Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-12-07
The prssIdsnt,s Message.

We lay before our readers this week
the message Of President Cleveland.
The document Is lengthy, but Is man
ly, straightforward aud easily under
stood.
AS the document will be read by
everybody, il is useless to here go over
all it contains, but a few choice sayings
will not be out Of place.
The president is still firm in his be-
lief that the tariff needs revision, and
he heartily endorses the Wilson bill
and counsels its passage; he starts in
on tariff revision with . lecture on that
problem, in which he congratulates the
country on the fact that the friends OF
tariff reform are at last at the helm.
He then turns to congress and assures
that body that "if there is any
thingin the theory Of a repre-
sentation in public places, OF the peo-
pie and their desires, If public officers
are really the servants of the people,
and IL political promises and profess
sions have any binding force, our fail
ure to give the relief so long awaited
will be sheer recreancy. Nothing
should intervene to distract our Atten-
ton or disturb our effort until this re-
form is accomplished by wise and care
full legislation
AS a legacy from the Republican adj
ministration the following statements
of Mr.. Cleveland are pertinent.
At this time when depleted public
treasury confronts us, when many OF
our people are engaged In hard strug-
gle for the necessities Of life and when
enforced economy is pressing upon the
great mass of your countrymen. de-
sire to urge with all the earnestness st
my command that congressional legis-
lation be so limited by strict economy
as TO exhibit an appreciation of the
condition of the treasury and sympa'
| thy with the straitened circumstances
of our fellow citizens.
The duty Of public economy is also
of immense Importance in its intimate
and necessary relation to the task now
in hand Of providing revenue to meet
government expenditures and yet re-
ducing the peoples burden of federal
| taxation.
Indeed, it is true that no question is
Of such great Importance as the tariff
question at this time. Business is at n
standstlll, money lies idle In our banks,
workmen are anxiously waiting in
idleness at their homes, hoping and ex-
pecting that something will be done by
which business will be resumed and
prosperity come again.
The pension question is dealt with
fairly and honestly. In dwelling up.
on this matter the President says:
II am unable to understand why
frauds ia the pension rolls should not
be exposed and corrected with thor
oughness and vigor. Every name
fraudentIy put upon these rolls, is q
wicked imposition upon the kindly
sentiment in which pensions have
their origin; every fraudulent pension.
er has become bad citizen; every
false oath in support Of a pension has
made perjury more common, and false
and undeserving pensioners rob the
people not only Of their money, but
of their patriotic sentiment which the
survivors of a war, fought for the pres,
ervation of the Union, ought to in
spire.
The thousands of neighborhoods
have their well.known fraudulent pen
soners, and recent developments by
the bureau, establish appalling con,
spiracies to accomplish pension fra nds.
BY no ms ans tthhe the last wrong don>
is to brave and deserving pensioners
who certainly ought not to be con
demned to such associations.
Those who attempt, in the line OF
duty, TO rectify these wrongs should
not be accused of enmity or indiffer-
euce to the claims of honest veterans.
The sum expended on account o
pensions for the year ending June 80
1893, was 1856, TAO, ,467.14.
The commissioner estimates thai
Sl65, 100000 will be required to pay
pensions during the year ending JUNE
| so, 1894,n