The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-15
AN OPEN LETTER

In reply to N. W. Levy, Esq.
MY DEAR LEvY:-You complain OF my
dictatorial tone in the really mild protest
against disseminating pension cheeks, l
made through the EAGLE, at the request OF
a large number of my comrades.
If nv tone was dictatorial it was because
of indignation at an innovation started oy
you, which has no parallel, l venture TO
say, in the banks of any loyal city ii the
United States.
You, of course, can adhere to your newly
adopted legend" and charge from twenty
five to seventy-iive cents for cashing pen
sion check, but it will not be necessary IN
the future, opine, for you to loose any
sleep over the problem or whether you
shall transmit these checks by mail or ex-
press.
Il appears to me that you are begging
the question when you lug into your letter
ipuendoes against the fraternal relations
| of the old soldiers. You manifest a spirit
| of i'll concealed contempt for him ana MS
racket" that is scarcely commendaoie IN
| such an astute politician as yourself HAD
| Republicans such as you STOOD oy ooi.
Hallowell-as gallant soldier as ever
/ charged a batterv-stood by him as we
stood By him, the sockless statesman OF
the plains would now be in state or IN
| nocuous desuetude' instead of passing as
| q Demosthene IL eastern cltles-ahu
wearing silk hose.
Your allusion to myself in the role of
landlord is somewhat cloudy In It's apph
cation to the question in hand. LII set up
a free lunch to the wealthy anC made a
| charge TO the poor, the punishment
would fit the crime" TO dot
| You cash all drafts at par when offered
by depositor. The rich pensioner then
who can afford to keep a bank account
with you gets the face value of his check.
The poor devil to whom p cents looks rs
big as cartwheel must pay his pound OF
fiesh-that is your doctrine precisely, ana
while l admit that the principle Is 10 ac-
cord with bank methods, its enforcement
now-at this time, is impolitic, cold blood
ed-asinine, for don't you know that a
pensioner who receives his check at the
Wichita postoffice can take that check TO
his grocer, pay his last quarters Dill Win
it or make a purchase and II there is any
residue receive it in cold cash without
ever going near a bank And where Is
the banker then, not even excepting one
SO erudite as yourself, who. will refuse 70
take them from his grocer or ory gooos
deposiuor at their face value.
The morning after my 'rumor" article
appeared in print, a well known gentleman
said to me, .'You have aroused the hos
tility of the banks and they Will do you
up" In lengthy Ietter W He al CNiSS
| of one of the banks uses these remarkaois
words, and coming from an ex-confederatt
YOU may imagine how it sat on my diges
ton. Said he: you certainly owe the
banks of this city an apology as strongly
worded AS the article referred to" Grea'
Godl and has it come to this that mai
, who stood up in defense of his country fol
,, four years and nine months and comes ou'
publicly and bodily against, an innovation
caiculated 10 work a hardship on his ole
comrades or mayhap his widow and or
phan. must swallow his words at the bid
, ding of the mou:h-piece OF monied com
, bine.
Well here is my answer to that: Ma.
9 nv right hand forget its cunning and m,
4 tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
9 before / stullify myself and the comrade
{ whom / represent in abating one Jot o
, one title of what l have written.
l am, my dear Levy,
Your most obedient servant.
i NJ. STEWART