Catoctin clarion., 1898-10-20

An arrangement has beeu effected between
the pension bureau and the Postoff1ce and
Treasury Departments by which pensioners
will hereafter be permitted 10 have their
checks cashed at all money order postoffices
free of charge 1t is roughly estimated that
this will result in saving to the pensioners
of about $950,000 per annum. As it is now
many of the checks sent out by the govern
ment to the pensioners representing $3.50 06O
600 annually, are distributed among penslon-
ere in small towns and rural districts where
they experience considerable difficulty in
getting the checks cashed. Few of them
have bank accounts and Onsccuently they
have no pay from 10 to rs cents to have their
checks cashed. The Postoffice Department
expects to benefit by arrangement, as the
checks can De remittcd in payment of the
balances due from the postmasters and save
the expense Of transporting the money.
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OUR SIDE Personally, we are not Of those
who, when away from home, speak dispar.
agingly of the town or community-just the
reverse.
THE CLARION has never opposed or openly
or by indiretiou tried to injure any legiti'
mate business or industry just the reverse
We are able to recall interests both public
and private whose inception was due to work
done both in our private capacity and as the
editoseof your local paper aud no one of them
has suffered at our hands when reference TO
tn, m was made in these columns-just the
reverse.
Now, these items stand to the credit of
every judiciously conducted newspaper and
they reap nearly every merited benefit; while
some refuse them their just dues. the fine
American sense of reciprocity-fair play,
secures them at the hands Of the multitude
and as n our case, the more than satisfactory
support accorded by the many, puts The local
paper In Il position to calmly weigh the soul
of those who withhold their favors. Ifa local
paper is at all intelligently and literally
managed, it can maintain this enviable posi-
ton. but let il be however intelligently and
literally managed, there are always those
whose support it fails to secure, while they
are. at the same timc always indirectly and,
if the paper is magnanimously directed, fire.
quently directly, reaping such advantages as
must come to all members of community
through the medium of the legitimate and
hOnorably conducted enterprises and inter-
ests that 60 to make up the business life of
of the community. The few thus become
the benefciaries, without return, while the
many, practicing reciprocity, add to the gen
eral grod.
The local enterprise, industry or interest,
newspaper or aught else, that fails In main.
tanning reciprocal relations with the home
people, is In bad hands and in its own and
other interests should pass under other man.
agement. There Is No such thing as absolute
independence. but there is such thing as
maintaining square and honorable reciprocal
relations with the many and wholly ignoring
the selfishness apd small tyrannies of the few.
That Is what local newspaper, that makes
any pretense to do other than retail the sew
eral attainable bits OF local gossip, is called
upon and able to do and that is what THE
CLARION, thanks to the circumstance Of its
habitat in community OF pretty plumb and
square citizens is able to do.
Among the Exchanges" that come TO our
desk, we find few that seem to be able to say
less: we are of the opinion, therefore, that
the local newspaper is pretty solid iustitu-
tion in the land.