The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-09-15
WHOLE NO. 1888.
War Widows.
Washington Post.

highly interesting remarks of Pen
sion Commissioner Evans on the
subject of war widows. Referring
to the fact that, although the
Declaration of Independence is
121 years old, the government is
still :paying pensions to widows
of men who fought for it, the
Commissioner expressed his be-
lief that in 1887 the government
will be paying similar pensions
for the civil war of 1861-1865. |
He said he had no doubt that,
for years to come girl babies would
be born to the destiny of becom-
ing the pensioned widows off the
veterans of 1865. Of the 9S3, ,62S
names now on the rolls, no less
| than 228, ,522 are those of widows,
and the proportion is steadily in
creasing. There are seven survi-
yors of the war of 1912 on the
J rolls, while pensions are paid to
2o1O widows Of that war, and the
Commissioner thinks that the
time will come when the widows
of our great war will exceed the
soldiers in aboutthe same numeri-
cal relation. Since the publica-
ton of the comments, whose chief
points we have cited, the commits
sioner is reported to have declared
himself in favor of reducing, by
act of Congress the future output
Il of war widows. Here is the deliv-
q erance with which he is credit
ed.
, II think Congress should take
l. prompt action in preventing 6
g multiplication of pensions through
the marriage Of old soldiers. 4
l. good many people think that th'
d, prospective pension as widow o
at la soldier is enough to cause man,
young girls to marry old men 70
m whom they care nothing except t
90 have d pension for the balance Q
m their lives. 1t seems to ME tha
,s the practice is a bad one, and
s;- hope Congress will take this maj
ter in hand and pass legislation
=; prevent a pension being given VIC
ows of soldiers of the last wf
49, who marry the soldiers in the fl
ture. Instances have been repor
ed to the Bureau of Pensions whiC
show that women have marie
pensioners on their deathbeds
W "o order that widow pension mig
be secured. .
my 1t is possible that Congress M
.'y give this proposition hospital
NY reception and favorable conslc
see ration; but, if so, it will be SON
thing like a new departure in pc
'tor sion legislation, as we'll as in
two general policy of nations on
7rv- subject of marriage. So far as
nee are advised, no similar suggesti
tied has ever been brought to the !
lrch tice of Congress. Widows OF
our wars have been as freely
tied mitted to the pension rolls as
We men who fought in those wa
lake Whether the fact that there W
.ank more soldiers and will, thereto
put be more widows of the last tt
four in all our preceding wars will
take duce congress to reverse Its po
first remains to be seen.
It has been the almost unif'
Sea- policy of governments to enc'
WOO age marriage on moral, soclol
\Jon- cal and economic grounds.
filed our government, IN It's pen
FORTY laws, has put a premium on
f No continuance of widowhood by
chile viding that a widow 8 pension s
,reat- lapse if she re-embarks on the
Il f. rimunlal sea. This may have
. ,+ necessary, but its moral influ
has been and will continue t
IL. bad. 1t is strong temptatlo
pn;o commit perjury or to adop
NJ immoral course of life, for
sion of $12 month is for
- mn to very poor person. The
,,;a lation suggested by Commiss
l: Evans would not be promotl
49,. vice or crime, but we are b
means sure that it will com
49, itself to Congressional appl