The National tribune., 1899-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESS GE.

The Presidents Message, sent to Con
gress just as we go to press-Tuesday noon
is very voluminous document, making
16 columns of small type.
| 1t begins with a brief tribute to the late
Vice-President, but quickly passes to con
gratulations TO the country upon its bound,
| less prosperity. recites that the exports have
| been more than 81 200, 100000 in excess of
| those of 20 years ago, advocates the Gold
Standard, devotes several columns to a
review of our satisfactory foreign relations.
and gives a column to Cuba. He declares
that our pledge to free Cuba" must be made
"a reality, not name; perfect entity, not
hasty experiment, bearing within itself
the elements of failure. Our mission, to
accomplish which we took up the wager of
battle, is not to be fulfilled by turning
adrift nyloosely framed Commonwealth to
face the vicissitudes which too often attend
weaker States, whose natural wealth and
abundant resources are offset by the in
congruities of their political organization
and the recurring occasions for internal
rivalries to sap their strength and dissipate
their energies" After April IL, 1900, we
shall know who constitute the citizens of
Cuba, and shall proceed to conduct NUM-
cipal elections for the island.
The paragraph in regard to pensions is
distinctly disappointing. 1t reads as fol-
lows:
On the Both of June, 1899, the pension roll
of the United States numbered 991, ,519.
These include the pensioners Of the Army
and Navy in all our wars. The number
added to the rolls during the year was
40.991. The number dropped by reason of
death. remarriage. minors by legal limita-
ton, failure to claim within three years,
and other causes, was 43, 1856. and the num-
ber of claims disallowed was 101 ,919. Dur
ing the year 80, ,054 pension certificates were
issued, of which 37.0T7 were for new or
original pensions. The amount disbursed
for army and navy pensions during the
year was S13S, ,355, ,052.95, which was ST.
651. .461. 81 less than the sum of the apprO-
prations.
The Grand Army of the Republic at its
recent National Encampment held in Phila
delphia has brought 10 my attention and
to that of the Congress the wisdom and
justice of modification of the third sec
ton of the act of June p, 1890, which pro-
vides pensions for the widows of officers
and enlisted men who served 80 days or
more during the war of the rebellion and
were honorably discharged, provided that
such widows are without other means
of support than their daily labor and were
married to the soldier, sailor, or marine on
account of whose service they claim pen
sion prior to the date of the act.
The present holding of the Department is
hot 4 acIdn har
daily labor does not exceed in amount what
her pension would be, to wit, S96 per an
num- she would be deemed to be without
other means of support than her daily abor,
and would be entitled to pension under
this act; while if the widows income indie
pendent of the amount received by her
as the result of her daily labor exceeds
S96, she would not be pensionable under
the act | am advised by the Commls
Sioner of Pensions that the amount of
the income allowed before title to pension
would be barred has varied widely under
different administrations of the Pension
Office, as well as during different periods of
the same administration, and has been the |
cause of just complaint and criticism.
With the approval of the Secretary Of |
the Interior the Commissioner of Pensions |
recommends that, in order to make the |
practice at all times uniform and to do
justice TO the dependent widow, the amount |
Of income allowed independent of the pro- |
ceeds of her daily labor should be not less
than $3.50 per annum, and he urges that the |
Congress shall so amend the act as to per- |
nit the Pension Office to grant pensionable |
status to widows under the terms of the
third section of the act of June 27, 1890, |
whose income aside from the proceeds of
daily labor is not in excess of $3.50 per an
mum. i believe this to be simple act of
Justice and heartily recommend it.
Two-and-a-half columns are devoted to
the recital of the history Of affairs in the
and the President concludes
with the assertion that the islands "are ours
Dy every title of law and equity" and must
.emain so. He denounces a protectorate,
and leaves it to Congress to decide what the
orm Of Government shall be. Until then
ne shall use the army and navy to uphold
our sovereignty over every part, and shall
larry forward the beneficent work of re-
in every way, open the
churches and schools, set the courts in
operation, and foster industry, trade and
commerce.