The National tribune., 1908-12-03
ANSWERS TO
CORRESPONDENTS.

Amply to the Librarian III Congress,
washinpton d. C., for cirrular. The
cost of a copyright is SO ceffts, for max
ing IL a matter of retord III the COPY
right office of the Library, but if a
certificate is desired il wilitcost an ad-
ditional so cents. ts d
4 C. HI. s.. Huntington, Ind. asks: Can
a soldier sell his discharge paper to
another person, and the latter use it to
apply on the time required to live on
a homestead?
No. The soldier has one preference
over the homesteader who had no army
service, in that he can make an addi-
tional entry; that is, If his first entry
is less than $50 acres. liz you are a
| soldier homesteader and your entry
was only for so aHes, you are entitled
to so more to make the l60. The right
to this second entry can be sold or as
signed to any person., This right was
| formerly regarded as personal one
and not transferable, but under author
| ity of the decision of the United States
Supreme Court, in the case of Webster
VS. Luther G63 L. S. 33D, it is now
held to be assignable without restric-
| ton, and residence and cultivation are
not required in its exercise, either by
the original beneficiary or by his as
signee, whether the original entry was
perfected or Abandoned. To prevent
| confusion and provide uniform rule
for the transfer and assignment of
soldiers additional rights a mode of
procedure is provided, the particulars
of which can be learned on application
to the land Office thru which the orig
inal entry was made. This right of as
signment is an asset of the soldiers
estate and can be made by any legal
| representative.
| w. NJ B., Fairfield, Ill., asks: Is
there premium on gold eagles and
| double eagles that do not bear the
motto 'In God We Trust?"
This motto was placed on the coins
in 1866, and in 1907 it was omitted on
the new design gotten out in the Fall
of last year, which caused good deal
of discussion, in which President Roose-
welt took part and defended the omis-
sion. The dies of the new design made
| the relief so high on the coins that they.
would not stack or pile up on each 9TH
| er. This fact becoming public in con-
nection with the announcement that
the relief would be lowered. attracted
the attention of collectors. who sought
the high relief coins. knowing they
would soon become rare. To meet or
ders, for which collectors paid a little
advance on the face value. the Mint
turned out about $50 double eagles
and 500 eagles. on which there Is now
a premium. Then the presses went to
work with the low relief dies, and up
TO July !. 1908, the large sum of nearly
l$100.000,000 was coined. If your speci-
mens are of this coinage. they have
only face value. on July 1. 1908, In
obedience to law of Congress, the
motto was restored, after having been
off less than year. aJe N
]. B. w, pIainfeId. n. J., asks: Are
there any appointments in the United
States Civil Service that may be OBJ
tained for an old soldier without an
examination?
There are no Offices underline United
States Government, within the jurisdic-
tion of the Civil Service Commission,
that can be obtained without an exam
iration. but once the examination is
successfully passed the veteran of the
civil war has the preference in secur-
ing an appointment.
r. e.. Corydon, KY, asks: Was Thos.
Jefferson an infidei2
That depends upon one's) understand
ing of the term. An infneG from the
Christian standpoint, fs ono who does
not believe in tlIE Christian faith. From
the standpoint of the Mahometan or
other nom Christian faiths, All infidel is
one vino does not believe in the religion
of me- person using the term "infidel."
Jefferson was free thinker, or liberal
was termed an infidei by persons of the
extreme orthodox faith. The terms in
| fidelity and atheism are loosely asso-
ciated in many minds The latter means
| practically a denial that anything
can be known OF the supernat-
uraI, supposing it to exist The word
aguosticism was used by Prof. Huxley
what man can know by his senses or
! feel by his higher affections nothing
| can be known. Facts, or supposed
facts, both of the lower and the higher
life, are accepted. but all ferences
deduced from these facts as to the ex-
| istenee of an unknown world, or of be-
! ings higher than man, are considered
unsatisfactory. Agnostics, positivists
and secularists. who can properly be
included in the ''infiler' class have
much in common, but occupy many
different viewpoints. To be called an
"infider' was once a term of reproach,
and in early days to be 80 classed was
to render the person liable to impris-
onment, torture and even death. To-
day the question of belief takes many
forms, and is covered by many easy
terms. Jefferson believed in divine
power. but not in the divinity of Christ.
He was a student of the Bible. and his
compilation, entitled 1.-The Morals oi
Jesus" was reproduced in fine edi-
sages in parallel columns from Greek
Latin, French and English versions OF
the New Testament This volume is
now hard to get, but the English ver-
sion has been reprinted by several pub
fishers, in volumes, at a cost as low as
so cents. If any reader of The Ma
tional Tribune should desire the re-
print we will be glad to get and send
it for the price noted.
J. ]. c., Naticl, r. l., asks: 1. Ha:
the President a flag to represent hin
as President? 2. Has he one as Com
mander-in-Chief of the Army and
Navy? g. What flag did Admiral Evan:
fly? 4. What was Admiral Thomas.
flag? 5. Can a bill originated in the
, United States Senate be sent to TIL,
House? 1 have heard it claimed tina
, all bills must be filed in the House first
and then go to the Senate.
I /. There is no flag for the Presiden
in his civil capacity as President. 2
He has flag with red ground, repre-
$ senting him in his capacity as Com
= ,Iiander-in-Chief of the Army, and on
Y with blue ground, representing him a
n commander-in-Chief of the Navy 8
8 That Of a Rear-Admfral,n two whit
n stars on blue ground. a. The SAM
t as Admiral Evans. s. Bulls are filer
: originally in either the Senate or th
House, and after action upon them the,
}, go to the other house to sDe passed
: rejected or amended. If amended tn
e amendments must be aeteJ upon b,
= the body in which the biIf originated