The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-09
MONDAY, MAY 9, 1904.
ONE MAN GOVERNMENT.

The applications that are coming in
crease of pensions or the granting of
new ones under the recent executive
order from Washington give an illus
tration and measure of the effect Of
this extraordinary performance all
over the Union. 1t shows that those
who estimated that the cost of this
order would be somewhere from $40,-
100000 to $6O,OOOOOO added to the an
nual pension appropriation were not
far out of the way. The population of
Minnesota and its roll of veterans are
both small in comparison with many
other states. With a similar rush all
over the Union, the pressure upon the
pension fund can be guessed at.
The easiness of the scheme COM
mends it. Under the general pension
laws bothersome proofs of physical
disability are required. To get the
new pension involves little more than
filling out card. You just step up to
the treasury window and get your
money. All that is necessary is for the
applicant to show that he is sixty-tWo
years of age and that he served nine
ty days, technically at least. in the
Civil war. That entities him to Sc a
month Immediately, with SO and $12
coming later on, and to an increase of
his pension to those figures if he is
now getting less. Does anybody who
has followed the history of our pension
appropriations doubt that this item in
our expense list will next year foot up
less than 100000, 900?
But this bill will not be sent in un-
til after election. About 100000, 900 Of
it will be the cost to the country of
Mr.. Roosevelt's campaign. This is the
campaign fund, unprecedented in pro-
portions, which the Republican party
has drawn from the federal treasury
ny an act as arbitrary as any of those
that sent Charles the First to the
scaffold. That it is a straight levy
upon the people at time when it is
intended to influence an election is OBJ
vious, and it is made absolutely with
out the slightest warrant of law.
Let us clear away all the dust that
is thrown about this extraordinary
performance and view it on its merits
as a bit of the one man government to
which the United States has now been
reduced, and of which it will taste
even more fully the bitterness if the
Republican party and its law -disre-
garding executive are continued in
power. First. dismiss the question
whether or not such pensions should
be granted. Whether the veteran is
entitled to this kind of relief or not
has nothing to do with the case. The
question is, has it been legally extend
ed? Dismiss the question whether
there are precedents or not One iIle-
gal act does not excuse another. The
plain, simple fact is that an age
AAANAANA ~ OAAAAAOhAA las DCSn 1lA6Q DY
executive order at which survivor
of the Civil war can draw pension
from the federal treasury without
other warrant than this mere order
itself. The aggregate cost will be, we
believe, to put it moderately, not less
than $4,000, ,OO0
That is to say. this enormous sum,
more than great department of the
government requires for its support,
20 per cent more than we paid for the
entire Panama canal, viii be put out in
a single year. without action by con-
gress and without warrant of law. IL
legally. arbitrarily and by the simple
edict OF a man who wants to be elected