The National tribune., 1898-10-27
AND IT WAS so OF OLD.

STANCE.
Cast me not off in the time of old age; for
sake me not when my strength faileth.
For mine enemies speak against me; they
that lay wait for my soul take counsel to-
gether.
Saying. God hath forsaken him; prosecute
and take him; for there is none 10 deliver
him.
Now, also, when am old and gray headed,
o. God, foTsake me not.
The earnest, almost agonized prayer
from the inspired lips of the Psalmist is
the same as breathed to-day from the
hearts of the veterans of the country.
Only they address it also to the people
and the Government of the United
States. 1t is the prayer of men-once
the strongest and most helpful on earth
now prematurely old and rapidly break
ing. Thirty-three years ago they were
carrying the very life of the country on
their bayonet-points, and carrying 1t
securely and well, for their strength was
measureless, and their hope, their cour-
age, their patriotism, were infinite. They
were so strong, so brave, so true, that
back, far behind the living wall of their
manly hearts presented to the foe, men
went about the walks of peace as cheer
ily as if no war ravaged the land, and
bought and sold, made contracts for the
future, piled up wealth, gave and re-
ceived in marriage, in the most absolute
security as to what these soldiers of the
Republic would accomplish.
And during the scores of years of
tumult and unrest which followed the
close of the war these men were the
strength and stay of the land. the most
absolute security to it against domestic
treason and foreign enemy. The men
who had fought into complete submis-
sion an army of 100000 rebels were
still alive, strong, ready and willing to
meet any other emergency that might
arise. During this time the country
prospered as it never had before in its
existence. The rapid increase of all
forms of wealth obliterated all traces of
the ravages of a terrible war. From
1860 to 1880 the valuation Of the prop
erty of the country rose from SIC, 1885,
to s42,642,000,000, and the
valuation per capitas from s514 to
1870. ~
But while the country which these
men had saved, united, and made
peaceful and great, constantly grew
stronger, richer, and more prosperous,
they themselves grew older, weaker, and
consequently poorer. They had given
so lavishly to the country that they had
little left for themselves. They were
far reader victims fof Gid age than other
men.
Thirty-three years ago as they
marched up Pennsylvania Avenue, in
the pride of their strength they saw the
Capitol decorated with the legend in
letters
"The Country Owes its Soldiers a
Debt which 1t Can Never Pay"
They smiled at it then. They were
proud over the thought of giving to the
country-not having the country give
to them. Old age, failing powers and
want seemed ages away from those high
hearted youths.
But to-day, with white hair, and
bent forms, and palsied muscles they
think about that inscription on the
Capitol, and they turn to the people Of
the United States with the Psalmist's
prayer on their lips:
Cast me not off in the time of old age; for
sake me not when my strength faileth.
To-day, when poverty comes upon
them as one that traveleth, and want as
an armed man, to whom shall they turn
but 10 the people to whom they have
given everything? Why should they
not heed their prayer, who have grown
rich above all the Nations of the earth
on the fruit of their days of bloody
sweat?
And to save it from being a heartless
mockery, the answer to this prayer
must be prompt. The emergency to
each one Of these men is as great as that
from which they rescued the country in
1915. 1t should come to their relief