San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-05-21

MANHOOD SUFFRAGE Is THE THING"
what should be done with the Louisiana
lottery"
THE LOTTERY ULCER SHOULD BE CAUTERIZED.
ut Is plague spot, a moral ulcer that
should be cauterIzed; 1t Is a disgrace to our
civilization that it is permitted to use the
mails and the post Office department to de-
bauCh and plumber the nation to the extent
of $50, 600. 900 or $50, 600, 600 every year
How long viii it be before the last pen
sioner connected with the late war for the
Union becomes extinct: And how much will
this government then have paid the pension
crS Of that war;
\ S4,OyO,UO0, 600 ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL
WAR PENSIONS.
"AcrOrding to the tables of mortality, the
last surviving soldier of the war for the
Union will expire between 1910 and 1870, but
the pension roll Will rapidly diminish long
before that time. Pensions 10 widows and
dependent relatives will, however, continue
for much longer period Before the &C
count is finally closed ! think the govern
ment will have paid not less than four thou
sand million dollars"
Don't YOU think that some day the ex-
Confederates will be admitted to the pension
roll of the United States"
Tie senator paused to reflect, and his rather
hard face melted into playful smile as he
answered: 1t viii not be surprising if some
provision is ultimately made for pensioning
the eN-COnfederate soldiers should the Demo
cratic party be restored to power"
Don't you think that senators and repre-
sentatives are poorly paid for their works"
1T is impossible for the government to
compete with private employers in cOmpen-
Sation for special services Legislation is not
an occult science and does not require unuS-
Tal faculties or extraordinary attachments.
The ordinary business Of congress can be
successfully conducted by the average mer-
chant or lawyer. 1t affords opportunity for
the exercise Of the highest powers, but good
solid common SENSE and industry are the es-
scutiaIS The government should only pay
what is necessary 80 secure such services as
are requisite Tor the performance Of its work.
Salaries should be sufficient for decent
support. Politics has been q favOrite pursuit
for men of ambition and energy in all ages,
and will prOD@Dly continue TO be for all time
to come. Hut 10 one is compelled 10 dedicate
himself to he public service 1t voluntary
and if the conditions are unsatisfactory there
is no obstacle to retirement. While it would
be agreeable 10 receive more my impression
is that if salaries were doubled expenses
would be doubled, and the result would be
the same. Probably a majority of both
houses receive as much now as they could
earn in any other capacity tor the same
amount Of work.
Can Germany, senator, manage to get
along without Bismarck Will civilization
and progress lose by Bismarck'S retirement
VIII Europe still continue to have ADLER
statesmen than America! And will European
craftsmanship continue to have a greater in
tluenCe than American craftsmanship upon
the GeStiuic> 81 mafirn~.'
NO ONE INTI>PENsABLE-NO EVEN CLEvE-
LAND.
no man is Indispensable Lincoln died at
: in the morning and at 1920 the government
was running along as if he had never existed.
Perhaps the country would survive the tenn
pOrary silence and retirement of Grover
Cleveland. So Germany will probably stag
ger along without Bismarck though he is
one OF the most potential forces in European
politics. Brave men lived before Agamem-
non and whenever there is an emergency
or a crisis there is a leader. But the domi-
nant power on the globe now is and for CEN
turtles will continue to be the United States
of America. 1t Is in this arena that the final
COnqueStS of civilization are to be accom-
pllShed.'
"Wouldn't it he better if we had a restrict
ed franchise and what kind of qualification
would apply property, education or length
of reSiGenCef
ITO your main question | would answer,
ideally, yes; practically, no. Any excluded
class III a popular government inevitably be-
comes hostile. A citizen who is denied rights
that others enjoy becomes a conspirator. Tn
dOubtedly it would be better if ever, voter
could read and write. So it would be better
if every voter were healthy moral, well
dressed. with a balance in the bank but this
is unattainable. Manhood suffrage is the
thing. There are plenty of men who are il
literate, yet good citizens; and lots of fellows
who have money anil can speak seven or eight
languages vino are scOundrelS.
TO make property or education the con-
ditiOn Of suffrage and citizenship would be
all abSurdlty. In addition to these cOnsidera-
tionS any political party that should advo-
cate such restrictions would incur the ami
mostly of those to be excluded without Sc
curing requirements from any quarter
SO with regard to an amendment Of natural
lzation laws requiring longer residence before
foreigners could vote, unless both parties
should concur, neither would dare to take
the initiative
Huckaback Towels.