The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-21
THE TIMES COMPANY:
WY THIS HASTE

s1Fe arc amazed ct tie proposltioi ~ 70
increase the appropriation for pensions
ii. ti,,s state from Sl25.0oa 10 $Seoeoo at q
Jump. and We are more amazed that an
ssrort should he made 20 rush this meas
& use through the General Assembly before
& even tho new pension law has been en-
acted. we are utterly unable by any pro-
& cess OF reasoning or from any facts that
Il have been given by the advocates OF The
measure tc understand this haste. III
REV of the facts and figures set forth
In The minority report or Messrs. Glass
and Ieezell. We do not understand how
i tho majority Of The members of the Sen
{ afe could have gained their consent TO
/ Support the measure. The startling state
.r,ent was made by the minority that I'M
der The old pension law there were only
22t55e17 pensioners, whereas under the new
i law $3.50 haze been added, making total
OF 1925, a fourfold increase since the
ey. law went into effect. Appropriate
f s3oo.ooo for distribution under the present
+ law. with The prevalent method Of admin
= istration.. say the minority. land who IS
prepared to say that III two years more
we shall not have 10000 pensioners. get
ting a piitanco each. yet necessiratins
an appropriation OF sG990oo?'
That was Gcorgia's experience. fer She
began with $4,000 a year and the appfo-
I ,s~::atio.e soon ran up 10 sG03,f95 a year
! and was still growing at such a rate rs
to cause tho Governor IN his last E1cs-
-i-,s-
We say That Virginia is not able to APP
pirate $4,000 to pensions in view Of her
large debt. in view of the growing de-
,riand upon her Tor The enlargement Of
! the pubiic-scl2ool sga=eir. We feel per
fectiy sure that l. this grab system be
{ i,.auguratea in Virginia the time will
I sooa come whe.t We. shall have either to
] stint our schools OF increaFe taxation.
4 But that is not the worst of it We know
/ of no greater calamity to hefall Virginia
!. sts,at the building UP in this State Of
/ large pension class. Such ss,ste.n would
tend TO sap the manhood Of the State
End woule eventually raise up a class
tl,at would sooner or later dominate our
i politics.
i Everybody knows that the United
States pension system is a disgrace. The
! commissioner of The Pensions recently
pointed out that the whole system was
! toneycombed with fraud; that there We're
/ large numbers Of fraudulene pensioners
on the list and that there were pension
Il attorneys in, ali parts; of the country,
3 whose only business it was to drum up
d pension claims to fleece the Taxpayers.
& We say that this is known of all men,
4 yet so powerful is the influence OF the
Grand Army Of Pensioners that members
sof Congress are absolutely afraid to
1 purge the system and retire the pen
I asioners. Inaugurate The grab system in
Virginia and as sure as there is such 4
thing as cause and effect We shall haze
on smaller scale a Grand Army OF
Pensioners in Virginia and it will play a
dangerous part in our State politics if it
! does not, indeed, dominate.
God save the manhood of Virginia, God
/ save US from the pension spirit, God
save the Confederate cause from the
4 !alslionor Of pension grabbing!