The Springfield herald., 1904-10-14
ORDER NO. 78
Which Judge Parker VIII Not Have
a Chance to Revoke.

Chance to Revoke.
Nothing in the Democratic quiver of
whereases against President Roosevelt
has failed so utterly as that arraigning
| his pension order, No. TS, making the
proof of certain ages by old soldiers
evidental facts of certain degrees OF dis
ability.
II 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
tion Club" of New York, started in to
arraign Theodore Roosevelt for going
through the constitution as il it were
a paper hoop in a circus ring. it attack
| ed his issuance of order No. IS in these
words
1--WE And that President Roosevelt de
lihcrntely disresnrdcd Article !, Section o.,
shall be drawn from the Treasury. but In
| consequence of appropriations made by
law"
Now, what are the facts?
| Order No. 7S assumes that nm old
soldier who is G2 years OF age is prob
| ably able to earn only one-half of the
support the statute provides in case of
rives when he is seventy. and says he
shall be entitled to the munihcent sum
of SO per month as n pension; and it
finds that at Co he is two-thirds disa bled
| and entitled to SIS.
There can be no serious objection to
the principle of the order, which is
based OH the experience of mankind rs
to the gradual decay Of human powers.
BY reason of strength many men are
AS able to earn a 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 "tlie
performance of manual labor and the
evil days approach when ''the grasshop-
i pcr shall be burden and desire shall
fail"
Order No. IS merely recognizes the
course OF nature. but it draws no money
ont of the treasury without authority
of law. 1t was issued March 10. 1901.
to be effective April 13. 1904. Congress
being in session it was reported to that
body with the request that S1,5OO.OO0
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. 7Sswas drawn
from the treasury in consequence Of ian
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
| 10 last. S1.410,0OO was covered back
into the treasury as the unexpended
/ balance of the appropriation of $1,000,
900. after paying 100000 on 1862
claims adj,Nlicated in April, May and
| June to the end of the fiscal year. OF
the certificates issued only 1850 were
for original pensions to veterans who
had reached the age of sixty-two OF
upward, and 14.T6S were increases al
lowed to claimants who were receiving
pensions for disability less than tht
amount to which they were entitled
under the pension for age
Thus. it will be perceived. the dreat
OF a heavy pension raid on the trcasur,
by reason of Order No. 7S has gon,
glmmering along with the constitutions
hy sterics of the Parker Constitution
| Club of New York.