The Western news., 1904-10-26


The war closed nearly forty years
ago. In the meantime many of our
soldiers and sailors long survived the
age of sixty-two, and passed away
without receiving any pension. Skill.
full pension attorneys hunting through
the statute failed to find there IL pro-
vision giving pension to all who had
reached sixty-two. Many prominent
veterans urged the justice of congress
sional action giving service pension
to all veterans. Bills to that effect
were Introduce. in Congress. And not
until March Of this year did any one
ever claim to have made the discOv-
cry that the President had power to
treat the statute as IL 1t read that when
two years he is necessarily disabled
one-half in ability to perform manual
labor and therefore entitled TO pen
sion.
The President of the Civil Service
Commission, General John c. Black,
formerly Commissioner Of Pensions.
and Commander-in Chief of the Grand
Army of the Republic. indicated his
view of the order when in recent adj
dress he thanked the President for
what he had done. and advised his
hearers to rse their influence that IL
law might he passed to the same
effect. Full confidence after all seems
not to have been placed Oh the defense
of justification. for 1t is pleaded in miti-
cation that former Democratic Pres
ident did something looking in that
direction. Even if that were So
which is not admitted--our present du-
ty would be none the less plain and
Imperative. Our people must never
tolerate the citation of one act Of
usurpat:on of power as an excuse for
another. The first may possibly be due
to mistake: the second. being based on
the first, cannot be. In explanation,
however. it should be said that the or
der relied on simply provided that the
age of seventE-live years should be re-
garded as evidence of inability to per.
form manual labor. Few men are able
to perform manual labor ut that age,
but nearly all men are at siXty-two.
The first order is based on fact that
experience teaches. the other is based
on the assertion of that which is not
true rs general rule.
ROOSEVELT'S CHALLENGE.
The old inquiry, "What are you 60
ing to do about it?'' is now stated in
new form. 1t is said by the admins
tration. in reply to the public criticism
of this order, that 1T is easy to test
our opponents sincerity in this matter.
The order in question is revocable at
the pleasure of the Executive. II our
opponents come into power they can
revoke this order and announce that
they will treat the veterans of sixty
two and seventy as presumably in
full bodily vigor and not entitled to
pension. Will they authoritatively
state that they intend to do this? Ii
so. we accept the issue"
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 battle
of the ballots. On the assumption
that the order. as stated by the Admin.
1stration, is revOcable at the pleasure
of the Executive. it having been an at
tempted. though perhaps unwitting Ell.
croachment upon the legislative power,
and therefore unwarranted by the Con.
stitution. l except the challenge and
declare that il elected l will revoke
that order. But I go further and say
that that being done. l will contribute
my effort toward the enactment of Il
law to be passed by both houses of
Congress and approved by the Execu.
tive that will give an age pension with.
out reference to disability to the sur.
viving heroes of the Civil War: and
under the provisions of which a pen
sion may be accepted with dignity be-
cause of the consciousness that i,
comes as just due from the people
through their chosen representatives
and not as largess distributed by the
Chief Executive.
UNDER BONDS FOR PEACE.
The foreign relations of the govern
ment have i'll late years assumed
special Importance. Prior to the ac
quisition of the Philippines, we were
practically invulnerable against at
tacks by foreign States. Those tropical
possessions, however. seven thousand
miles from our shores, have changed
all this and have in effect put us under
bonds to keep the peace. The new
conditions call for n management OF
foreign affairs the more circumspect
in that the recent American invasion
of foreign markets in all parts Of the
world has excited the serious appre
ACASiOu VI an tAC SlcuN lHuuSlIldl pGO
Piles. 1t is essential, therefore, moro
than ever, to adhere strictly to th.
traditional policy of the country al
formulated by it's first president ant
never. in my Judgment. wisely de
parted from-to invite friendly rela
tions with all nations while avoidin:
entangling alliances with any. Such q
policy means the cultivation of peace
instead of the glorification of war. ant
the minding Of our own business il
lieu of spectacular intermeddling will
the affairs of other nations. 1t mean!
strict observance of the principles o.
international law and condemns tn,
doctrine that great state. by reason
of its strength, may rightfully apprO
pirate the sovereignty or territory O.
small state on account of its weak
ness. 1t means for other American
states that we claim no rights and will
assume no functions save those of ;
friend and Of an ally and defender a
against European aggressions.
means that We repudiate the role o
the American continental policeman
that we refuse to act as debt coilectO
for foreign StatoS mr. thoir c;tivnnS