The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-25
Rich Old Pensioners.

KIch Old Pensioners.
Centennial DIX. the Old Boy in blue, is
doing his best to make the pr sent cam
paign an issue between the North and the
South. What time he can spare from this
patriotic labor he cheerfuly spends in
preaching TO the public tho necessity of a
return to primitive republican principles
and In inveighing against the Democrats
for their dangerous tendency to waste the
peoples money.
Now II this venerable snipe shooter who
comes down to us from remote genera
ton, really holds at heart the interests of
the taxpayers, and honestly wants to get
back to days when the Treasury was not u
common pot for everybody who could
nike up constructive claim against II,
why does he continue to walk up to the
pension Office in this city four times n year
and draw from SIS to so "A month for SER
vices in the war of lsl2g
BY the original pension law, enacted
after the Revolution aud continuing in
force until comparatively recent time,
no one, no matter how great his disabilities
or how ilustrlous his services, could re-
ceive pension for having served in the
United States army il he had other and
adequate means of support. This provision
was wise and proper. II ruled out wealthy
people who did not need that the Govern
meut should tax the whole country merely
to add to their abundance. 1t restricted
the public bounty to those veterans who
were really deserving OF the public bounty.
But Centennial DIX is a millionaire, and
i'll no pressing need of charity from ma
ton which has already, in one way or
another, put great deal of money into his
capacious and ever receptive pocket. HIS
war record is not a CORY one. He has never
lost leg or an arm or n finger or even any
part of an ear. Whether we regard him
while occupying the pleasant position of
ade-de-camp in the war of 1872. or issuing
the famous Shoot him on the spot order
ut the tolerably safe distance of one thou
sand miles from the scene of peril, or super
intending military operations from the
pdrlors Of New York and Baltimore hotels,
or making metrical TRANSACTIONS of Latin
hymns. intrenched under the bombproofs
al Fortress Monroe, we generally find that
Centennial DIX served his country in a
pretty secure and comfortable fashion. The
ancient war horse has always had a snug
corner Of the stable, aud plenty of fodder
straw, AMI blankets.
No: outstanding his great wealth and
the ample rewards he has already received
from the nation, Centennial DIX continues
to appear at the pension office, we are told,
with the regularity OF the seasons, draw
ing from the public Treasury the few dol
lars month 10 which he has q construc-
tive aud strictly legal right.
There are other mean rich men who do
not scruple TO take advantage of the same
privilege, and yet who are shocked at the
prospect OF Democratic expenditures III
the future. TnURLow WEED, for instance,
still draws SO a month rs a veteran Of 1912.
when he bore drum TO the frontier and
no doubt played upon that hollow and
noisy instrument with the same crafty
skill which has since distinguished his per-
formanoes in the lobby of the Legislature.
and at Republican Conventions.
Some years ago something being said in
the papers about the absurdity of paying
THURLow WEED 80 a month ont Of the
Federal Treasury, it was urged in reply
that Mr. WEED did not use the pension
himself, but paid it over regularly to an
old friend who had seen prosperity but
was now in reduced circumstances. He
admitted, therefore, that il was anything
but decorous for him TO take from an i'm
poverished Treasury money that he did not
need and to keep it for himself. so long Us
he devoted it 10 private benefactions it
was all right!
We have been considering not the legal
but the moral right of these rich men. and
Others like them, to take advantage of IN
opportunity TO squeeze few wretched
dollars out of the over-burdened taxpayers
OF the country. Perhaps their greedness
is one reason why the Government is UNI
able TO do moro than give meagre sup
port to the really deserving veterans VINO
have no accumulated property, aud are
from earning living by
wounds received in the service of the
nation.