The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-09-29

Oy ACT OIL congress-, poI IAe pio'Ao'SH
making the imposition is not point
ed out.
The war closed nearly forty years
ago. In the meantime many of our
soldiers and sailors long survived the
age of 81, and passed away without re
ceiving any pension. Skilful pension
attorneys hunting through the statute
failed to find there a provision giving
a pension to all who had reached 62.
Many prominent veterans urged the
justice of congressional action giving
a service pension to all veterans. Bills
to that effect were introduced in con-
gress. And not until March of this
year did any one ever claim to have
made the discovery that the president
tvd power to treat the statute as If
it read that when claimant had
passed the age Of 62 years he is nee
essarily disabled one-half in ability
to perform manual labor and there
fore entitled to a pension.
This suggests the suspicion at least
that the order was made to create an
issue-that it was supposed to present
strong strategic position in the bat
tie Of the ballots. On the assumption
that the order, as stated by the ad-
hinistration, is revocable at the pleas
ure of the executive, it having been
IN attempted, though perhaps unwit-
ting encroachment upon the legisla:
tive power, and therefore unwarranced
by the constitution, l accept the chal
, lenge and declare that if elected I will
revoke that order. But 1 go further
and say that being done, I will con-
tribute my effort toward the enact
ment Of a law to be passed by botE
houses of congress and approved b,
the executive that will give An age.
pension without reference to disab.l
ity to the surviving heroes Of tbs
civil war: and under the provisions
Of which a pension may be accepted
with dignity because Of the conscious
ness that it comes as just due from
the people through their chosen rep
resentatives, and not as largess dis
tributed by the chief executive.
Foreign Relations.
The foreign relations Of the govern
ment have in late years assumed spe-
cial importance. Prior to the acqulsl-
tion of the Philippines, we were prac-
tiaclly invulnerable against attacks 3y
foreign states. Those tropical posses
sisns, however, 1000 miles from our
! shores, have changed all this and have,
in effect, put US under bonds to keep
the peace. It Is essential, therefore
more than ever, to adhere strictly to
the traditional policy Of the country IS
formulated by its first president and
never in my judgment, wisely depart
ed from-to invite friendly relations
with all nations while avoiding en-
tangling alliances with any.
Such policy means the cultivation
of peace instead Of the glorifcation
Of war, and the minding Of our own
business in lieu Of spectacular inter
! meddling with the affairs OF other
| nations. -
Reform In Government Expenditures.
AS the expenditures Of the last fis-
cal year amounted to the enormous
total Of s5S2, ,Oo0 900, it is evident that
thorough investigation Of the pub
lie service and the immediate aband-
onment Of useless and extravagant
expenditures are necessary. This as
founding increase is out Of all pro-
portion to the increase Of our popula-
ton, and finds no excuse from what
ever aspect we view the situation.
The national democratic platform de-
clares that large reductions can cas-
| lily be made in the annual expendi.
lures of the government without i'm.
pairing the efficiency Of any branch
of the public service" Can there be
any doubt Of the accuracy of, this
statement? Between the expendi.
lures Of the year 1886, amounting to
| $242,000,000, and those of the last fls-
cal year-the seventh after Grover
Cleveland ceased to be president-ag
gregating s5sZ0OO,ooO, there is a diff.
ference so great as to excite alarm
in the breasts Of all thoughtful men.
There is not a sentence in the re.
publican platform recommending a
reduction in the expenditures of the
government; not a line suggesting
that the increase in the cost Of the
war department from s34,0O0,OO0 in
1886 to $115,O00,OO0 in 1904, should be
inquired into; and not a paragraph
calling for thorough investigation
of those departments Of the govern.
ment in which dishonesty has been
recently disclosed.
The. people, however, can by their
votes, if they desire it, order such an
investigation and inaugurate policy