Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-01
PENSIONS AND DONATIONS.

Inc VIE or zen. LOngstreet has one
admirable trait in her character that
should be studied 10y the wives and
families Of other distinguished generals
and public men. The Atlanta COnsti-
tuition proposed to raise a fund from
public donations to aid the General i'm
living comfortably, IL being understood
that he was in poor financial circum-
stances. Mrs. LOngstreet says 10.
Her husband is able 10 provide for his
family and does not need public charity.
This reminds us that the popular prac-
tice OF raising testimonials and mon
ument funds is being run into the
ground In nine cases out Of ten,
these distinguished citizens, for whom
subscriptions are asked. are financially
IN good circumstances, in many cases
richer than the donors. They are usu-
ally men who have held lucrative public
Offices with great lot of ''perquisites. "
II the heroes have died, two chances To
one they have been carrying large in
surance policies as advertisements for
the companies, and the payment Of
these policies would be sufficient to sup
port their families in luxury. Take
the cases of the Garfield family and
Gen. Grants family. The public do
mated large fortune TO each of these
families, when not dollar was due
either. The private fortune of each Of
these distinguished men was sufficient
for any ordinary American. Suppose
Garfield left but $50 900; that properly
managed would have supported and
educated his family in better style than
one family in n thousand in this cOun-
try IS supported and educated. Yet the
public gave this family ten times TWEEN
ty thousand. Mrs. Grant had only
herself to support, and it occurs that
an annual income of 81 coo a year
should have satisfied her. But it was
not enough to support her grown sons
and their eXtravagant families, and
here the public contributed its wealth
again. Mrs. Hancock is another ex-
ample: She could have lived a comfort
able life on what her husband left; but
her admirers must raise a fund" for
her and buy her fine house in Wash
ington. She does not need it.
And so the list might be extended.
indefinitely. The American people are
becoming crazy on the subject of pen
siOns and donations. a man whOenters
the service of his country, in the civil
or military branch, goes in for the mon
ey that is in the job or for the glory of
the thing, and he is usually paid every
dollar his services are worth, and there
the matter should end; but it does not
There is no more reason why the gov
eminent should continue TO support
him, if he is disabled, or support his
family if he dies, than there is reason
FOR railroad company or mercantile
establishment supporting the families of
employees. Not one soldier in ten thous-
aud in the last war expected to receive
a pension; not one in thousand was
disabled so as to have even a remote
clam for such; but now, a quarter of a
century after the war is over. it is the
exception to find an ex-sOldier who
does not want to be remembered sub
stantially for the part he took in serv-
ing the country. lie was paid for his
services while in the army, but now he
wants "A donation and a monument.
lie has the example of distinguished
men before him, and perhaps, after all,
he should not be blamed for suggesting
on every occasion how much the gov
eminent owes him.
But If this thing is to continue. then
1t will be right and proper for the
army of people in the employ of the
civil service TO put i'm their claims for
pensions; the state officers and their
clerks have a precedent for demanding
a money consideration for their impaired
health; congressman, their clerks and
even the lobbyists may reasonably show
up the scars they received i'm the service
and demand IN ore money for saving the
country; and even the county, township.
city, school district and road officers
will be authorized to put i'm claims
against their several governments for
the great strain they were subjected to.
in body and mind, when filling the inn
pOrtant public trusts.