The morning call., 1894-08-08
TOO MANY RETIRED.
President Cleveland Severe Upon
Army Officers.
There Is Tendency to Abuse a
Privilege Which Should
Be Checked.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-President Clsve-
land gave to Congress a clear statement OF
his views on special legislation for the re-
tirement of army officers in veto to-day
of the bill for the relief of Eugene Wells,
late captain of the Twelfth Infantry. The
bill authorized the President to appoint
the beneficiary a second lieutenant OF
artillery to be placed on the retired list Tor
disability without the usual examination
by retiring board. The President writes:
Appointments to the army under the
authority of the present legislation which
nam ed the proposed appointees. the pur-
pose of which is the immediate retire
ment of app0intee. are open to serious
objections, though. l confess. nave been
persuaded through sympathy and senti-
ment on a number of occasions to approve
such legislation. When, however. it is
proposed to make the retirement COM
pulsory and without reference to age or
previous examination, most objection
able feature is introduced.
in the cases covered by the special
enactments referred TO usually such as
should be, il worthy of consideration, are
provided for under general or corporation
pension laws, leaving the retired list Of
the army TO serve the legitimate purposes
for which it WAS established. A recent
decision in the House of Representatives
upon bill similar to the one DOW before
me drew from a member of the House
Committee on Military Affairs the declara-
ton that hundreds of such bills were
before that committee, and that there were
fifty presidents for the passage Of the par
ticular one under discussion. 1t seems to
me this condition suggests such an en-
croachment upon the retired list Of the
army as should lead to the virtual abandon
mont of the legislation passed upon sound
DO licy and good administration.
There are facts connected with the
case covered by the bill now before me
which in my judgment forbid its favor
able consideration"
The President then reviews the military
record of Captain Wells, saying that in the
fall of 1870 he was charged with conduct
unbecoming an offer and a gentleman.
The Specifications were that while intoxca-
ted he had violently assaulted other officers
at Fort Fetterman, Wyo., and had struck
one on the head with a billiard cue. Be-
fore his trial he took advantage of an act
just passed TO apply for his discharge,
which was given him. and the charges were
Withdrawn. In 1885 ne was appointed a
second lieutenant against the protests of
other officers, and in 1887 be was charged
with being drunk on duty and with con-
duct to the prejudice of good order and
military discipline in refusing to promptly
obey the commands of his superior, and
was court NJ artialed and dismissed.
The message con tiDues: Since that
time repeated efforts have been made to
vacate this Judgment and restore the dis
missed officer to the service. While a
number of committees in Congress have
made reports favorable to such action, at
least two committees have recommended
a denial of legislative relief. Both of
these reports were made on behalf of the
committees on military affairs by dis
tingushed soldiers, who after patient
examination and with an inclination to be
not only just but generous to fellow
soldier, were constrained to recommend a
refusal of the application for restoration.
II am impressed with the belief that
legislation of the kind proposed is OF
extremely doubtful expediency in any save
very exceptional cases. and l am thorough
ly convinced By the facts now before me
that the disciplln and efficiency OF our
army, as we'll as justice to its meritorious
mem bers. do not permit my approval on
any ground of the bill herewith returned"