Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-03-24
GEN. LOGAN POST
REPLIES TO OREC0NIAN

sent some time ago the The Oregon
ian, but that paper declined to pub
lish it. The reasons for so doing are
sufficiently obvious. The attitude OF
the Oregonian towards the old sold
iers of the Civil War is we'll known;
but when a paper protesting to ad-
vocate the principles of the party Of
Lincoln and Grant characterizes as
disappointed parasites and hungry
rogues' the men who gave the best
of their lives to make this nation
what 1t is, 1t seems to us that a re-
buke is overdue.
1.-The Editor of The Oregonian:
In your issue of February 18th,
there appeared the following:
The rumor that Mr.. Taft will veto
the Sulloway pension bill is almost
too good to be true. This scandalous
bill would cost the taxpayers at
least $4,000, 900 year, Should Mr..
Taft veto It he would strengthen him
self immensely with the country.
though, of course, the disappointed
parasites and hungry rogues would
how'll"
That anything like the foregoing
should have been written seriously
leems almost Incredible. Having
been written, to let 1t pass unchal-
lenged would be crime. Fifty
years ago those who are today char
acterized as disappointed parasites
and hungry rogues" were the flower
of the Youth Of our land. From
farm, store, workshop and college
they went at the call of the coun-
try. Their money compensation was
from $13 to SIG per month, paper,
worth at times less than fifty cents
on the dollar. They underwent hard
ships that cannot be expressed In
language. At the end Of four years
they came home to find their places
filled by those who had improved the
opportunity Of their country's need
to lay the foundations Of the great
fortunes that have given us the true
parasite, the idle rich Of today.
Few had either the courage or means
to take up their abandoned studies
to prepare themselves Tor a profes-
sion, so they entered the race of life
handicapped. The character of the
men was shown in the fact that two
millions or more were absorbed In
the population without causing any
disturbance. Now when it is pro
posed to make their old age little
less bitter the question of cost Is
made paramount. Is that fair
Greece kept alive the spirit of pat
riotism by honoring those who sac
rificed for the country. What viii
be the effect on the future of oul
land If our youth are taught to lool
upon the old soldiers of our grea
war as parasites and "rogues?'
(Was it not Judas Iscariot whC
crowned himself with infamy be
cause he made the money question
paramountD
Let us look at 1t from anothe
point of view: BY the grace of
congressman a young man is admit
ted to West Point or Annapolis. H
is educated, fed and clothed at tn
expense of the government. AT tn
end Of four years he is given goot
position, good salary, and even
he sees no greater hardship thai
dress parade he is retired at the ag
of 62 with a pension that enable
him TO live in comfort and move 1
the best society to the end of hi
days, Again, president or grea
general dies and congress immedI
ately pensions the widow at tn
rate of $4,000 year. and there |
no cry of "parasitel"
In Europe the great nations ar
moving toward an old age pension
and in our own land the great col
poratlons are considering the advli
ability of pensloning their old an
worn-out employees. II we mistak
not The 0regonian favors that polio!
and we have seen no intimatlon tina
such pensioners should be classe
with the parasites"
Our great president, Lincoln
wrote a letter that has become cla
sic TO that mother who laid her flv
sons, her all, on the altar OF tn
country. Were that mother no
living and receiving pesion frol
the government she also would /
one OF the parasites"
Every officer In the regular arm
is pensioned at the age OF 90; WI
not the common soldier who sacrfl
ed his career in the time OF his cour
trv'e npri7 Arn wa sfiil I'm tho af