The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1912-09-20
The PRESIDENT SIGNED MOST WILLINGLY

The industrious circulation Of the falsehood that President Taft threatened
a veto o. the sunoway bill a n of the chief plays of his opponents and
worked some injury to his popularity, al his adversaries had planned. That
there a no truth In this every senator representative and other public man
could have known If he cared to inquire. yet II. "a a good enough Morgan
after the nomination"
Now these m men are with equal industry and unnuth circulating the
report that President Taft signed the act of Ma. II most unwiingly and was
There had been a overwhelming popular demand for additional pension
Legislation. The people we're most earnest in their wish that the veterans who
NAMED to them n nadonal encampment OF M Grand Army or IN Re
public had asked for such legislation. The remarkable facto the Endorsement
of the Sunoway bill by the legislatures of twenty seve states "a an
astonishing development O depth and wide extended feeling on the subject
Could any president be expected to disregard such a manifestation? Ger
tainly not William H. Taft, whose great heart has always appreciated the
service OF tn veterans and who has eyer been quickly responsive to tn
popular will
No n doubted at the beginning Of congress that he intended to approve a
pension bill This knowledge had to be used with h utmost discretion, how
ever. The presidential campaign as opening There was a general expecta-
ton that the Democrats would make a strong effort to put the president and
the senate in a hole" IN the pension question. The fear al not aIayed until
within a few days of the passage of the act of May IL This required the
greatest circumspection On the par of the president and his friends. But as
on a the act Of May II began to take shape in the senate and months be-
fore 1t actually passed there va nc real doubt that the president would sign
the bill which would be finally formulated.
At the invitation Of senator's as a constant visitor to the capitol while
communication with the members Of the invalid pensions committee of the
house. With me ven mst frequently Past Commander Ii Chief John r.
E 8. Godfrey, Arizona; Commander Granville C. FIske, Massachusetts,; Com
whom the senators wanted Ito see and counsel with.
We net Senators Crane, McCumber. Curtis, smoot, Burnham and others Of
the presidents closest friends and advisers. They were confident in their as
surancest that the president would sign the bill The comrades named felt no
If IN result at least wv months before te hill vas stoned
As we all know, President Taft put himself to great personal Inconvenience
in order to sign the bill and let it'll begin at once it's benefcence to the veterans.
The bill was nt ready for his enatur when he left for Princeton N ! He
made the journey back to Washington expressly to sign the bill. He reached
seven minutes before midnight and had to leave washington again he next
day. OF these facts as personally cognfzant as was present when the bill
was signed. JOHN MELRoY,
Editor National Tribune
l fully concur in the foregoing
There is absolutely no truth in the statement that the president as Cd.
posed to any pension bill. On the contrary, W e we're assured, al stated above.
that he would give his approval t. the bill when finally passed, which was
evidenced by his haHy return to Washington for the purpose.
JOHN r. KING.
From the National Tribune