Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-05-24
Where Are We ,Driftinep

Where Are We. Driftinep
Editor TIMES: We have been
led into the present train Of
thought by CHANGING to pick up
an old paper which gave an ac-
count of the brilliancy Of the in
auguration of the present governor
Iof Porto Rico. This with the
evident intention of i,npressing
the Porto Ricans with the splen-
dor, wealth and greatness of the
country to which they belong;
and of which they should be an
integral part Will the inhabi-
tants of that island, who, under
Spanish rule, learned to hate the
trappings of royalty, and the splen-
dor of pomp aud pagent, as the
expression OF bors.ed superiority,
learn to love the same when ex.
hibited by new ruler, although
the new ruler is republic that
boasts Of its simplicity and alb
senos Of the pomp and show of
cour; and crown? We think not.
The same exhibition OF seeming
self superiority, will beget the
same d'strust and animosity. The
Porto Ricans had reason to ex.
pect the administration of the af-
fairs of government, in q simple.
unpretentious manner, when di-
rected by q country whose Declar-
alton of Independence declared
that Call men are created equal
But instead the very inception OF
government was such as might
satisfy any crowned head of Eu-
rope, and said to that people a.
plainly as if written in tongues of
fire, "Touch US not, lest our holy
garments be soiled by thy contain
mating fingers"
Nor is this the only instance,
March 4, 1897, at the Inauguration
| of our president, was witnessed q
scene of pomp and splendcr.
Such as was never before Wit
messed on like occasion in Amer
lea; and one which might we'll
dazzle the eyes of monarchs, much
ees conservative, simple, un-
pretentious people, aud the ex-
ample thus set, was followed in
miniature by great many state
executives, when their time came
to demonstrate that they too we're
great"
Again, how many times in the
last two years have we noticed in
the papers the statement that
General So and So would be re-
tired on such q date, and the
vacancy would be be filled by ele-
waiting Col. So aud So to the re-
quired rank, rs he too would soon
reach the age of retirement. In
other words, Gen A is to be retir-
ed on half pay; for purposes Of
demonstration we will say he will
receive $4,000 per year. Colonel
B, who only receives $4,000 as full
pay, is elevated to the grade &C.
cupied by General A, and his
salary is raised to $4,000, SO that
when he is retired, he too will re-
ceive the $4,000, and this, too,
without having given his country
any extra service to merit the pro-
motion, but as evidenced by the
plain statement that his salary
after retirement might be aug
mented. We do not object to do
ing full justice, to our soldiers
but it does seem strange that the
man who wears the shoulder straps
and drew ten times the salary of
the private soldier, should be pro-
NOTED only to increase his salary,
while the private soldier must
fight through the war, with the
nations enemies, and if lucky
enough to get through alive, then
fight long war with the pension
department before he can get a
mere pittance of So. to $l2 per
month.
Judging from the present trend,
we are forced to the conclusion
that if the precedents established
during the last decade are follow
ed, that the close of the next half
century will see America with a
court, the splendor of which will
far eclipse that of st James today,