New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-11
CLEVELAND AND PENSIONS.
THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE EXPRESIDENr
FOR The UNION VETERANS.

DEPENDENT PENSION BILL.
[By TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBrSEI
Washington. oct. l0.-SOme OF the Democratic news
papers making desperate attempt To persuade Tue
surviving Of the Union and their relatives ana
friends that Mr.. Cleveland IS their friend some Oh
the Democratic editors even have the hardlhooH 10
quote passages from MS messages TO prove their as
sertiOns In "The Ncw-York World OF october -
a leading editorial published in which several
passages were cited from the veto OF the Dependent
Pension bill and the annual message OF 1S7G, TO prove
fhat President Cleveland was In favor OF such
measure The editor carefully omitted to reproduce
any portion Of the reply Of the House Committee on
Invalid Pensions to the veto message Ihat 'o"i'
mittee was composed OF nine Democrats and six lie
pubcans and its report recommending the passage
~ the Dependent Pension bin the veto OF l'res-
dent Cleveland was a unanimous one The report
clearly shows that the veto had not produced upon
the minds OF the members OF the Committee the I'M
preston that President Cleveland favored the ehac
ment Of a Dependent Pension law. lie was opposed
10 such law in 1857 and his recent letter OF accept
ancc shows that he is still opposed to it.
In this relation some extracts from the report
Of the Committee on Invalid Pensions will be both
pertinent and interesting. In reply to gratutouS
Insult to the veterans Of the Union the committee Sad
Your committee do not share in the opinion tina,
" nfre and GOOD faith in the prosecution of pension
claims Nor do believe that the cX soldiers OF the
ton OF perjury for that purpose or for any other.
The committee then showed from official data that
not more than one pension claim IN looo allo"eu
had been fraudulent. In It's report the committee al
the called attention TO the fact that no objection
was raised against the consttuonality oil the bill,
all thc arguments urged being on the ground OF mere
expedency and after refutlng some of the statements
contained in the veto, said
Taken altogether. and not so delcatey ahalyleu
that the refinement OF chemical eXpereo - mo'
ad.d IN pfTo fo q
visions Of the bill. we again submit to the Judgment
of the House and the country ta lhoe WHO iraca
bill after months Of careful, deliberate CONSULTATION
have made no mistake.
Further on the committee said
We regard the strained Interpretation put upon tho
bill In the message as an excuse" rather nan ts,
for returning IL 10 the House; and "" believe We 10
no injustice to the Executive. when g. -drrng me
whole message. TO say that II iis pr9Nl IS ihn n'e
palmer and that question c0ud have been rai-cd
rs to whether It included only those unable 70 labor'
that he would yet have intcrp0sed "urcu"i9'
This was severe criticism to emanat" from a com
mIttec. thrcenths OF whose members were party
friends Of President Cleveland but II no stronger
or more than the passages In which the com
mittee convicted him OF gross Inconsistency as well
as bad faith. The Mexican Pension bill passed the
Ionse on the same day that the Dependent Pension
bill did and the provisions OF the former MS the com
mittee showed were even more liberal than those Of
the latter Among other things in relation to this
phase Of the matter the committee said
II passes the comprehension of this committee, 10
understand how the President c"o nave g., % XII
The bill refer to passed The House on me same o'N
this did, and met his Itnhesitating approval
Among ~, provisions OF the Mexican bill. to which
tho committee called attention. the one which
Gives "a pension 70 every widow OF soldier In that
war who is now sixtytwo years Of age. whether she
was the wife Of solder or not az the time OF ms
service and without reference 70 tho cause OF MS
death even II he killed In battle while serving III
the Confederate army" The report continued:
,ot1J r.fpf there
now be found some indefinite vaguenc.s or latent an
bigiy in the Mexican Pension law That would enable
seen by him when he was approving he one ana con
templaung the veto Of the other ne on W" Pr
| II struck down any dlSbarmcnt from The pension Is,
on account o, any seISio ag' i,or I'M noto GVpsl
~ our Civil war Who had fought for the Union bu; it
embraced within generous terms the survivors 81 the
War OF 1872 the Indian wars and IN" war WIN M,N-
ico-ali who could how that they were totally unal"
10 labor ard dependent upon their daily labor Tor
support could appeal 10 rs provisions ana all were
come law such I'll ,tlnctions are made 10y tir acts Of
the Executive In approving one and disapprovng ne
| other that the committee. cannot believe 1t win 10"
indor-ci anywhere By the patriotic sentiment Of THIS
| country.
| In commenting upon President Cleyeland's STATE.
mcnts in regard 10 the heavy Indebtedness incurred
by Northern cities and counties on account Of
local bountles the committee remarked that so far
as their own districts concerned that Indebted
ness had been paid long ago; and continued
No motives Of patriotism concerned IN ia, Gre
| alton Of this debt. \ fra.t WAS Imminent Whl'h
| would have swept into tho army the rch ana poor
without drawing any nice distinction OF any cmiac
| Ter whatever The counties, townships ana he ~
ict Therefore decided for Themselves and on their
own motion that they would prefer 10 pay Douhu''
and raise their quota rather than have hclr clt/,n'
subjected 10 tie dIngnet Of TIE draft IL any com.
| tics town hips or cities are YET oppr',,"u ~ 49,.
| debts created in th!s Il IS becauS" the aversion
OF their citizens TO military -ervce was 50 great mat
they wins ana an Hlon; 10 pay r. eS MI %
! Dlac,S II was bargain I'll around. hnd n"lt1rr
party IS entitled 20 any special sympathy Or ''hNd
Grafton.
The report continued
In conclusion, we submit that the general tone ol
a message is 10 he fairly taken expression In
adyamce Of purpose 10 use the Executive power e.
prevent any further legislation iiAt VII "dl ,iS
Increase the cost thereof We are 10th to believe that
The people Of this country arc w''ing 70 ALLOW the
their declining years in misery and want.
This report was submitted to the House OF Repre-
scntatves February 10, 1887. and the vote on Inc
motion to pass the bill over the veto was taken On
February "a. IT had passed the house on January
H. under suspension OF the rules, by a vote Of 10
70 20. The affirmative votes werr cat ~ 80 IT,
pubicans and 81 Democrats ana 40 DrmocrhlS No'l
In thc negative From tlnt date until February -
the Administration eXerted all it, in1ncnr" 10 defeat
the measure, and the motion 10 override III" vet"
voted 10 OVcrrulc the veiO,and OF these SN were MOI
Iewer than %enty Democrats who voted for
in January voted 70 SUSAN e Tr,9 IN f'Pru"S
tain the veto were cast by Democrats.
A per diem pension bill was favoraby reported by
tBc Ilonsc Committee In The Lth Congress. but az
don upon it was prevented by The influence Of Pres
ident Cleveland and his Administered IN aud tne Dem
ocratic steering committee" IN the House of Rep
resenatives. ,
So much for Mr.. Clcvchnd's friendship for III"
dependent and needy veterans Of the Union and Tia"
widows and orphans Of those who Lave died since
the
Put yOurseIfOut 81 little ifyOu have to
To-day 10 rcristcr! IL will only take
N minute or two at the most Of your
Time and any friend Of American Pro.
lection will readily excuse 70" ifyO"nrc