension code possible.
"ln the absence " such arcyision, and II
pensions are 30 be- granted upon equitable
grounds and without regard tO general
laws, the present methods would be- greatly
improved by the establishment Oi some
tribunal 81 examine the facts IN every case
aud determine upon the merits Of the ap.
plicatiOn."
The President also returned without his
approval the Senate bill 81 grant pension
10 4. u. Morton, Of Nebraska o. the de-
pendent father Of Calvin Morton. The
iathor claimed that his son was killed In
battle With the Indians In the Custer mas.
sacrce In 1915. The President In his mes.
sage says Ellis name does not appear In
any record OF the soldiers engaged In that
battle. Considering the complete list OF
the casualties attending this battle nov IN
the war department, II must be- conceded
that the death OF the son Of the beneficiary
Is far from being satisfactorily csiab.
lishcd. The claim Of the father Is still
pending Ia the pension bureau, and per-