I can not forget the thousands of poor widows with claims superior to this beneficiary, but with no interested friends to push their claims for increase of pension, who would be discriminated against if this proposed bill becomes a law.
It seems to me that there is a chance to do injustice by unfair caprice in fixing the rates of pension, as well as by refusing them altogether when they should be granted.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 22, 1888.
To the House of Representatives:
I return without approval House bill No. 8281, entitled "An act for the relief of Lieutenant James G.W. Hardy."
It is proposed by this bill to award a pension to the beneficiary above named.
In the month of January, 1864, he was on recruiting service in the State of Indiana. On the 15th day of that month he was traveling between Indianapolis and Lafayette in a railroad car, and he alleges that he raised a window of the car to obtain air, and placed his arm on the window sill, when it was struck by something from the outside and one of the bones of his arm broken.
In February, 1865, he resigned on account of disability caused by the accident above mentioned, the medical certificate then stating that he had a fracture of the right humerus of ten months' standing which had not been properly adjusted.
He made an application for a pension to the Pension Bureau, which was rejected.