The Lamar register., 1891-10-03
UNDER WHICH BANNER.
1T MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHICH
you FOUGHT FOR.
An English Paper Contrasts tn. Treat
ment of Veterans Under Uncle sam
and John BuIl-Princ.
and Pauper.

munchester England contrasts tho
treatment OF soldiers and ex-soldiers
by the government in England and
America He first shows how much
better off is the American while in tho
regular service than Is his brother
across the Atlantic. But It ia when
We come to consider the question of
pensions, he says that the American
/ system is calculated to make the Brit
I lsh soldiers mouth water with envy
! After four terms OF five years each. or
twenty years service in ALL the soI-
der of any rank. from the general
down TO the private. is entitled to re-
tire upon three e-fourths of his last
years salary. This gives the sergeant
something like f3 15s per month. But
| beyond this-und here the marvel To
English ears bcgius-the American
government reasons thus: while
this man was serving us we fed him
and clothed him. Therefore IL Is only
fair that that portion OF his income
should be considered In his pension.
I Accordingly they reckon up his rations
aud his clothing on cash basis, and
allow him three-fourths OF that also.
Thus II is quite possible for a man
who enlistca ut 20 years of age TO re-
tire nj 40 with sufficient to live upon
for the remainder OF his days. In the
case Of hundreds OF Frenchmen and
| Germans now living who became
American citizens by tho act OF enlist
mont and have returned to their birth
/ places in France or the fatherlana =,
l. -yidont that the difference
purchasing power Of NOR IN Ihe
| them TO enjoy the cgndT' ehaoies
men NJ ease and p Yn ol gentle
as an English o. on sue huch
ror,ld ,nt l., --soer on half-paY. who
5oT - Dep up his position in Lon
I{,, 60 TO tho Channel islands and
IN style or settle down In Nor
mandy and be regarded rs a grand
seigneur. The pension is always con-
tinuod 10 tho soldiers widow for life
or 70 his orphans until they attain the
age OF 16.
But above and beyond this enviable
state Of things for the retired soldier
a. large. the single man with twenty
years service enjoys privileges which
makes one feel sore when he thinks OF
the poor old Crlmcau Veterans whose
case Mr.. Stanhope informs us he is still
cousidsring The map OF the United
States Is cut up into six military sec
lions IN which thero are seven or eight
soldiers homes for full time expired
mon, which are really noble iHstitu-
iions Take the establishment at
hinCton Tor instance and contrast
ii with our Chelsea hospital which is
best described rs an asylum into which
tho Rriiish veteran can not get Three
| uilcs from tho white house. wher. the
president resides. in "a fine park OF 500
acres is u palace capable OF accom-
mointing about 1000 men at time
! Therein the old soldier is lodged and
boarded as a matter OF right, at the OK
pCusc Of the state. with all the accummo-
dation oi q good hotel. Each man has
his hitlc roota. and public apartments
o. nli kinds. Including library. bill
liard-rooms. and every convenience of
lie with only the restriction that each
shall conform TO certain rules of
health and sanitary regulations for the
general comfort And for all this
there Is no deduction from the PEN
sion Il i bachelor hall but even an
old married man has the privilege of
residing there and supporting his wife
and younger children out of his pen
sion. outside. Moreover. as the meu
are In great measure their own serv-
ants. every inmate who accepts posi-
tlon in the place such a. gatel<ecper,
glgriencr. bookkeepcr, or what not
even 20 waiting on the table. receives
a salary for his services AS the old
men mess 10 common, the expense is
Of course not very great; but the point
i they are not In the workhouse, nor
subject 10 anyb0dy's commands cap
rices or insults Even the president
himself could not enter the place and
order one OF the inhabitants to bring
him a chair. He would have TO ask
for Il ciyilly. They are the honored
protegcs OF the nation. held in rever-
ence and treated with respect
But they do trot out as many of
their honored veterans as are able to
walk ON every occasion of national re-
ioicing or tn lend grace to the unveil-
ing OF statue or the opening Of a new
public building or what not. And
thea il is the custom TO make much of
them. and men crowd around to shake
hands with them and women to kiss
and hug them. And they give them
to eat and drink of the best apd a
front seat at the theater. Strong
young men get out OF the way of the
old veterans on crutches and take of
their hats TO them. And the people,
who are nation of sharp traders, cute
dealers and sharp practitioners in all
the ordinary affairs of life. just put
their smnrtness in their pockets and
make use of their hands 10 clap and
their lungs 10 cheer whenever the sur
vivors of the war of secession turn out
in body to honor the public festival.
And the young recruit as he presents
arms to the shattered fragments of
Grants or Sherman's command way
back in the COS. has tear of pride
in his eye as he reflects: What n
darned fine thing it is to he a soldier