The National tribune., 1892-11-03
PRIVATE PENSION BILLS.

| Dir. Cleveland defends himself for the
number Of his brutal vetoes on the ground
that private pension bills were generally
unnecessary, and nearly always railroaded
| through" Congress with little or no con-
| sideration. He and bis sycophants and
supporters strenuously endeavor to make
the country believe this. His veto messages
abound in the most insulting inuendoes
against both Houses of Congress for their
recklessness, haste, and lack of principle
displayed in the passage of these bills.
As to the necessity of these bills, and the
care with which they are considered, let US
take the testimony of distinguished law
yer, leading Democrat, and who has for
years ably represented in Congress the Dis
trict which consists mainly of the city of
Detroit. Mich. Hon. J. Logan Chipman's
Democracy is at least equal to Mr. Cleve-
lands; his abilities and his character were
recognized long before Mr.. Cleveland rose to
the surface of National politics. In the 50th
Congress he was hardworkiBg member of
the House COMMITTEES on Invalid Pensions
He recently said in speech in the House:
In the first place, wish to say that no class of
claims of any kind which submitted for con-
siderston to any committee of the House are in
vestigated with greater than this class of
claims. Any gentleman who tries it-any gentle
man who goes to the Committee on Invalid PEN
sions and desires to have favorable report upon
pension claim will find that he is beset with difficult
ties and that he has 10 make very clear case be-
fore he can secure such report.
We make few mistakes here. and exercise no
favoritism. The cases with which deal are a
necessity. They grow out of the pension law
acty as equity grows out of any system Of legal
procedure.
There is no court Of equity to which pension
applicant may go when rejected by the Pension
Bureau. There is no tribunal for the correction of
any errors made there save this House; and for
any one to assume that, with the millions of men
who dependent in this way upon the Govern
ment. any cssi-iron rule can be adopted which will
meet all cases. and that it is either just generous
or will say, patriotic, TO hold that that general
rule shall never be departed from under any cir
cumstances. is to say the least, very unreasonable
1t is an mpossibility. The wisdom of men can
not devise such rule. / repeat we hold here
toward the general rule exactly the same relation
which a court of chaDceTy holds toward the law.
We are here to correct that wherein the law, by
reason of its uncertainty, is Deficient
Now, we all know that on technical grounds
hundreds Of deserving men refused pensions
at the Pension Bureau; rightly enough, perhaps,
but the grounds are technical. The cases are mer-
ilorious. There may be lack of the precise legal
proof that Is required there may be lack of some
little circumstance; but ia il the design is IL the
wish of this people that deserving man shall be
excluded on such grounds as that?
This is a calm, positive statement by man
of the highest character, and unimpeacha-
Bile Democracy, as to what he kaoms by ac-
tual experience. In the minds of those who
are familiar with both men it will weigh
much more than any statement of MIR.
Cleveland's.
Comrades, get your Uetoes ready.