Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-20
MRS. FELTON, DISCUSSES
SOLVE PERTINENT TOPICS


In ante-bellum times, when a favorite
coachman. butler. cook or chamber maid
was given extra presents from the big
house." the less favored slaves would say:
"Massa Cor missus) had better glib dem
nice things to poor Niger down heah at
de quarter; dey jes bin greasing a fat
SOW to help dem high-livin' niggers."
When / read Hon. Mr.. Coverings reso-
luton to pension all ex-president's at
S25 900 per annum during life, felt some
what as the darkies did about "greasing
a fat SOW"
1t actually does look like some people
are so built that toadyism becomes nat
urally the bent of their minds.
Presidents of the United states always
come up from the ranks of plain citizen
ship. An ex-president simply becomes a
citizen again after his term expires. He
gets a fine salary and perquisites as long
as he is de facto president and splendid
house to live in at the cost of the govern
ment. Besides he has the whole tribe of
fiatterers. toadies, pap-suckers and polit-
zeal adventures ready to bow down and
worship at his feet, so far as liberty Is
given to their worshiping propensities.
A vice president counts small-not as
much as a millionaire cabinet official
until he steps into the upper seat by rea-
son of death or accident to the president.
The very minute the oath of office is
taken for presidential powers and privil-
eyes he becomes another person, at once
and entirely. and the dancing political
Dervishes have a new quickstep and a
fresh impetus to their laudatory exercises
for him.
But now there arises a new light in Bos-
ton who wants TO add a pension to ex-
presidents perquisites and privileges, so
that the country may have retired rulers
and different dynasties, ex-kings and
dowager queens galore.
This pension business has already leap
ed over all metes and bounds, apparently.
1t won't take long to pension everybody
that ever held an office In the republic at
the rate we are going. We are charged al
ready with class legislation for the benefit
of the few over the many, but when one
class must all be supported by the labor
of the other class 1t cannot be great
while until the bottom will fall out of the
whole business and some military chief
tain will raise a rumpus and the republic
will be no more foreverl
When President Harrison left the white
house a few years ago he went again to
the practice of law, and his fame as a
great lawyer sounded all over the land.
His political promotion meant shrewd po-
litical management and party success. but
the great lawyers fame rested on indi-
yidual superiority, and was personal tri-
ton was proud, because his intellect was
his browning attribute of greatness.
A pension, in it's last analysis means
help to those who are unable to help
themselves. Any president of average sem
sibility would prefer TO be known as a
person capable of self-sustenance rather
than as a pauper applicant for support in
private life from the taxpayers.
If ex-President Harrison was able to
make a good living for himself and family
after he left the white house, and ex-
President Cleveland can live at ease with
dignity in his New Jersey home, there
would seem to be no immediate necessity
for adding a $4,000 pension to the we'll
paid Office of president at this immediate
juncture.
The pension roll carries the names of
several widows who were large property
owners at the time the pension was al
lowed and these pensions were granted
simply because their husbands were
prominent in public life. The grant was
a tribute to political prominence and the
precendent would seem to be of very