The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-09-26

zeal Influence Promotions andappoint-
ments have been frequently based on
faNoritism instead Of merit Trials
and court martials have been set aside
under circumstances indicating polit
ical interference These and other
abuses should be corrected.
Pensions For Our Soldiers and Sailors.
The national Democracy favors lib
eral pensions to the surviving soldiers
and sailors and their dependents on
the ground that they deserve liberal
treatment. II pledges by Its platform
adequate legislation TO that end. But
II denies the right Of the executive to
usurp the power OF congress TO iegis-
late on that subject Such usurpation
was attempted by pension order No.
rs, and effect has been given 70 II by
a congress that dared not resent the
usurpation. II is said that this order
was made in the performance OF
duty imposed upon the president by
act OF congress-" but the provision
making the imposition is not pointed
out The act to which the order re-
fers, which Is the one relating 20 pen
sons 10 civil war veterans. does not
authorize pensions on the ground Of
age. II does grant pensions 10 those
suffering from any mental or physical
disability or disabilities OF perma-
nent character, not the result OF their
own vicious habits. which so lncapacl-
tates them from the performance OF
manual labor as TO render them una
BILE TO earn support" This specified
requirement OF lncanacity is in effect
set aside by order No. Is as 10 all per
sons over sixty-two.
The war closed nearly forty years
ago In the meantime many OF our
soldiers and sailors long survived the
age OF slxty-two and passed away
without receiving any pension. skin
ful pension attorneys, hunting through
/ the statute failed 10 hnd there q pro
vision giving a pension 10 all who had
I reached sixty-two. Many prominent
( veterans urged the Justice Of congress
sional action giving a service pension
/ 20 all veterans Bills 10 that effect
were introduced in congress And not
until March Of this year did any one
ever claim to have made the discovery
that the president had power 10 treat
the statute as II IL read that when a
claimant bad passed the age of sixty
two years he is necessarily disabled
One-half In ability 10 perform manual
labor and therefore entitled 10 a pen
sion
The present pension commissioner in-
A..
a recent address he thanked the presl-
dent for what be had done aud advised
his hearers 10 use their influence that
a law might be passed 10 the same ef-
feet. Full confidence, after all, seems
not 10 have been placed on the defense
Of justification. for II Is pleaded In
mitigation that former Democratic
president did something looking I'm that
direction. Even II that we're so, which
IL not admitted, our present duty
would be none the less plain and i'm
perative. Our people must never tol-
crate the citation OF one act Of usurpa
J ton OF power as an excuse for anOth.
er. The first may possibly be due Ia
mistake; the second, being based on
the first, cannot be In explanation
however Il should be said that the or
der relied on simply provided that the
age OF seventy hve years should be re
garded as evidence Of inability 20 per
form manual labor Few men are ablt
70 perform manual labor al that age
but nearly All men are al siXty-twO
The first order Is based on a fact that
experience teaches: the other II based
on the assertion Of that which is moi
true as a general rule
The old inquiry. what are you go
ing TO do about itT' is now stated IN q
new form. II Ia said by the admins
Of this order. that III is easy 20 test
our opponents sincerity In tbis mat
ter. The order in question is reYOcabl'
at the pleasure OF the executive. II
our opponents come into power they
can revoke this order and annOuncl
that they viii treat the veterans O
sixty two and seventy ~ presumably
In full bodily vigor and not entitled q
pension. WIN they autbOritativell
state that they intend 20 de thisi Il
so. we accept the issue"
This suggests the suspicion al leas
} that the order was made 10 create al
issue; that II was supposed 70 presap
strong strategic position in the bat
tie Of the ballots But az the making
OF that order was. IN my judgment, al
attempted though perhaps unwilling en-
croachment upon the legislative p0Te
and therefore unwarranted BY the con
stitutiOn, the challenge b. accepted. !
elected ] win raEnke that arder. I'm