The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-06-09
THE CIVILIAN

have been wounded, nor disabled, yet
when he becomes old, infirm and de-
crepit, he becomes the care of his
government.
He is not in his old age forced to
seek shelter at the poor farm" or
starve.
And this generous bounty of gov
eminent extends to the widow after
The old soldier folds his robes about
him, crosses over the river, and biv-
ouacs on more peaceful shore.
This is the tribute this country
to walk in the footsteps of
the prince of Peace'-pays to the
glittering grandeur and pageantry of
war.
But if the life of the citizen is spent
along the paths and in the promotion
of peace, there is no provision made
for him by his government when he
becomes incapacitated for labor by
the weight of years
He may have been an active, useful
he may have builded houses,
constructed railroads, fellod the for
ests, made many blades of grass grow
where none grew before; he may
have been an inventor, law-maker
scholar, painter, sculptor, poet, au-
tor, editor, teacher, preacher, or what
not; he may have been benefactor
to his state in an hundred ways, yet
if he never shouldered a musket nor
flashed a saber. if he never entered
the ranks of those whose profession is
to MAIN, disfigure and kill, when age
comes upon him, there is no other
escape for him but the poor farm"
beggary or starvation upon the
streets.
And in how many of the states are
there not even poor houses" or poor
farms" to shelter the INDECENT, aged
and unfortunate civilian?
1t appears to us that this is all
wrong. The man of peace should re-
ceive the bounty of government the
same as the man of war.
We say it deliberately that it is all
a mistake about the 'pen being might
Ter than the sword"
The sword is mightier than the pen,
press, pulpit, shop, field, factory, and
all the instrumentalities of peace com
bined.
We bow down and worship before
the man in uniform and treat with
careless disregard the man in citizens
attire.
Why, in a Christian land, should
tn edistinction be made in favor of
the man in uniform?
Why should not the ordinary citi-
zen, who has reared a family and
been useful member of the commu-
nifty, have some provision against age,
disease and misfortune?
What sadder picture can meet the
eye than that of an aged man, who
has set the example of sobriety, in
dustry and frugality, enjoying the
comforts earned by constant and we'll
directed employment, through the Wis
itation of some calamity, is suddenly
reduced from affluence to poverty,
and now in his lettering age is forced
to seek refuge from starvation I'M
der the humiliating SHELTER of the
county poor farm?
Now, in these remarks, we would
not be understood as opposing the
bounty the government gives to her
soldiers.
The soldier deserves every cent he
receives.
The writer himself was soldier in
the civil war; the ashes IF his father
lie mingled with the soil of Mexico;
grandsire was desperately wounded
at the battle of the Cowpens in the
revolutionary war, and son was a
soldier in the war with Spain.
A man can render no greater SER
vice than to voluntarily risk his life
in defense of his country's honor. and
the nation honors itself in making
provision for him, and would still fur
Their honor itself in making provision
for those who have distinguished
themselves and glorified their country
in peaceful employments, which, af-
ter all, bring strength, perpetuity and
grandeur to the nation.
1T is the keystone
That makes the arch; the rest that
there were put,
Are nothing till that comes to bind or
shut;
Then stands it triumphal mark,
Then men
observe the strength, the height, the
breadth, the why and when"
The postoffice, the most absolute
business monopoly in the country, is
now barely paying its way. The ST.
500 900 deficit is believed to be wiped
out This reSult has hoop attain al :,