The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-16

NOCe-BdrOneter temperature
and elevation. p. F. Lyons. Observer.
ONE CASE OF ''TOTAL DISABILITY"
We assume that the readers of the
Clio b e have duly scanned the list
printed in Sundays issue Of those ex-
soldiers who are in receipt of the high
est grade of pensions granted under
general law. Just how many surprises
have awaited their discovery of the
names of men in it who are drawing
these liberal pensions who do not eX-
hibit 1.-THE loss of both eyes or of both
feet or such total and permanent dis
ability as requires the regular aid and
attendance of another person." we are
not as yet aware. For the credit of
the pension system and the old and
worthy pensioners we hope they have
found none The G o b e is not sure
that it has found one, but, if it has
not, it must admit it's inability to con-
strue what appears to it to be very
plain and simple English language 1t
assumes that total and permanent dis
ability" mean what the words ordinar-
lily imply. 1t assumes that regular
aid" means that and not occasional or
frequent. IT can understand that a
blind man or footless man would need
such an attendant every hour of the
day, but it cannot understand that a
disability can be total requiring such
attendance in a case where the person
displays no other or further disability
than the loss of ansarm involves.
OF these names, the Globe has
knowledge, as yet, of but one, that of
Joseph Burger. 1t knows him only
through his incessant activity in poll
ties, and what it knows of him compeIs
it to revise it's definitions of words or
to doubt his right to a place among
the total and permanently disabled. It
first became aware of the existence of
Joseph in 1881, when he appeared in
the hall of representatives of the state
as a member from the county of Blue
Earth. 1t had occasion then to note
his vigor, industry and zeal He pre-
ferred then to be styled the Honor
able Captain Joseph Burger" at any
rate this is the name he gave Cen
trail enc evening at the Clarendon
when he told the "hallo" girl to please
connect the Honorable Captain Joseph
Burger with the milliner on Third
street" There was some slight evil
dence of incapacity in this, to be sure.
while the fact that he appeared as a
Republican representative was another
still stronger proof of total disability
But we did not then observe the pres
ence of that regular" attendant for
which the pension act stipulates
An ungrateful constituency having
he dropped out of the G. b e's ken
until the memorable session of 1891
when the Legislature was controlled by
Democrats and Alliance Before that
body Capt. Joseph Burger appeared
and lobbied hard for some billet, claim
Ing to have abjured Republicanism and
It's idols and having been duly i'm
mersed in the pure waters of Democ-
racy. He seemed then to be padding
his own canoe without the regular aid
and attendance" of another person. We
do not recall any of the applicants for
snaps" who displayed greater activ-
ity, who "boned' more members often
err who was more interchangeable in
HI 60.
tim of total disability. Finally, after
a vain pursuit of several places. he lit
on that of flag-raiser and captured it,
The labor was not arduous. merely
hosting the flag on the state house
when the legislature was sitting and
taking it down when that honorable
body adjourned, nor was the drawing
of the So per diem beyond his physical
powers.
The following year, the political wind
having set in another quarter. the
captain promptly veered with it and
again became a stalwart Republican.
thus again furnishing some evidence
of total and permanent disability; and
as the WHO remained IN that quarter
he has devoted his total disability TO
the ward work of that party in this
city. AS such all good Republicans
know him. No campaign can be
launched if the captain does not knock
out the wedges; no caucus in his ward
would be valid if he did not direct it.
and no convention of city or county
would be orthodox if his voice was not
heard in it. We state it as beyond
dispute that from the opening of a
campaign to its close in the small
hours when sleepy judges drone off the
count to drowsy clerks, there is no
hustler in the ranks who hustles as
DOES this victim of total disability. Any
day, at such times, one may see him
flying along the streets Of his ward or
t:.ose leading to the central committee
rooms, mis- features firm set in the lines