The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-01
HE srREroHED A POINT.

It does seem to us that the President, with the connivance of Congress. Is running things military into the ground when he places Senator Flaw ley, of Connecticut. on the retired army list. with the rank and pay of brisa- dier general. As The New York Post puts 1t. ~a more inexcusable bestowal of rich governments favor has not been seen since Representative Bouteiie Of Maine, was made retired captain of the navy when stricken with incurabls disease. The retired lists were obvious Iy not intended to be the refuge of aged or decrepit politicians"
 It is not denied that General Flaw ley was gallant Union soldier. but he was mustered out of the army in 1866, and has since had no connection with the service. He has been United States Senator from Connecticut since 1881, and is now nearly eighty years old. He is also e staunch Republican. but none of these is a good reason for putting him on the retired list at good salary. There are many others who are equal. ly deserving. we suppose, but the Pres :. ident will hardly put ali of them on the payroll.
 We are not much surprised to see The Washington Times expressing Its satis- faction over this appointment. It ad- mits that "to confer this privilege was to stretch point" thus acknowledg- ing that it was a privilege and in no sense a right. But 1t asserts as fact that everybody was glad to have the point stretched" which we think is stretching a point on the part of The Times. Then 1t argues in this way:
 Senator Hawley had been too busy to look out for his own interests. Old age came upon him. and feeble health, and found him unprepared to face the conditions with comfort. It would have been a reproach to let the veteran suf- fer. There was no provision by which he could receive pension. Then 1t was remembered that he was one of the cit- izens, who, when the country needed men, had offered himself and acquitted himself with honor. To class him as a statesman who had run the race and to whom nothing was owed, was a thoughtful and gracioua<act.
 That is not only a spacious argument but vicious one. So far as we arc aware there Is no occasion for bitter ness or ill-feeling toward General Haw- ley, and we presume no one would wish him harm in his old age. but that Is not the point. According to the reasoning of The Times it would be reproach on uar annnafhino tn at Union soldier live in poverty because he has been "too busy to look out for his own interests" It matters not that he quilted the army nearly forty years ago and has had no connection with 1t since, and that he has been holding good positions almost continually since his retirement: The point made by The Times is that inasmuch as he has failed to grow rich 1t was the duty of the government to take care of him, even though 1t stretched a point to do so. Why will not the same reasoning apply to every other ex-Union officer who has remained poor? How many of them can a complaisant President find good places for? The San Antonio Express has a new theory and thinks perhaps this appointment lis but the beginning of general policy to retire all the Sem ators who have ever held a military commission in the same manner as means of providing for the glory and comfort of their retiring years"
 It must be very gratifying to the po- tent, grave and reverend Senators to know that they are thus to be looked after when their political usefulness is at an end, if they have ever served m the army, but what Is to become of the civilian Senators who were never pos sessed of the martial spirit, and who never took pride In the pomp and cir cumstance that go with a military ti- tier"
 Yes, and what is to become of the old Senators who served in the Confed- crate army? Is there to be no soft places for them to fall on when they get to be too old or too busy to care for their own interests? If this is to be a government for all the people we think 1t real mean to coddle the Union army Senators and leave out the Con- federates. Where's the square deal" we've been hearing so much about?