Milford chronicle., 1904-10-14
ORDER NO. IS
Which Judge Parker Will Not Have
Chance TO Revoke.

Which Judge Parker Will Not Have
Chance TO Revoke.
Nothing in the Democratic quiver OF
whereases against President Roosevelt
has failed so utterly as that arraigning
his pension order, No. rs making the
proof Of certain ages by old soldiers
eyidential facts Of certain degrees Of dis
ability.
If the order. had been cunningly de-
viSed to betray the great constitutional
lawyers of the Democracy into making
more than the usual kinds of continental
asses Of themselves it could not have
| succeeded more completely and ludicrous-
| ly. When the great Parker Constitu-
I ton Club" of New York. started in to
arraign Theodore Roosevelt for going
1 through the constitution as il it were
a paper hoop in a circus ring, it attack
ed his issuance Of order No. rs in these
words:
I'VE End that President Roosevelt de-
/ Hberately disregarded article !, Section 9,
Of the Constitution. providing mo money
shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in
consequence Of appropriations made by
law"
Now. what are the facts?
Order No. rs assumes that an old
soldier who is 62 years Of age is prob
ably able TO earn only one-haf Of the
support the statute provides in case of
total disability. at which stage he ar
rives when he is seventy. and says he
shall he entitled TO the munifcent sum
of Sc per month as a pension; and it
finds that at Gj he is two-thirds disabled
and entitled to SIS.
There can be no serious objection to
the principle Of the order. which is
based on the experience Of mankind as
to the gradual decay Of human powers,
By reason Of strength many men are
as able to earn 4 support at seventy
as at thirty. but the vast majority at
sixty have passed the line where they
are fully capable of doing so in "the
performance of manual labor" and the |
evil days approach when "the grasshop- |
per shall be a burden and desire shall |
fail"
Order No. rs merely recognizes the |
course Of nature. hut it draws no money |
out OF the treasury without authority /
of law. 1t was issued March TO- 1904. |
TO be effective April 13, 1904 Congress |
being in session it was reported to that |
body with the request that Sl,5OO,OOO |
be appropriated to carry it into effect,
The sum was embodied in the pending
deficiency bill, after free discussion the
money was voted. and in due order under
the Act Of Congress. the pensions began
to issue. and not till then. Every cent
paid under Order No. IS was drawn
from the treasury in consequence Of "an
appropriation made by law"
Exit the Parker Constitution Club. Of
New York. with its constitutional ears
At half mast.
Now. mark the sequel: On September
70 last. S1.41O000 was covered back
nto the treasury as the unexpended
balance Of the appropriation of $1.500,
)OO after paying $4,000 on 1S.627
.laims adjudicated in April. May and
lime 10 the end Of the fiscal year. or
he certificates issued only 1853 were
or original pensions to veterans who
lad reached the age Of sXty-two or
inward. and 14,7GS were Increases al.
owed to claimants who were receiving /
tensions for disability less than the ]
mount to which they were entitled {
nder the pension for age.
Thus. it will be perceived the dread {
( a heavy pension raid on the treasury ]
v reason of Order No. rs has gone ,
limmering along with the constitutional 1
ysterics Of the Parker Constitution
lub Of New York.