The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23
PRESIDENTS PENSION POLICY.
RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE OF CON-
GREss REBUKED.

In Sending in Veto the President
Takes Occasion TO Define and De-
fend His Attitudc-The Case at Is
sue That of widow Who Was
Dropped on Rcmnrrying and APP
piled to BE Reinstatcd On Being
Divorced From Her Second Hus-
band.
Washington. Feb. PIN sending TO the
Senate to-day his veto of a bill to pen
sion Maria Somerlat, a remarked widow
Of volunteer soldier, President Cieve-
land takes occasion to define and defend
his pension policy as follows:
ITO the Senate: I return herewith with
out approval, Senate bill numbered 1.S2S.
entitled an act granting a pension to
Maria Somerlat, widow of Valentine Som
erlat.
This beneficiary under the name of Ma
ria Somerlat was pensioned in 1867. as the
widow of Valentine Somerlat, a volunteer
soldier, her pension dating from his death
in 1864. She continued to draw the pen
sion allowed her as such widow until
1881, when she married one Hiram Smith.
Subsequently, but at what time does not
appear, she was divorced from Smith in
a suit that seems to have been begun by
him. but in which she interposed a cross
bill, and obtained judgment in her favor
Notwithstanding her Temarriage,
through which she ceased to be the widow
Of the dead soldier, it is proposed to pen
sion her again on account of his death.
THE rule governing the operation of
general pension law which forfeits a wild
ows pension on her remarriage seems so
reasonable and just, and its relaxation
must necessarily lead to such a departure
from just principles and to such vexa-
tious pension administration that 1 am
convinced it ought to be strictly main
tanned.
Il hope I may be permitted to call the
attention of the Senate to the increasing
latitude clearly discernible in special pen
sion legislation. 1t has seemed to me so
useless 20 attempt TO stem the tide of this
legislation by executive interference that
have contented myself with non-acquies-
cence in numerous cases where | could not
approve.
There have been already presented to
me for executive action during the pres
ent session of congress 2O6 special pension
bills of which l have actually examined
10 The entire number of such bills that
nave become laws during the four sessions
OF congress since March 4, 1893, is 1892
some of these, presented at the present
session, are not based upon the least pre-
text that the death or disability involved
is related TO army service, while in nu-
merous cases II is extremely difficult to
satisfactorily discover such relationship
Ihere is one feature of this legislation
Whlch am sure deserves attention I re-
Ter TO the great number of special bills
passed Tor the purpose of increasing the
pensions of those already on the rolls. of
the $50 special pension bills which | have
examined since the beginning of the pres
ent session of congress, IS granted or re-
stored pensions and 81 increased those al
ready existing while the appropriation
or money necessary to meet these in
creases alone exceeds considerably the
amount required to pay the original pen
IS bills
Il cannot discover that these increases
are regulated by any rule or principle
and when we remember that there are
nearly million pensioners on our rolls
and consider the opportunity for such in
crease that must follow the precedents
already made, the relation of the subject
TO justitiable increase of our national
revenues cannot escape attention
Grover Cleveland -