The record-union., 1894-08-09

agreement would be reached to-day.
Chairman Wilson was in ahopeful mood.
Representative Strauss of New YORK,
closely associated with Mr.. Wilson, gave
an opinion that there will be complete
agreement by Saturday at the latest.
Senator Smith said he pecred the full
committee would be called together to-
morrow and the bill reported. The COM
promise sugar schedule announced last
week would be part of the agreement
1t is said the tariff agreement is on the
basis of making either coal or iron free,
bnt reports as TO which will be made du-
table conflict.
RETIREMENT OF ARMY OFFICERS.
Clear Statement of the Views of Presi-
dent Cleveland.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. Z. = President
! Cleveland gave to Congress a clear state
ment of his views on special legislation
for the retirement of army officers in a
veto to-day of the bill for the RELIEF of
Eugene Wells, late Captain of the Twelfth
| Infantry.
The bill authorizes the President to ap
| point the beneficiary Second Lieutenant
of artillery to be placed on the retired list
for disability, without the usual ex-
animation by a Retiring Board. The
| GfSSlu6nL writes.
appointments 10 the army under the
authority OF the present legislation which
named the proposed appointees, the pur-
pose OF which is the immediate retire
ment OF appointees, are open TO serious
objections, though l confess l have been
persuaded through sympathy and senti-
ment OH a number OF occasions to ap-
prove such legislation. When, however,
| it is proposed to make the retirement
/ IN
or previous examination. most objec-
tionable feature is introduced.
In the cases covered by the special en-
actments referred TO are usually such as
should, if worthy OF consideration, be
provided for under general or corpora
tion pension laws, leaving the retired list
| of the army to serve the legitimate pur-
pose for which it was established. re-
cent decision in the House of Represent
atives upon bill similar to the one now
| before me drew from "a memorandum of
the House Committee on Military Affairs
| the declaration that hundreds of such
| bills were before that committee, and
that there were fifty precedents for the
passage OF the particular one under dis
cussion. 1t seems to me this condition
suggests such All encroachment upon the
retired list OF the army as should lead TO
the virtual abandonment Of legislation
passed upon sound policy and good ad
ministration.
The President then reviews the mill
tary record of Captain Wells, saying that
i'll the fall of 1870 he was guilty of conduct
/ unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
I The specifications were that while intox-
icated he had violently assaulted other
officers at Fort Fetterman, Wyoming,
and struck one on the head with a billiard
cue. Before his trial he took advantage
of an Act just passed to apply for his dis
charge, which was given him, and the
charges were withdrawn. In 1855 he was
appointed a Second Lieutenant against
protests of other officers, and in 1887 was
charged with being drunk on duty, aud
with conduct to the prejudice of good or
der and military discipline in refusing to
promptly obey the commands OF his
superior, and was court-martialed and dis
missed in 1851.
The message continues: ''Since that
time repeated efforts have been made to
vacate this judgment. and restore the dis
missed officer to the service. While a
numb Der Of committees in Congress have
made reporte favorable te such action, at
least two committees have recommended
denial of legislative relief. Both of
these reports were made on behalf of
| Committees on Military Affairs by dis
| tinguished soldiers, who, after patient
examination, and with an inclination to
be not only just, but generous, TO fell
low-solGier, were constrained to recon-
mend a refusal of the application for
restoration.
4 am impressed with the belief that
the legislation of the kind proposed is of
extremely doubtful eXpediency in any
save very few exceptional cases. and L
am thoroughly convinced by the facts
now before me that the discipline and
efficiency of our army, as well as justice
| to its meritorious members, does not per-
nit my approval on auy ground OF the
! bill herewith returned.''