I understand that the Government has not now at Omaha “the necessary officers for the appraisement of merchandise and the collection of duties,” which by such proviso are necessary in order to secure to any place the advantages of immediate transportation.  In the absence of such officers the proposed legislation would be nugatory and inoperative.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 8, 1886.

To the House of Representatives: 

I herewith return without approval a bill numbered 3019, entitled “An act to increase the pension of Abigail Smith,” which bill originated in the House of Representatives.

This proposed legislation does injustice to a very worthy pensioner who was on the pension roll at the time of the passage of the law which took effect on the 19th day of March last, and by virtue of which all pensions of her class were increased from $8 to $12 per month.  Under this law she became entitled to her increased pension from the date of its passage.  The bill now returned allows her the same amount, but if it became a law I suppose it would supersede her claim under the previous statute and postpone the receipt by her of the increase to the date of the passage of the new law.

She would thus lose for nearly two months the increase of pension already secured to her.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 8, 1886.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return without my approval House bill No. 1471, entitled “An act increasing the pension of Andrew J. Hill.”

This bill doubles the pension which the person named therein has been receiving for a number of years.  It appears from the report of the committee to which the bill was referred that a claim made by him for increased pension has been lately rejected by the Pension Bureau “on the ground that the claimant is now receiving a pension commensurate with the degree of disability found to exist.”

The policy of frequently reversing by special enactment the decisions of the Bureau invested by law with the examination of pension claims, fully equipped for such examination, and which ought not to be suspected of any lack of liberality to our veteran soldiers, is exceedingly questionable.  It may well be doubted if a committee of Congress has a better opportunity than such an agency to judge of the merits of these claims.  If, however, there is any lack of power in the Pension Bureau for a full investigation, it should be supplied; if the system adopted is inadequate to do full justice to claimants, it should be corrected, and if there is a want of sympathy and consideration for the defenders of our Government the Bureau should be reorganized.