The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-02-23
TIE PRESIDENTS VETO.
In sending TO the SenNt G Another Veto
iae Ycmturcs 10 Give EHis KensonS.

Washington, y. c., Feb. 22.-In send
ing 10 the Senate to-day his veto of Il
bill to pension Maria Someilal, q re-
married widow Of q volunteer, President
Cleveland takes occasion TO define and
defend his pension policy as follows:
TO the Senate:-I return herewith,
without approval, Senate bill numbered
1323 entitled an tact granting 4 pen
sion to Maria Somellal, widow Of Val
entine Someilal.
This beneficiary under the name of
Maria Soneilal was pensionad lin 1867
as the widow Of Valentine Someilal, u
volunteer soldier, her pension dating
from his death in 1864. She continue!
to draw the pension allowed iler q; such
widow until 1851, when she married one
Hiram Smith. Subsequently, but at
what time does not appear, she We; G-
vorced from Smith in L suit that seems
to have been begun by him, but in
which she interposed q cross bill and
obtained Judgment in her favor. Not
Withstanding her rcmarriage, 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 laws, which forfeits a
Widows pension on her remarriage,
seems SO reasonable and just, and its
relaEat ton must necessarily lead to such
departure from just principles, and 10
such VeNatious pension administration
that | am convinced it ought to be
strictly maintained.
! hope l may be permitted to call the
attention or the Senate to the increasing &
latitude clearly discernible in special
pension legislation. 1t has seemed Ia
me so useless TO attempt to stem the tide
OF this legislation by executive inter
ference that I have contentGd myself
with -acquieScence in numerous
cases where I could not approve.
m tt,nn ~ tai \,
me for executive action during the pres.
ent session Of Congress 260 special pen
sion bills. OF which have actually ex-
amined ll5 The entire number of such
bills that have become laws during the
four sessions Of the Congress since
March 4, 1893. is 800. Some OF these pre-,
Sented at the present session are not
based upon the least preteNt that the
death or disability involved is related tc
army service. while In numerous cases
1t Is extremely difficult to satisfactorily
discover such elationshiD.
There Is one feature Of this legisla tioy
which am sure deserves attention.
refer 10 the great number OF special bill
passed for the purpose Of increasing the
pensions Of those already on the rolls
or the one hundred and fifteen specia
pension bills which ! have examined
since the beginning Of the present ses-
sion OF Congress. iifty-eight granted OF
restored pensions, and fifty-seven in
creased those already existing. while the
appropriation of money necessary tC
meet these increases alone exceeds con
Slucrably the amount required 10 pay
the original pensions granted or res.
tored by the remaining iifty-eight bills
| cannot discover that these increases
are regulated by any rule or principle
and when we remember that there alt
nearly q million pensioners on our rolls
and consider the Importantly for such
increases that must follow tho nIore-
dents already made. the rela ton Of tho
subject to a justiiiable increase Of oul
national revenues cannot escape atien,
ton
GROVER CLEVELAND,
Executive Mansion, Feb. 22d, 1897.