The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-08
NO ROOM FOR DOUBT.
Clear Statement of President CIeve-
Iund,s views on Special LegisIa-
ton For the Retirement of Army

OHicers.
Washington, Aug. president Clsve-
land gave to Congress a clear statement
of his views on special legislation for
the retirement of army officers in a veto
today of the bill for the relief of Eugene
Wells, late captain of the Twentieth in
fantry. The bill authorized the president
to appoint the beneficiary a. second lieu
tenant of artillery. to be placed On the
retired list for disability. without the
usual examination by q retiring board.
The president writes:
Appointments to the army under the
authority of the present legislation which
named the proposed appointees, the pur-
pose of which is the immediate retirement
OF appointeeS are open to serious obiec-
tons, though / confess, l have been per
sraded, through sympathy and sentiment.
legislation. When, however, it is pro-
posed to make the retirement compulsory
and without reference to age or previous
examination most Objectionable feature
is introduced.
1.-The cases covered by the special enact
| n entS referred to are usually :'uch as
should; If worthy of consideration, be pro
sion laws, leaving the retired list of the
army to serve the legitimate purpose for
which it was established. A recent de-
upon bill similar to the one now before
| me drew from q. memorandum of the
| House committee on military affairs, the
declaration that hundreds of such bills
we're before that committee and that there
" ere fifty precedentS for the passage of
the particular one then under discussion
1t seems to me this condition suggests
| 81 CHI an encroachment upon the retired list
| of the army As should lead to the virtual
| abandonment of the legislation passed
upon sound policy and good administra-
| ton.
''There are facts connected with the case
covered by the bill now before me, which,
in my 1udgent, sGrbid its favorable con-
| siGeration."
The president then reviews the military
record of Captain Wells, saying that in
| the fall of 1870. he was charged with con
duct unbecoming an officer and a gentle
man. The specifications were that while
| intoxicated HE had violently assaulted
other officers at Fort Fetterman. Wyo;
and struck one on the, head with bill
vantage of an act Just passed to apply fol
| his discharge, which was given him an(
| the charges Withdrawn. In 1885, he was
| Amounted a second lieutenant against th'
| charged with being drunk on duty, an(
with conduct to the prejudice OF gooC
order and military discipline in refusing
to promptly obey the commands OF nj
superior and was court martialed ant
dismissed in 1887. The message continues
"Since that time, repeated efforts nav
restore the dismissed officer TO the ser
vice. While a number Of committees il
Congress have made reports favorabl
tc such action. at least two COMMITTEES
have recommended a denial of Legislative
relief Both of these reports were mad
on behalf of the committees OH rnilitar.
affairs, by the distinguished soldiers, who
after patient examination and with al
Inclination to be not only just, but gen
erous. to a fellow soldier We're constraine
to recommend q refusal of the applica
ton for restoration.
81 am impressed with the belief tina
the legislation of the kind proposed is D
ex trernely doubtful expediency in any say
very exceptional cases. and l am thor
oughly convinced by the facts now befor
me that the discipline and efficiency of on
army, as well as justice to its meritoriou
members, does not permit my, APPROVAL o
any ground of the bill herewith returned.