The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-04-19
A Last Word About That Pension Order.


A Last Word About That Pension Order.
A Union veteran now residing in Georgia and
reading The Progressive Farmer, writing else
where in this number, calls us to task for an edi-
torial "More Pensions for G.. A. r. Veterans two
weeks ago. We think Mr.. Wade is mistaken in
thinking that the G. A. r. demanded the $12 a
month only for disabled or ~overty-stricken vet
Grams. The demand was for $12 a month for all
who served in the Federal Army. And the fact
that such a very large per cent of the Cuban
soldiers have already attempted to get pensions
only indicates how deep-seated is the demoraliza-
ton that has resulted from our paternalistic pen
sion system. This system, as the Worlds Work
said recently, "has been so abused as to tempt men
to a loss of self-respect and of character that
has brought as serious a deterioration of citizen
ship as the generalization caused by the bloodshed
and waste of actual warfare" There is no poll
tics in the matter with us. Nor can the New York
Outlook be accused of unfriendliness to President
Roosevelt; there is it's opinion: "The country wishes
to deal with it's really disabled soldiers most gen
erously, but it ought to exclude all able-bodied men
from the pension rolls. In our Judgment, the
Bureau has not only taken a very questionable and
possibly an illegal step, but it has been weak where
it ought to have been strong, and surrendered
when it ought to have fought to the bitter end.
And the President assumes a very grave respon-
sibility in sanctioning a questionable and possibly
an illegal act on the part of the Pension Bureau"
The Rhodes Scholarships,
In every State and Territory of the Union last
week there was an examination of applicants for
the Cecil Rhodes scholarships at Oxford Univer-
slty, England. 1t will be remembered that when
Cecil Rhodes, the great British empire-builder,
died IN South Africa two years ago he made pro-
vision tor paying the expenses of two students
from each American State at Oxford University
each student to be selected by the educational
authorities of his State and to receive 81, 500 for
three years and then be succeeded by another stu
dent selected in the same way and receiving the
same sum. And thse examinations have brought
public attention afresh to what we may appro-
priately call Cecil Rhodes score-card for young
men. In a score card for animals, the Judge Gas
sumes that a total of 100 points represents the
perfect animal, each part or quality being repre-
sented by a certain figure" And here is Cecil
Rhodes score card of manhood hv which the
Judges are to award the Oxford Scholarships:
1. Literary and scholastic attainments"-to
count tor forty per cent in the rating.
z. "A love for and success in manly outdoor
sportso-to count for ten per cent in the rating.
VI hldIuood, Sucn as truth, cOur-
age deVot1on to duty, sympathy for and protec-
ton of the weak, kindness, unselfshness and
fellowship"-to count for thirty per cent in the
rating.
4. Exhibition of moral force of character and
instincts to lead and to take an interest in ones
count for twenty per cent in the rat
1t IS quite worth a mans while to make a mental
estimate of himself with this standard as a critic
rion.
The Program Committee of the State Farmers