Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-09-28
PENSION ORDER, NO. rs.
President Rooseve1t's Action Is I'm
Line with Law and Precedent.

PRESIDENT ROoseve1t's Action Is I'm
Line with Law and Precedent.
The groundless character of the charge
that President Roosevelt has exceeded
his constitutional powers is shown clear
~ by examination of the facts and the
laws concerned in the executive action
known as the 'age pension order" issued
last March by direction Of the President.
Anyone who will take the trouble to
read the act of June 27, 1890, as amend
ed May g. 1900, will find a clear basis
to begin with. 1t directs who shall have
pensions, and how the amount of the
pension, in each case, snail be determin-
ed, as follows:
All persons who served 90 days or more
in the military or naval service Of the
United States during the late war of the
rebellion and who have been shOnorably dis
charged therefrom and who are now or
who may hereafter be suffering from a
mental or physical disability of perma-
nent character, not the result Of their own
vicious habits, which incapacitates them
from the performance of manual labor in
such degree as to render them unable to
earn support SHALL upon making due
proof of the fact according to such rules
and regulations as the Secretary of the
Interior may provide, be placed upon the
list OF invalid pensioners of the United
States and be entitled to receive a pen
sion not exceeding $12 per month, and not
less than rs per month, proportional to the
degree of Inability to earn a support, and
in determining such inability each and ev
cry disability shall be duly considered, and
the aggregate of the disabilities shown shall
be rated.
Thus, as plain as words can make it,
is authority given to the Secretary of the
Interior to determine what pension shall
be paid to any applicant for pension who.
served ninety days in the War of Re-
bellion, was honorably discharged, and
who is disabled for the performance of
manual labor by any cause other than
the results of his own vicious habits.
The Supreme Court has decided that
upon the point Of establishing the rate OF
pension to be paid within the limits pre-
scribed by the law, the Secretary of the
Interior has entire control. The only
check or supervision upon him is from
the President of the United States, whom
the general laws specifically direct shall
have control of the Commissioner of Pen
sions and the administration of the pen
sion system.
Therefore, it was directly in line with
the duties imposed upon him according
to section Al, U. S. Revised Statutes,
that President Roosevelt gave the cele-
brated order which has been called an
evidence of 'usurpation," Imperialism"
"a desire to override the constitution"
a footing of the treasury and other
hard names, by excitable Democrats. The
section of the Revised Statutes referred
to reads as follows:
''The Commissioner of Pensions shall
perform, under the direction of the Sec
rotary of the Interior, such duties in the
execution Of the various pension and
bounty-land laws as may be prescribed
by the President"
President Roosevelt, in his pension or
der, did no more than his plain duty, act
ing strictly within the powers conferred
upon him by the Congress Of the United
States.