davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30
PENSION FIGURES ANALYzED
Writer Sees Only Small Increase for
Short Time in House Bill

To The Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In view of the well earned reputa-
ton of The Tribune for editorial accuracy
1t is very regrettable that 1T should nave
been caught mapping by a set or nsureS
from even so high a source as the COM
missioner of Pensions.
In your editorial printed in last Friday
issue on the action of the House Commlttee
on Invalid Pensions in reporting bill Tor
the increase of pensions to veterans OF
sixty-two years old and more you quote the
Commissioner of Pensions to the effect that
there are now three hundred thousand
eligibles on the rolls and that the advances
fo. these contemplated in this bill WOULD
exceed a total of Si5,Oo0,0oo
Further, you stated, presumably upon the
same high authority, that the 81 0dy
scheme would have required an increase III
the annual outlay for pensions of about
sS7 900, 000, and the Grand Army rejected
it as unreasonable and extravagant.
Looking at the figures of the latter state
rnent first, promptly see that three nun
dred thousand pensions of 81 a day each
would aggregate S109,500,0O0. SuptractihS
from this the alleged increase of sS7, 100000
would leave $4,000, 900 the present out
Law by the government on pensions for three
hundred thousand NeleIditS, vi OH e''NAN>oN
of Sc so a month for the whole number.
AS the lowest pension is now ST. month
and the highest $40 month, the SS7,Oooooo
buebear stands discredited as an absurd1ty'
f,erhaps we may charitably conclude that
the figures were accidentally lnterchanSed,
and that it was intended TO say that the
rresent outlay for three hundred thousand
veteran pensioners is about SS7,0oO,000 ana
that the 81 a day scheme would involve an
increase of about $22, 500, 600. These figures
would probably partition the $109, 100000 IN
the wrong place again. but they would not
so pronlutIy as do the others disclose an
egregious error.
Returning now to the figures Of the
former statement: 1t is alleged by the Com
missioner of Pensions that it would cost
the government more than Si5,OO0,0OO to
grant three hundred thousand veterans pen
sion advances as follows:
Glass Of 60 wears from S12 month to s15 month
class of Is years from S12 a month TO $50 month
Glass of 20 years from S15 month 10 50 a month
Glass of 10 years. from $50 month 10 $50 q month
Remembering now that the average sol
dier of the Union arny was very young,
and that when the war closed, forty-five
years ago there were tens of thousands IN
the ranks who, after terms of service rang
vet hardly of the military age of eighteen
wears, and remembering also that the
Younger soldiers of that day constitute the
large proportion of the surviving veterans
OF the present, we may safely conclude that
the sixty-two-year class is more numerous
than any other. For ease in computation
the three hundred thousand veteran pen
sicners NAV. with liberal allowance for fair
,,e.. Ia ad follows.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

THE New York Association for I'M
proving the Condition of the Poor mas
inst issued its Isixty-seventh annual re-
mort It tells the people of New ork
that education in the laws OF hysiehe'
especially among the poor comes hrst
of all and that right food, fresh ar
cleanliness and harmless amuselheii's
Will do more to make life healthy ana
bappv than any amount of almsglVlng.
In order TO accomplish results some ma
teriaI aid is required in many cases.
Families must be started right; they
must be shown where they have maze
mistakes The association has visitors.
nurses and doctors. 1t does its work WIN
an infusion of sympathy and not OF
force. It tries to persuade and show the
WAY. not to threaten and compel. 1T en-
desvors to teach and not to dictate
BROAD. comprehensive work OF TINS klnd,
with the needs of the community always
in mind. work that meets the fellow man
half wav and does for him what MS
friend would do-if he had one-estab-
lishes good. sound moral principles for
families to live up to; shows the way
and the means to reach the light that
seems beyond reach. Such work de-
serves the continued and generous sup
mort of the entire city.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30
THE TALK OF THE Day.

Moving pictures as an aid in the treat
ment of insanity are the latest. The SUPER
intendent of the Illinois State Hospital at
Elgin proposes to try them. Moving pict-
ures will help us materially in curing pa
tents" he SAYS. "They will take the minds
of the patients from their misfoTtunes, and,
like any other harmless diversion, Will stim-
ulate their weakened brains. I will censor
all pictures shown at the hospital, and will
not permit any such as are frequently seen
at cent shows, to be shown at the hos
pital.'
Knicker-The old year is dying.
Bocker-Wel, the new year will collect
the nSurancc-Judge.
a GROUCHY ECHO.
"a citizen has complained 10 the Board of
Health because Of an internal drumming 10y boys
on their Christmas drums-News 1tem)
When Santa left for Johnny Jones
pretty little drum,
He didn't mean that Johnny should
Sit down and suck his thumb;
But he intended that the boy
Should beat it black and blue:
He didn't think of Boards of Health.
Nor yet. I'm sure, would you.
Suppose the citizen who kicks
Should. coming home some night.
Step quickly on a carpet tack
Because of lack of light:
Don't YOU suppose his "cuss words loud
Would create thought of stealth?
But wouldn't he be mad if you
Should call the Board of Health?
Suppose his baby has the Group,
The collie or the cries,
Won't that same citizen get mad
If to the Board one hies
With a complaint against such noise?
Just gamble all your wealth.
Next year old Santa Will ignore
Him and the Board of Health.
A W. U.
Doc Cooks back
so / hear
You believe bis statement that he has
-Um--yes; I believe that much. ."-Rir.
minsham Ase-Herald.
Under the headline Points on Table
Decoration" American woman writes
from Vienna about the exhibition at the
Womans Club of that city: THE women
have shown their ideas as to how tables
should be set and dressed for various occa-
sons. and the exhibition is highly credit
able To their taste and shows that the
proper thing is just as much so with them
as it is in Paris, London or New York
The brides table in silver and green. with
bridal wells. boquets and wreaths as the
only decorations, and the luncheon table
arranged by the Baroness Haas are the
chief attractions. For us, from the United
States. the tables themselves, despite their
beauty, had less of interest than the fact
that here, far away from the English
speaking world, we saw the various dis
plays marked, Breakfast Luncheon
Five o'clock Tea and Supper"
We'll. / suppose every one will agree
Doc Cook didn't find the North Pole now
he's confessed his error?'
Il don't know about that. He's got such
Il reputation now i don't know whether his
confession will he believed. Toledo Blade
Apparently nothing is so small that an
office holding CRATER will not appropriate
IL. Pittshurg has found that its supply of
stamps for municipal use goes faster than
its postal demands warrant, and has taken
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

President Lowell has made some de-
predatory remarks about organized
cheering at intercollegiate games. AT
football game such exercise often has
the hygienic merit of keeping chilled
snectator comfortably warm.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

Grady doesn't believe Murphy said it.
He is evidently not fam1llar WITH the
delicate touch OF a real leader.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

Puffalo. being furthest away from
Tan1manv Hail. seems to be an auspf-
cious place to start a boom 1t was there
that Senator Wagners candidacy Tor
leader of the State Senate was launched.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

It is clearly AZ overdraft on the patriot
ism and good nature of Senator Thomas;
e. Grady to force him to remain in the
State Senate when he has given the Or
der of Eagles "a pledge to devote himself
to it's interests" Mr.. Grady has tried to
keep the pledge, but Tammany harasses
him and illustrates his good intentions
BY sending him back to Albany against
his WILL Why not let him do his full
duty to the eyries Of which he is the
RESPONSIBLE national guardian? Mr.. Muir
ply, on his own statement, ought to see
that the overworked Senator is released
from his enforced and embarrassing OBJ
legations to the state.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

Colonel John Jacob Astor will give a
small dinner dance on February al his
home in Fifth avenue
New-York tribune., 1910-12-30

Mrs j. d JerroId Kelley will give
dance at the Colony Club this evening for
her daughter. Miss Nathalie Kelley.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

And President Taft says it has been
the greatest congress the country has
ever had. The sentiment is endorsed
by every trust and tariff monopoly in
the country.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

There are those who are very bitter
at Mr.. Bryan because he has, as they
declare, injected the county option
fight into this campaign. 1t might be
well to bark back little and see about
this. We have given voice to our own
convictions that the injection of the
county option question into partisan
politics is ill-advised, and Mr.. Bryan,
With all of his persuasive eloquence
has as yet failed to convince us Of our
error. And yet, if county option be-
came the burning issue in this cam
paign. as now seems likely, we hold
that Mr.. Bryan ID not primarily to
blame. According to our view point
the men responsible for the present
lamentable situation insofar as it re-
lates to democratic organization, are
the democratic senators who refused
to vote for the initiative and referen-
dunn bill in the last legislature. These
men surely were not actuated by
democratic motives to vote against
that bill, for 80 per cent of the people,
republicans and democrats alike, ia
vor that policy. There are two inter-
ests violently opposed to the initiative
and referendum-the liquor interests
and the railroad interests. There you
have the explanation in nutshell. The
democratic senators who voted against
the initiative and referendum bill were
representing other interests than those
of the people. Had the initiative and
referendum amendment been submit
ted the present trouble would have
been obviated.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

No one who desires to be fair will
deny that it.would have been extrava-
giant folly to call a special session for
the purpose of considering the initia-
tive and referendum unless there was
positive assurance that it would pass
both branches. That assurance is still
lacking. Who would advise the ex-
penditure of $4,000 or $4,000 on a
special session that was foredoomed
to be uselessg Neither Mr.. Bryan with
all of his influence, aided and abetted
by the Direct Legislation League and
its powerful machinery, could secure
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

On the other hand Mr.. Bryan's sup
porters insist that he was forced to
his present position by Governor Shall
lenberger's refusal to convene the leg
islature in extraordinary session for
the purpose of passing an initiative
and referendum bill. 1t might be we'll
rto consider that phase Of the question
for a moment.
Mr.. Bryan sprung the extra session
idea while Governor Shallenberger
was absent from the state. Upon his
return Governor Shallenberger held
conference with some Of Mr. Bryan's
supporters and declared that it would
be idle folly to convene the legislature
unless there was an assurance that
enough votes could be mustered to
pass the bill. The advocates of the
extra session said they would get
enough pledges if given time, and the
governor told them to go to it. They
began their work, but to this date
they have not succeeded in getting
enough pledges. A dozen or more at
tempts to amend the constitution fail
ed in this state, although the need was
great, because of the negligence of the
voters. Not until the adoption of the
primary law was it possible to carry
an amendment, and this was made pos
sible by so arranging it that when state
conventions of either party formally
endorsed an amendment it then became
party question and could be voted
for by merely marking cross in the
circle for straight ballot. In order
to get an amendment upon the straight
ballot in this way it would be neces-
sary to have it submitted in time to
get into the primary call and upon the
primary ballots. Governor Shallen-
berger waited until it was evident to
all fair-minded men that it was no long
er possible to do this, and then an
nounced his decision not to call an ex-
ira session. The date that this decision
was announced Mr.. Bryan still lacked
three of having enough senatorial
/votes pledged to pass the bill in the
upper house.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

couldn't be considered as delegates be-
cause they did not "stand with Mr..
Bryan" on the county option question.
Heretofore it has been customary to
select delegates because Of their dem
ocracy and then adopt platform in
structing them how to vote to meet the
wishes of those whom they repre-
sented; this time men were called to
one side and asked how they ''stood
with Mr.. Bryan on county option,''
and if they were not in hearty accord
with his views they were kept off the
delegation to the county convention.
county convention in accord with Mr..
Bryan's views, and neither Mr.. Harley
nor any other delegate opposed to in
serting county option in the state plat
form was foolish enough to believe that
their views would have any weight.
There were present upon the floor
of that convention men who have been
fighting for the initiative and referen-
dun for more years than Mr.. Bryan
has been prominent in politics There
were present men who personally favor
county option and were outspoken in
their beliefs before Mr.. Bryan began
the study Of it, but who did not, and
do not now, believe that it is a matter
to be taken into the domain Of party
politics. Certainly such men are en-
titled to fair play, and to dub them
tools Of the whiskey trust, as Senator
Patrick did by inference in his speech
and by direct language in private con-
versation, is unjust, yea wicked. Men
who worked with the legislature of
1909 to secure the passage of county
option measure were denied the right
to sit as delegates because, forsooth,
they were opposed to making county
option tenet of the democratic faith.
And this, too, when these men were
outspoken in favor of county option
before Mr.. Bryan had, according to
his own statement, taken his atten-
ton from national issues long enough
to consider such purely local ques-
ton.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

A number of the democratic newspa-
pers of the state are publishing let
ter under a Lincoln date line. The
Wageworker is in receipt of this letter
every week, but not being democratic
newspaper it decline to give it space.
A couple of weeks ago the letter con-
tanned reference to the only meeting
Of the anti-saloen league held in recent
months and mentioned the fact that
about the only business transacted at
the meeting was to increase Chairman
Poulson' 8 salary from ST 800 year to
$4,000 year. By reason Of typo
graphical error two or three papers
made it read "from $4,000 year to
$4,000 year" Of course any one but
a paretic would have instantly recog.
nized the typographical error, but
Chairman Poulson seizes upon it to
make the foundation for charge of
liar" and to get himself little pub
licity. Reference is made to this matter
in this place merely to give further eyi-
dence as to the mental and moral cali
bre of Mr.. Poulson.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15
HITTING THE POLITICAL PIPE
A STRAY BITS OF GOSSIP CONCERNING MATTERS THAT
HAVE TO RUNNING THE CITY, COUNTY AND STATE

pledges of enough votes in time to
get the amendment endorsed properly
and without that endorsement it is
well known to observant citizens that
an amendment to the constitution can
not hope to carry.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

1t is certainly peculiar situation.
What the result will be at Grand Is
land no human being knows. That
big majority Of the delegates to that
gathering will be personally opposed
to putting county option in the plat
form is admitted. But what will hap
pen when Mr.. Bryan takes the floor?
We have lively recollections of con-
vention in Grand Island few years
ago that was not friendly to Bryan.
For fifteen hours it baked on his pro-
gram, and all that time Bryan sat
silent. Finally, at o'clock in the
morning the storm broke. Bryan took
the platform, and in twenty minutes
a change could be noticed. At the end
position to him began sneaking from
the hall. At the end of an hour of i'm
passioned oratory the convention was
on it's feet yelling for Bryan. At 5 :O5
o'clock everything was lovely and
peace reigned, at least on the surface,
and Bryan had triumphed again. But
history records the fact that in the
1O1IOWluS ClCCCIOu tuC OCAlOCl nO1c
ticket went down to overwhelming
defeat
But if the democrats are rowing
among themselves in the democratic
front yard, you ought to see the repub-
lican fracas in the republican back
yard The g. o. p. in Nebraska has
been so successful in lodging the liq-
uor question for thirty years that it
is interesting to watch it now when it
must either fish or cut bait. The fact
of the matter is that while the demo-
cratic party has had to bear the odlum
Of being the whisky party" the re-
publican party has been getting the
support Of the liquor interests. If the
liquor interests have such powerful
hold on Nebraska politics, and the
democratic party is the whisky par
ty," in heavens name why was it left
to democratic legislature to enact the
only progressive liquor laws in quar-
ter Of century? And why was it
left to a democratic governor to sign
those progressive liquor laws? The re-
publican legislature Of 1907, Of which
our republican friends so often boast
took no progressive step along liquor
legislation lines, and Governor Mickey
is not recorded in history as having
Continued on page 81
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

ent or too partisan 1t IS too suspicious.
The minute some union man steps out
and advocates line Of political action
he is Immediately charged with trying
to lead the labor vote into some pOliti-
cal camp. And often that is the case,
too But we know of no such effort
in this section. AS union man don't
care what political party enacts the
laws that organized labor is most in
terested in securing, just so long as
those laws are secured. And that is
the policy that this little labor paper
has pursued for seven years, and will
continue to pursue.
Speaking Of signs, in Omaha the 9TH
er day I saw several stretched across
the sidewalks. I saw one permanent
sign stretched clear across Farnam
street. Does anybody deny that Om-
aha is great city? It is just witness
ing the completion Of a sixteen-story
building and as yet I haven't seen a
single newspaper that objected on the
ground of "sky line.'' I know Omaha
like book. worked there for up
wards of ten years. It has many fea-
lures I do not like, but they are fea-
lures that seem inseparable from
every hustling, growing metropolis.
But when it comes to enterprise, hus-
tie, faith in the future, and willingness
to invest money in large enterprises,
Omaha has got 'em all backed off the
boards. 1 wish we could strike an av-
erage between Lincoln and Omaha
give Omaha some Of the moral features
of Lincoln, and get from Omaha some
of her, public spirit.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

What pestiferous lot those social
lists are, to be sure. Here is the socialist
mayor of Milwaukee actually making
ability the test Of public appointment,
exacting honest work from city con-
tractors and compelling the city's SER
wants to render full equivalent for
the salaries they draw. How n thunder
do they expect to keep a political ma
chine creased and in running orderf
Out upon all this socialistic rot The
first thing we know the public gener-
ally will get acquainted with what Soc
ialism really means, and forget what
they have been led to believe it means,
and when that time comes thereu be
a political awakening that will jar the
country from center to circumference.
And, after all, ism t it about time that
union men quit knocking on the men
who are trying to happen to differ from
them on some minor matters? The man
who can not sink his personal differ
ences when the good of the whole
movement is concerned ism t worthy of
the card he carries.
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

| have a personal grievance against
Alderman William Schroeder, and
there are some twenty-five or thirty
others just like me along North Thirty
third street. Economy is all right, but
there is vast difference between econ
omy and penuriousness, difference
that Mr.. Schroeder seems unable to
understand
The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-07-15

The man who claims to be able to
swing the labor vote is liar. But he
isn't as big liar as the man who will
fully charges another man who is try
ing to advance the cause Of organized
labor is also claiming to be able to
the vote Of organized labor, nor is
every man who is trying to advance the
cause of organized labor trying to
swing the labor vote. The trouble with
the voters in the ranks Of organized
labor is that when either too independ-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-20

New Orleans, August 1e.-Secretary Hes
ter's statement of the worlds visible SUP
ply OF cotton, made up from special
cable and Geographic advices compares
the figures of this week with last week.
last year and the year before. 1t shows
a decrease for the week Just closed of
l,lS1 against a decrease of .952 last
year and decrease OF 71,125 year b.
fore last.
The total visible is 1,542.SS5. against
1,653,516 last week, 2.O32S45 last year and
1,775,e17 year before lasG OF this the
total OF American cotton is 7s4. 1856, against
S39.5l6 last week. 1.506,s45 last year and
9s0,571 year before last and of all other
kinds, including Egypt, Brazil. India, etc..
75SO00. against $4,000 last week, $1,000
last year and 1906 year before last.
The total worlds visible supply Of cot
ton above shows a decrease compared
with last week Of H. ISL. decrease COM
pared with last year of 490.576. and DO.
crease compared with year before last
Of 233. 2S2
or the worlds visible supply of cottoa
as above there Is now afloat and held II
Great Britain and continental Europe
$4,000. against sol 900 last year and 1000
900 year before last: IN Egypt 8.00A
against $1,000 last year and 5000 yeAe
before last; in India $4,000, against z7,-
000 last year and 10000 year before last;
and in the United States 275,ooO against
25900O last year and 291, 900 year before
last