The National tribune., 1907-06-20
VETO OF THE PENNSYLVANIA PEN
SION BILL,

most people.
Bills of that important character are
always preceded by earnest discussion
and agitation among the veterans. This
eliminates in the careful formulation
of a measure to meet their views, and
a presentation in timir name by their
recognized mouthpecc - the Grand
Army of the Republic.
There was absolutely nothing of this
preliminary work in Pennsylvania.
When the bill was presented it was as
much of a surprise 10 the veterans as
to the general public. We have not
heard that n single Post or one If the
officials Of the Department of PcnnsSl-
vania. 6. a. r. Vas consulted about
the matter or their advice taken about
the provisions of the bin. or the policy
of presenting it ut this time Certainly
none of them had been asking for it,
and there was mono of the customary
petitions and expressions from bodies
of veterans which always preCedc the
enactment of So important a measure.
In fact it involved Il new and wide
departure for which the minds Of most
veterans were wholly unprcpared. They
have believed that, as they served the
United States. fought for the United
States and preserved the United States.
at infinite cost to themselves, the whole
United States should join in the grate-
full duty of providing for them in their
old age. 1t was all right for the
Southern States to pension the Confed-
crates, on the theory that they had
fought for their States. But while
Pennsylvanians had gloriousIy repre-
sented their State in the Union Army,
they had fought for the whole United
States.
All of the Northern States have, by
building State Soldiers Homes and
other institutions. recognized that their
sons had also fought for the State, and
deserved the States substantial and
grateful recognition of that service.
Massachusetts has gone still farther
and given State pensions.
Still State pensions is a matter for
which the minds of the veterans gen.
orally were more or less unprepared.
w MEN,, HoNeNcl. tHc were oi-
fcred them they were naturally quite
grateful. 1t seemed and still seems a
Just and gracious thing for the great
wealthy State of Pennsylvania to do.
Never was any State. country or COM
better served on the battle
of Pennsylvania. She sent
out a larger per centage Of her popu-
iation than many States. She was
splendidly represented by them on
nearly every battlefield of the thou
sands of bloody encounters of the war.
She not only had more killed than any
other State. but a larger percentage of
her fighting men fell in death around
the flag they defended.
That she should. from her overflow |
ing wealth. give literally to sustain
in their cid age the men who made
such a glorious record for her is of
the higher form of justice which be-
comes gratitude.
Whether the time was meet for this |
was the duty of the Legislature TO de-
eide. II was the Legislatures duty to
consider whether such n |
measure was desired by the PcnnsyI- !
vania veterans. whether it was due
Them. and whether the financial cir
of the Commonwealth per-
nitted its being done at this time.
1t is claimed that the Legislature did |
not do this 1t certainly did not discuss
the measure as exhaustively as it's
great Importance warranted, nor were
was inopportune. It was hurried thru
both Houses. instead of taking the
usual course of long consideration in
and from session to session
The responsibility of defeating it was
thrown upon the Governor.
instead Of being manfu!ly assumed by
the Legislators. upon proper grounds.
The Philadelphia Ledger says edito-
rally:
Governor Stuart in vatofng the
State Pension bill has exhibited rare
courage and is entitled to the gratitude
IF all good citizens. Every reasonable
and intelligent veteran will recognize
he plain fact that the question of
friendship TO the veteran was not really
involved in this bill in the shape in
which 1t was presented to The Gov
e'nor. The problem which the Legis-
ature very unworthily presented to
him was. Would the Governor have the
the Legislature hoped ne
would-to veto a measure calling for
great expenditure of public moneys not
in the State Treasury and unprovided
for by the Legislature in new laws?
There is not a single man among
hose attending the recent session of
The last Legislature who is a iirmer
friend to the old soldiers than Gov
ernor Stuart The task for him was
therefore all the more distaSteful; but
he is an honorable public servant. and
he has on this occasion shown great
iTmncSS and courage.
1t mas been suggested that, even if
il would have been necessary to reduce
The State appropriations 10 the public
and semipublfc charitable and philan-
.hropic institutions, the Governor might
have done so. because the soldiers have
as strong Il claim upon the peoples
bounty as the beneficiares of State in
ANY time the people DELHI
crately express their opinion to this
effect through the Legislature, Gov
Stuart or any other Governor Will no
doubt obey tho behest with alarrity.
But there would have been obviously
a brutality and lack of the ordinary
elements of humanity in Il sudden. yio-
lent withdrawal of the appropriations |.
to the many excellent institutions which
have been depending upon the States
aid and aims. The whole subject of
State appropriations needs 10 be re-