Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1905-11-22

. . y
. millionaire, Il is stated this
wealthy. ex-U Union soldier did mot |
care for the money allotted TO him |
each quarter BY the government |
for former services under the Aae, |
but be desired simply to estabIish |
his record officially by the author |
tiles in Washington. 1t 10 said itI
10 his desire TO leave the record to
bis family as q priceless heritage;
in OtherswOrds, he IL proud Of the
part he took In the war between
the States. This IL rather . novel
point and q line 81 reasoning rare.
ii heard. The general opinion OBJ
tains that most Of the applicants
for this public bounty are poor 30
far as this worlds goods are CON
cerhed and the general intent Of
the pension law was to reward
those who fought to maintain the
Union and to keep them from pen
ury and want. The mere fact Of
establishing an official record was
merely incidental 10 the object Of
the pension and not its purpose.
We conceive it would not be diff
fCult for one with an honorable
record and 9 bonafde discharge
to get these facts verified by the
war department and officials in
charge at Washington without
procuring q pension. It is not q
difficult task TO establish ones re-
cord when he is in possession Of
discharge papers properly signed,
either by affidavits OF comrades or
by the muster rolls on file at
Washington.
1t is said the commissions Of
pensions to Immensely wealthy
men is neither wrong in principle
nor onerous on the government.
He is reputed as saying that in the
instance recited the beneficiary ie
noted for his philanthropy and he
is constantly donating thousands
OF dollars to various charities.
This is cOmmendable to be sure,
yet we think it win be difficult to
convince the masses OF people
thatin the appropriations made by
Congress from year to year for the
pension department it Was or IL
intended that any part q this sum
20 this use. II a clerk in one o.
our mercantile houses we're to
send Mr.. Rockefeller . postofice
order for ten dollars as token
Of his admiration, tits likely that
the young man In question would
be the subject Of many . ridicule,
and some might even be 80 I'M
kind as to say he was mentally
unbalanced. We think . parellel
case is that Of the government is-
suing pensions to milliOnaires.
The sophistry oi establishing 70
cords will hardly be accepted By
the country at large. It is I'M
doubtedly right to grant some rec
ognItion to those who were wound
ed in battle and who suffered va
riOus disabilities while fighting
for the maintenance Of the nation,
but we think It il going . long
ways beyond the original purposes
81 the pension act to grant .
bounty or stipend to those who
count their Thousand Of dollars by
the hundreds. This fund was
really intended for the disabled
and INDECENT who can not support
themselves BY reason Of these Ia.
i irmities. II Is Or should BE- .
sacred fund and ought not Be des-
lecrated In the manner mentioned.
These deserving old soldiers
i Ought to have the use 81 this mon
/ ey, and not those who reside In
\, Newport and Europe in the sum
mer. MilIiOnaires should be con-
tent with clipping coupons and
< holding other wealth and mol
trespass on the meagre sums aps
propriated BY the country Tor the
deserving and INDECENT old SOL
dier:
~. - =. - - ~. -.