Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-09-22


Of congress.
The service pension had been brought
before the house. but could not pass,
and it was we'll known that congress
would not pass it ut the last session.
It was for this very reason-that the
was hopeless-Mr. Roosevelt
took it up and, believing that by this
act he would win the support of the
veterans. issued the famous order. Els
action in violating the constitution,
overriding congress, raiding the treas
ury at a moment when our expenses
are already running above our reve-
nues, and doing all this in the midst Of
a presidential campaign apparently for
the purpose of winning votes, has nat
urally aroused interest, disgust and
great opposition. AS we have said, no
act Of his administration has brought
him more discredit
Those who condemned his arbitrary
action will hear With much satisfaction
that order No. IS, instead Of having
the effect expected Of it and winning
him the applause of the veterans, has
fallen perfectly fiat. The veterans not
only do not return him thanks for it,
but practically suggest that they will
not recognize his authority in acting
as he did and that they would greatly
prefer congress to act on this case.
1t is said that Mr.. Roosevelt was
f0 fn 1,n
meeting at Boston and was prevented
from doing so only by the urgent adj
vice Of his friends, who suggested that
such action would look most undigni-
fed and as though he was begging for
votes. Coming Immediately after order
No. 70, it would be popularity inter-
preted rs meaning that the president
wanted to see how the order had "*tak
en-" and to receive the shouts that
would greet the benefactor of the vet
Grams.
1t is difficult to say how the presi-
dent would have been welcomed, but
the action of the convention shows an
unexpected lack of enthusiasm. The
presidents ''astonishingly generous ac-
tion," as the Roosevelt organs speak of
his order giving the peoples money to
the veterans, was accepted as q mat
ter of course, and no thanks whatever
were returned.
In his address to his comrades the
retiring commander in chief. General
Black, declared that they must not
cease their labors to have service
pension law written on the statute
books, and formal action was taken di-
recting the committee on legislation to
strive to effect the very same object
which the president secured to them.
but through the medium Of legislation.
No special notice was paid to the pres
dents anticipation of this achieve
ment, though the veterans are perhaps
aware that IL legislation should be at
tempted as proposed by them the
courts might deem it unconstitutional,
in which eventua1fty the order No. 70
would share, very likely, the same
fate. 1.-The president will observe how
the Grand Army takes his action in its
behalf.'' strong Roosevelt paper re-
marks. Apparently he STAYED off a
service pension law for period, and
possibly he did the veterans no good ut
ALL"
The New York Post, which is not
friendly to Roosevelt, SEXES the oppor-
tunity to give him the following blow:
The report has. Of course, something to
say about the arbitrary increase in the
size Of pensions on account OF advancing
NvvfAA ffxyn oys n
did not have time before the close Of the
last fiscal year really to display its be-
nedcent character. Under 1t H.109 claims
were fled by June 30. and in the last
three months Of the year 1867 claims
were allowed. OF these 8.7e1 were two dol
lar increases, land the time was SO short
between filing and adjudication" that the
amount Of money due prior to July !
amounted to less than 10000 In other
words, 1t was impossible in the time at
its disposal for the pension department to
use up more than this Of the A,500,000
voted by congress to carry out order No.
Is. and the balance had to go back into
the treasury. Plainly the order will have
to do better than this or It will be regard
ed with contempt by the Grand Army OF
the Republic. In fact, that organization
IL already viewing It az an insecure stan.
At its meeting recently in Boston It was
urged to keep up the good light for Serv.
ice pension legislation. just a. Il order
No. Is had never been issued Il It afraid
that, after all, legislative law IL better
than executive law? 10 It fearful that
some future president, or even Roosevslt|
himself, will, when least expected. take Il,
into his head to repeal the order?
The presidents bid for the veteran
vote at the expense Of The taxpayers,
which 6souaht him - much .dsnunalY \