Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-10
HENRY EVANS.
922 and 924 F St, N. w.
The Old Men Must Go.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:


The world appears to be growing better.
Reform is on the march, and its march is
irresistible. 1t has struck Congress Some
old fogy once said, ''Old men for council,
young men for war" This was a mistake
In part. II should be young men for every
thing, old men for nothing. 1 have heard
that when Indians so a march a hunt
and the Old men and women begin to tire
and Jag behind the procession moves on ana
lcaSes the old to die. We now getting
up TO the red man. Old men are not fit for
council nor for anything after reaching
seventy. The move has been made in Con-
gress to discharge all employees in the de-
partments when the age of seventy has
been reached. Why should not this truly
wise and beneficent rule be applied TO all
officials? II certainly ought to be. 1t has
been applied TO the army and navy. but in
these the retirement is attended with pay.
This is wrong. There should be no pay.
They have become useless from age. Why
pay useless men who ought to have saved
up enough to live on while they were in?
These old fellows are Of no account. If
they had been in any one of the depart
nents they would have been retired for the
reason that by reason of age they had be-
come ineffiCient-that is, worthless.
Why not apply the rule to the Senate and
House Of Representatives? Many of them
are over seventy They would not be al
lowed To continue at a desk day. They
are not capable Of holding place as clerk.
They over seventy. 1t follows that
they are not capable of doing the duties of
senators and representatives. This must be
so It Is a logical conclusion, and logic
must not be lost sight Of. For instance,
just look at such men as Morgan, PetIus
Teller. the two Platts, Hawley, Sperry, Liv-
ingston. Cullom. Allison, Hepburn, Frye,
Hoar. Vest. Gibson, Jones and Stewart,
ketchum, Grusvenor, Quay, Grow. Council,
Bate, Proctor and others sitting up there
in the Senate and House. all over seventy.
and playing that they are legislatng, as
Stunning that they have any sense. They
s..Ould get out. This country has no fur
Their use for such membranes. Who cares
anything for their opinions? WIZ listens to
their advice? Nobody. When quest ions of
great Importance come up. questions of
finance, of war and peace, taxation. foreign
complications. of life. liberty and property,
who looks 10 these old fogies for light for
councfl2 Nobody. The people are tired OF
them Tney keep them in their places in
order 20 support them. They want none of
their wisdom, their council, their advice.
They look 10 the young rOcsters for these
The burden OF government is on the young
They must devise the means of carrying
the ship of state TO safe harbor. The
oilapidated old fogies are not in it. 1ney
should get out. Men who not fit and
qualified for clerks ought not to be senators
and representatives. officials of such vast
Importance, especially since we have be-
come a world power and legislation Is of
such great Importance.
President Mckinley. one Of the greatest.
purest and most beloved men who ever pre-
sided over the destinies of country,
made one mistake. In the midst of a great
war. when generalship was needed, he
Called from their retirement two old men
Joe Wheeler and FitZhugh Leland placed
them in high command. The men who now
assume 10 reform the country would not
have made this mistake. They would have
said: No; Wheeler and Lee are too old
fu' Inc armies under young fellows. Age
courage and experience amount to nothing
We want young, fiery blood. who will get
up and get; who will go whether they know
Nhere they are going or not Age is the
true test Is he honest? Is he faithful?
Is ne capable? This is antiquated. The
question is, Is be young? II so, he will do.
SENEX.