The National tribune., 1910-11-10
The Limitation on Widows Pensions

Editor National Tribune: In my arti-
Gle on widows pensions which you pub
lished some time ago you left out my
reasons entirely, and made me appear
in false light before the veterans and
their widows. My opposition was based
upon my personal knowledge and ex-
perience. First, am a minister of the
Gospel. whose office authorizes me to
marry people who are legally licensed
to marry, and 1 have been in the busi-
ness 35 years. Among those I have
married are a number Of veterans of
the U. S. Army who served in the war
of sthe rebellion. Before 1890 it was
easy for such veterans to marry young
wife, but since that time 1 have found
two young women who refused to marry
veterans. The first was case where /
had been summoned to marry a veteran
of over 60 to girl of Is years. I went
on time, and was met at the door by
the father of the bride-to-be, who was
several years younger than the BRIDE
groom-to-be. The father invited me to
step inside. He wanted word with
me. He asked me If 1t were a fact that
all widows of soldiers who married after
June 80, 1880, were debarred from a
pension, This date fixed for their mar
riage was in October, 1893. told him
that his daughter, If left a widow,
would not be entitled to a pension un-
der present laws. The father reported
to his daughter, who came out and told
me she would not have the ''old gray
headed skunk" if there were no pros
poets for her getting a pension after he
was dead.
The second case was an old maid of
about 80 who worked as cook and
house girl She came to my house the
day before the marriage was to take
place. The old veteran had already en-
gagged me TO hitch them up" as he
called it. The girl called me out to the
road and said to me: Brother, 1 want
to ask you a question. If i marry Mr.
-, will i be entitled to a pension in
case he dies first?" That was in jan
uary, 1894. I told her that she would
not under the present laws, and she
sent the veteran word that evening that
she would not have him. Now, COM
rade, here are two plain cases that hap
pened under my personal ministry. l
have heard of other cases, but witness
is one who has personal knowledge. /
know that II was not love or loyalty to
the old veterans that those two women
were after, but the prospect of the pen
sion was the inducement. / know, how
ever, that it is not natural for young
woman to marry an old man without
there is money to make up for the in
firmities of age. Now, have furnished
two cases in point, and you know that
one case in point is worth all the con-
jectural evidence that may be produced.
am a widower myself, 66 years old,
and you cannot make me believe that
any nice young woman would become
my wife If / had nothing but poverty
to offer. / have an exalted opinion of
the marriage relations, that true love
and affection should be the main prin-
ciple that binds husband and wife, and
where this is lacking the parties are not
legally married according to Gods law.
Marriage Is honorable only while the
requirements of Gods law are faithfully
complied with. A woman that loves
with true heart, without money or
pension, is my style of wife.-Benja-
min Triton, 7th Ky. Cav. Hanly, KY.