The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-11-22
FUNDAMENTAL FACTS.
avs are made to be executed.

country. They do 1t by electing mel
to Congress to make such laws as til,
people desire to have made. Other mel
are elected or appointed to carry on
the viii of the people by executing the
laws which Congress makes. This i
the true method of operating Gov
eminent of the people, for the people
and by the people. The executants o.
the laws have but one simple, plain
function. That is to carry out the laws
that they find upon the statute-book, OF
which may be placed there during their
term of service. They have absolutely
/ nothing to do with the merits OF those
laws, as to whether they are too far
reaching, or not far-reaching enough
whether they are just or unjust. That
is exclusively the province Of the law
makers, whose duty it was to take all
these questions into consideration when
they passed the laws.
When the laws are passed by a ma
jority of both Houses Of Congress, and
approved by the President of the
United States, they become the solemn
and authoritative expression Of the will
of the American people, and there is no
other course left for the officials charged
with their execution than to diligently
examine into them to discover their eX-
act meaning, and then carry them out,
faithfully, intelligently, promptly and
fearlessly.
Over four years ago Congress, after
prolonged and exhaustive consideration
of the matter, decided to add to the
pension legislation then in force an i'm
portant measure, confirming in princi-
pie all that had previously been enact
ed, and extending the benefits of the
pension system to every man who had
served in the army or navy for 80 days,
had been honorably discharged, and was
suffering from some disability which
would interfere with his earning a live
lihood by manual labor. The sole re-
striction or qualification was that this
disability should not be the result Of the
claimants gross misconduct or vicious
habits. This bill was formally approved
by the President of the United States,
June q, 1890.
No man can successfully deny that it
was the clear intent of Congress and
President, acting for the American peo-
pie, TO admit to the pension-roll every
man fulfilling the plain requirements
specified in the law-that by this law
every such man gained indefeasible right
to a place upon the pension-roll upon
the presentation of proof:
1. That he had served for 80 days
during the war of the rebellion in the
army or navy of the United States;
2. That he had been honorably dis
charged;
3. That he is suffering from dis
ability not due to his own misconduct
which would prevent his earning sub
sistence by manual labor.
That law still stands just as it was
placed on the statute books over four
years ago. Not word, not a syllable
has been changed. Two Congresses have
convened since its enactment, but they
have given it approval by not attempt
ing the least change in it. One Con-
gress gave still more conclusive in
dorsement by voting the then Commits
sioner all the money he desired to
carry it out in the fullest comprehension
of its intent and purport.
But some 20 months ago the agents
and officials charged with the admins
tration Of this and other pension laws
made the startling assumption that the
laws did not 60 so far as the plain letter
of it would seem to indicate; that it
really did not mean all that it said, and
that its benefits should be curtailed by
rigid restrictions. These were not
amendments by the only power which
had the right to make amendments
Congress, but were abridgements, altera-
tons, and curtailments of the law by
official interpretations. In other words,
the creatures and servants Of Congress