The Portland daily press., 1874-02-05
A Debt Of Gratitude.

Among the obligations which a grateful
State and nation recognize as peculiarly sacred,
is that of generously caring for the destitute
families of soldiers who lost their lives or were
disabled In the late war to preserve the natio4al
existence. With what fidelity this debt of
gratitude is being net by this State, as well as
by the American people, is known to all. And
yet our obligations {, the men who took
their live in their hands and went forth at the
call of their country, will not be redeemed SO
long as there shall remain destitute hoy in
blue, or an INDECENT family of living or dead
soldier, whose necessities are not supplied; and
supplied, too, not as paupers, but as citizens
who are only receiving what they have more
than earned.-Gou. Dingley's Address.
There is not free minded citizen in the
State who will not subscribe to the above
sentiment. The care for those who have
been wounded in the defence of the country
ond the parents, widows and orphans of the
men who have died in sustaining the nation
al integrity, is mere act of gratitude and not
OF charity. Other claims the Legislature can
disregard. Indeed many of the worthy OBJ
jects which appeal to the law-maker for State
encouragement may be denied aid on various
pretexts and reasons but to refuse to care for
those who are needy because they have stood
between the nation and its foes, will be to dis
grace the people of Maine and repudiate their
oft repeated promise to the men who brought
to the State imperishabe renown. 1ea
There is very general complaint respecting
the present pension law, or rather the rules un-
deTwhich the law is administered, which were
adopted by the Executive Council in 1866.
These rules fail to recognize that the State
owes anything to her manned soldiers or those
dependent upon such as died in the service.
On the other hand, the spirit of these rules
impress one with the idea that the applicant
for the State pension is so far from having any
merit that he is but one remove from the Or
binary pauper. The exclusiveness of the
rules is such that the officer charged with
the administration of the law must closely
calculate the minimum sum which will retain
the needy applicant on the living side of star
walton. A comfortable and frugal living is
not recognized as the right of those who
should deserve well of the State, but the APP
piicant must declare that it such aid is not
granted, be or she must depend upon public
or private charity. If the applicant has a
house that he calls his own, he is debarred
from the State, pension; indeed, the law as
construed by the arbitrary rules, is pauper
act rather than a measure to generously and
gratefully care for those who have done the
State service that will always give it an
honored name. aN
Convinced that Governor Dingley has given
expression to the real sentiment Of the people
OF Maine on the subject of pensions, the re-
cent encampment of the Grand Army of the
Republic, took measures to present the Leg
lslature a bill somewhat different'from the
law OF last year in that it is more liberal in its
spirit and is designed TO recognize the unfor-
suDate applicant as one who has claims upon
the State. t.
However much the State may attempt to
90, it can never make up the great loss which
the individual who is MANNED or broken by
disease incurred in the service, constantly
suffers. He can never compete with the sound
and well in the usual avocations of life. For
tne honor of the State he has sacrificed bis
personal welfare. The least the State can do
Is to make an effort to secure his comfortable
existence.
AS to the dependent mothers, widows and
orphans, the State should stand as their guar
dian and protector. As far as possible it
should take the place of those natural guar
dams who have died in the service of the
State. sz ag3t
We hope, therefore, that the Legislature
will fully appreciate the fact that the State
owes these pensioners a debt of gratitude
which it can never repay, but as far as posi-
BILE, show the appreciation of the State by
the passage of generous bill and making
provision for its successful administration.
THE city election in Philadelphia attracts
more than ordinary interest outside of that
State because it is partially contest between
the Cameron and Forney factions and be-
cause the mayor elected will hold that office
during the ensuing Centennial, The Demo-
Gratis make no nomination and Col. A. K.
Mcclure is the reform or Forney candidate.
1t is quite likely that in that city, abuses
and corruption exist under the present rule.
But neither Mcclure nor Forney have a
large capital invested in political purity and
not even the Cameron crowd can tell them
what tricks are vain, if current reports are
credited. Men who have always been in
triguers are not fit for reformers unless they
have met with radical change of hearts
Nevertheless if these gentlemen can give
Philadelphia better government than it now
has, we trust they will succeed.