The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-12-20
AN UNCoNvINCED PRESIDENT.

/ 10 ITeSlQenC IleNelanu Is IDdl vi per
sistent adherence to opinions once
formed. His pertinacity in this respect
in the face of new facts that may de-
velop, or unexpected consequences that
may ensue, are at once the delight OF
those who think with him, and the theme
of animadversion for those who differ.
There is no question that Mr.. Cleve-
land is firmly Of the opinion that very
large proportion of the men who served
in the army and navy during the war
Of the rebellion are frauds, and that
they are animated by an unconquerable
desire to get undersigned places upon
the pension-roll. He believes that q
vast number of them have been only
too successful. He has frankly avowed
this belief from his first entry into the
Presidential office, and examination of
his state papers will show his reiteration
Of it with surprising frequency. The only
dispute between his friends and oppo-
nents is as to the proportion of Union
veterans he believes to be vicious, I'M
principled, and unworthy, his friends
insisting that he has this estimation Of
only minor fraction, while his oppo-
nents claim that he includes a great
majority of those who wore the loyal
blue.
His second Inaugural Address con-
tanned the sweeping announcement that
thousands of neighborhoods have their
well-known pension frauds" This start
ling and cruel denunciation was received
with the deepest pain by the veterans all
over the country, for they felt it to be
stab in the house of their friends, an
official aspersion of them as a body, by
the head Of the Government for which
they had sacrificed everything. Yet,
conscious Of their own rectitude they
felt that their vindication would be at
hand, from the thorough inveStiga-
ton which must follow such an out
spoken declaration by President, into
whose hands the vieissitudes of politics
had placed every fundamentally for the
determination of the facts The truth
would soon be known, and they were
willing to abide by it. Congress was
overwhelmingly in accord with the Presi-
dent'sviews, and would furnish him all the
means he required for the most thorough
investigation. Besides, he had absolute
control Of the Pension Bureau, the De
partment of Justice, and of every power
Of the Government necessary to the full
est and most searching scrutiny of every
detail Of the pension business. Nothing
could be hidden from him and his subor-
dinates. Nowhere, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, from the Pension Bureau in
Washington to the humblest pensioner in
the most remote corner of the country,
was there the slightest desire to impede
any investigation, and had there been
there was nowhere the power to even
raise finger against it. The veterans,
the pensioners, every detail and scrap Of
proof every step in the allowance of
every case was in the absolute possession
of the President and his subordinates.
Not a man anywhere stood or could
stand in the way. That was two years
ago. Congress promptly voted an un-
usually large sum Of money to conduct
extraordinary examinations, and shortly
after followed this by another similar
grant. The country stood nervously
expectant of the most startling develop
ments, in accordance with the inaugural
declaration. As we remarked before,
that was nearly two years ago, and the
country is still waiting, but no longer
expectant. 1t is stating it very moder-
ately to say that widespread belief in
the existence Of frauds has given way to
general skepticism that there is really
anything to develop. The American
people are very quick to measure per-
Torrance with promise, and the absolute
failure to expose anything Of note after
the expenditure of fully half million
dollars, and the employment of the
greater part of the entire official force of
tho country IN eyfraordipar,- ;,,,,oe.; ,-o