The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-16
Pensions for Old Soldiers.

Pensions for Old Soldiers.
The Cbiumbia Register in an able article on
the subject Of pensions, among other things,
says
"Eut it may be well asked, Shall we do
nothing, then 1t is Just here. comes the
pinch. SO far as the people of this common,
those, as q rule, are the poorest now VINO were
nurturcd to generous sentiments, 1eS, we
are pOUr, and we annOt. if VIC would, do more
than we are able. Under these circumstances
Inc mere claim of being disabled does not
warrant the taxation of the people to give
any the assistance which they may not need
Why should poor women and children,
among others, who have barely cnongn 10
support life, be taxed to bcstow Il 'argrSS on II
disabled soldier who is in comfortable cir
cumstances and needs 10 help?
at seems to us thai n man of proud reck'
onjur should refuse to have his virtues made
an iniliction on his fellow citizens. But the
case Is entirely different when the applicant
for relief is needy. For Such Il one society ~
bound In all honor to provide. with Sener-
al system of pensions the rich ana "ell-to.ao
may come in and have the very breAl or INC
poor taxed to add to their store. with this
and ali such as this. soldier or no soldier, we
have no sort of sympathy; ipr tie s'miG,e
reason that ii is oppressive ana wrong III IL
self. Wrong before God and man..
The reasoning is so fair, and SO applicable 10
the present Ubiquitous school tax that with a
few changes of words. it would present our
views more forcibly than we can DO For IN
stance, the Register says:
"Why should POOR women and children.
among Others, who have barely enough to
support life, be taxed 10 beStow Il larScsS on Il
disabled soldier who is in comfortable cir
cumstanccs and needs no help"
Now, suppose we change a word or two OF
that sentence, and make it read thus:
"Why should poor women and children.
destitute old soldiers, and their widows, who
have barely enough to support life. be taxed
10 bestow a largesS on wealthy neighhors ana
big able bodied negroes who are in cOmfOria-
Bile circumstances and need no help to edu.
cate their children %
Let rs o another sentence or two. as fol.
lows:
at seems to MS thai any man Of proud rcck-
oning should refuse to have his virtues made
an inhiction 10 his fellow citizens. Blu the
case is entirely different when the applicant
for relief is necdy.'
Let the above sentence be changed in only n
word or two, and it explains our position on
the public schools:
at seems to us that II man Of proud reck-
oning and ability to pay should refuse to have
the education Of his children an infection TO
| his fellow citizens. Bul the case is entirely
different when the applicant for relief is
ncedy.'
The following sentence Of the same editorial
from the Register needs nc alteration at all:
Why not let all that the State can afford to
bestow 20 to those who do need it To such
as do need help there can he no question OF
the plain duty Of the commonwealth IN the
premises. Whatever 1t ma cost TO Succor
them should he encountered, be it what 1T
may"
At q time when the Legislature is annually
appropriating a quarter of million dollars for
educating the ignorant negro who always
swears against us in Court, and who, when
educated, always traduces US in the pulpit, at
home and abroad, the Register has this TO say
when 1t is proposed to relieve the necessities
OF the disabled soldiers by the appropriation
of a small sum-:
1--WE would say that We not only feel this
sympathy, but hold that us IL matter Of COM
| mon srlf.reSpcct every man who knows what
fearful sacrifices the Southern soldiers made
for the 'LOst Cause" must accept 1t as y sl.
cred obligation to help those needing help
who SO bravely encountered the tolls, The pri.
v~atiOns, and the untold Sufferin-S of the ter
riblc conflict. What can be done to relieve
those who need reiiet is a question we pre-
VI hatever our individual sympathies may be,
this question is not so easy OF solution as our
correspondent would Think
The Register says:
"With u general system Of pensions the rich
and Well to do may come In and have the
very bread Of the poor taxed to ada to their
store. With al! such as this, soldier or no SOL
dicr, we nave no sympathy. for the simple
reason that it is oppressive and wrong in It,
self. Wrong before God and man."
This sentence, with only a word or two
changed, expresses our sentiments on the
present school system. as follows:
"With a general system Of public schools as
now conducted, the rich and Wcll-i0-dO clti-
zen comes in and has the very bread OF IN"
poor taxed to cducale his children. With
this, anu all such as this, school or no school
we have no sort of sympathy, for the simple
reason that it Is oppressive and wrong In IL
self. Wrong before Cod and man,
In conclusion, we thank the Register for fur
nishing US with such forcible arguments
against the present most shameful outrage of
taxing the very bread of the poor man that
his rich neighbor may get his children cduca-
ted ut his expense.
If pensions to brave and deserving soldiers
are to be given only to the needy, why not re-
strict ting school fund for the benefit of the
needy? That is the question which we would
like for the Register or anybody else to an
swer.