The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-09-12
|olD AGE PENSIONS
, ,.st', Argument il Favor OF Govern
psp. Aid to the Aged Poor.
r.oo, the London Spectator.

Nay explain why l ana others
know welcome the old age
.,cn scheme Of the government.
r.o,vh we are in no sense to be
.,sJ as Socialists? In the first
~. although at first sight it seems
.,cely logical, l should like to give
.. nersoral details, indicating how
-.a tensions can be done without.
I, PARENTS had twelve children. seven
rns and five daughters. My father
q, . country blacksmith. like his
s,her and grandfather before him.
q he himself had to give up this
.rnation on account Of chest trou.
= He came into the city and be-
.,ne merely a builders laborer at 16
..u,nss a week. Being scarcely OF
4. ordinary quality, however. he was
"a nut in charge Of a squad, but
Z. raxes never exceeded "a Shillings
veek On this he educated and
,uueht up his family. for my young
q mother was already at the desk
4 hank before free education came
n The family-four Of them are
aM-all did well. We were all ex-
.,atyely Il might say fond of read
- due to my mother, who had two
asmes-Wil,iam Gladstone and Thorn
4 fsrlyle. She saw defects in both
~ beyond these she appreciated the
siiax qualities in both. and, nothing
11ehted her better. while many OF
a we're still at home, than for some
the family to read aloud verbatim
ma Of one of Gladstone's speeches
lpm the Scotsman or a few chapters
I'm Carlyle. My eldest brother was
- Of the Rhodesian pioneers. and
settled there now in good circum-
nces. My elder brother was for
time in the service Of the Cape
vernment, but has now two con
fIeable farms in Griqualand. my
= hold an official appointment with
kepod salary. l may say that the
pehoh never received penny OF
stance from amy outside source.
course members of the family as
" grew up helped with the others.
Ks necessarily an abstemious but
sefy happy household. Liquor was
lie unknown, apart from very
IN supply at the New Year for Wis
b The only luxury my father per-
ntsd himself was his pipe. which
enjoyed greatly. although 1t Is
Eicus that only one OF his sons
okes. His chief recreatiOn-and he
sgat us all to love twas a Satur-
n afternoon walk for some miles
y the country, and our greatest
1shment as boys was to be de-
Nd Of 1t for any special fault. So
- We were concerned We were
antely unconcerned about any pen
Or other similar scheme, and l
% doubt there are many thou
- q the same kind still, although
seriousness has certainly en-
70 large extent into the lives
Ine working classes.
- The other hand, I happen to be
sutae and elder in a large city
- church (of Scotland), and one
- dimculties there i. to help in
= way many deserving old poor
-. Let me mention two cases
! have had occasion personally
II with in the last fortnight. One
voman OF ~. She was the Sec
Vie Of a person who died some
go, and had the good fortune
1T about G1OO by her husband.
ntmately son of her husband
~ former wife, who was IN bust
borrowed the money; he has
Become bankrupt, losing every
nd this person has no claim
even for ordinary maintenance,
= no blood relative. am
p say she has been obliged to
'ochial relief. but l hope only
aftly, for she Is just such a
- an old age pension would
% - a godsend. The other
= that Of an old couple. also
- With one daughter, a well
eeevant girl. The husband was
= than forty years in the SER
: railway company. and has q
nom them Of e. Cd. a week;
- additional from his trade
but this Is their whole in
sund what their daughter can
= her limited wages. They
1T frugal and deserving cou-
have never though Of
% fslief. and l had the pleas.
ing them the morning after
"a presented his budget that
Akely soon to have a small
pension to ease their last
sincerely hope 1t will come
2aN6nu %h3e R..>AA>-0 1870