Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1892-10-27
Cleveland and Pensions.

The crusade against Mr.. Cieve-
land to prejudice soldiers against
him because of his alleged opposi-
ton to pensions, is most uni ust and
most certainly bring djscredit upon
all who make the charge when the
facts are understood. Mr.. Cleve-
land sighed more pension bills than
any other President since or dur
ing the war. OF special Or private
pension bills Lincoln signed A,
johnson 231, Grant $50, Hayes
324, Arthur 706, and Cleveland
1926. President Harrison during
the three years of his term has not
signed half as many private pen
sions as did Cleveland.
Nor is Mr.. Cleveland's approval
of pensions confined to private
pensions. In 1886 he approved
the act inc: easing the pensions of
over 10000 manned veterans rom
S24 to $50, $50 to $50, and from
$3.50 to So per month. La the
same year he signed a general bill
which increased to pensions of $780,
900 W dows of soldiers from IS to
$12 per month, and by the hu-
name and extraordinary efforts of
the Democratic Commissioner OF
Pensions these extra pensions OF
widows were issued without any
expense to claimants. He also
signed a general law amending the
records Of the War Department as
to the charge Of desertion and re-
lieving thousands of veterans who
are embarrassed in their applica-
tions by technical errors OF the rec
ord. He also signed a general act
b~eneiting over 10000 survivors
and widows OF the Mexican war.
Mr.. Cleveland is assaulted because
he vetoed the dependent pension
bill, bit he simply obeyed public
sentiment expressed with great
c'earness and emphasis against that
profigate measure. Every Repub.
lican newspaper of prominence in
Philadelphia demanded the veto
of that bill and heartily sustained
the president for doing 80. The
Press, the Inquirer, the Telegraph,
the Bulletin and the Ledger OF
this city all united in d%enouncine
the measure as a reproach upon
honest veterans, and as simply the
creation of pensions sharks who
desired to plumber tho government
in the name of patriotism; and net
only did the united press of this
city demand the veto of that bill
but the soldiers of this city who
gave any expression On the subject
declared against the approval o.
that measure. Only two Army
Posts of this city took formal and
positive action on the subject, ano
they declare it to be the duty o
the President to veto the bill in tn
interests of the honest yeterons O.
the land.
President Cleveland has never
shown any other than the hearties1
sympathy with the honest soldiers
of the country, but he has stooo
like a rock against the abuse of oul
pension system for the benefit O
camp followers and skulkers who
d~emoralized che army in war ano
disgrace our soldiers in peace. IL
demands that the pension rol
be a roll of honor; tina
it shall be held exclus'
lively for those who have honestly
and heroically served their country
and deserve its fostering care. Al
honest soldiers who merit a place
upon the pension roll be heartily
welcomes, but he is a terror t.
fraudulent soldiers as he is to job
bers and profigates and thieves o
every class and condition, and I'M
der his administration no such cal
plander the people of the ma tiol
- PhelG. Tunes.