The copper era and Morenci leader., 1912-01-12
THAT CARNEGIE PENSION Alfred Henry Lewis in Hearst's San EranciScA E,Ya aminar

President Wilson. governor of New Jersey, late president of Princeton, would-be president of the United States, has asked for the Carnegie pension. What a worthwhile thing it would be if some Edison or some Mar conf were to perfect a system of men, tai photology so that one might snap picture of what happens inside the heads of certain people just before they decide on certain things. $ That however, is a thought on the side
 Carnegie pensions are paid out of Carnegie gold. Who doesn't know the source and character of Carnegie gold? It came as the ripened fruit of protection" when protection" spelt extorticn. It was gathered in the blood and tears of the Homestead
 strike, when children starved, wo- men wept and workmen were shot to death on their doorsteps. And now comes a would-be president and candidate for the Democdatic White House nomination and asks-with hands ouestretched- that he be, paid a pension in that same tear-rusted, blood-marked Carnegie gold. s
 Pensions, whatever. their kind, pre- suppose past work and present that speaks of need. What are Prof Will son's reasons for claiming a Carne- gie pension? What want-wolf howls his door? What work has he done? The Wilson pension reason, as stated by himself, is that "a man who goes into politics bound by the principles of honor, puts his family and all who may de dependent upon him. for sup sport =at the mercy of an incalculable turn. of gthe. wheel of fortune" and then, assuming himself as such a man-albeit some might think the question begged-he adds. land I felt entirely justified in seeking to provide against such a contingency"
 Cool, truly. if not convincing.
 | Doubtless, as Prof. Wilson assures kus, he is in politics. bound by princi- ples of honor. We have also; his somewhat superior attitude to show us that his elevated sort are very few. And yet beyond the Wilson assurance, that Wilson assurance and that Will son pose of superiority, what have we to prove that Prof. Wilson is a. whit more bound politically by principles of honor" than are ninety-five in ev- cry one hundred of our everyday citi- zens of less pretentious if not less common clay? Are these not in poli tics bound by principles of honor
 and are not their families as much as is the family of Prof. Wilson there by left at 'the mercy of any incaleu laDle Iufu .O' tue Wuo0l OI lOTIuue!
 Shall these, too, have pensions? Un less Prof Wilson considers that he nas cornered the political honor ot the country, and by contrast shines out in that respect against the dull background of a grasping ,unpatriotic principled American public, like fire
 in a forest, he will not say mo- tc these questions.
 Pension, like the words wages and salary is only another name fol income. With this to steer by, is not
 Prof. Wilson, so eagerly bidding fol
 Carnegie aid even now receiving g
 benson? He is in politics bound by
 principles of honor" But is he not as l the upeome of that condition gover nor of New Jersey and drawing $10, 900 salary?
 True, Prof. Wilson spends his days and nights, not so much in Trenton attending to the duties of his office as in ransacking about the country in speech-making pipe-laying efforts to promote his presidential prospects That, however, is not the question The people of New Jersey might not be getting what they pay for; but Prof. Wilson, as Governor Wilson is no less getting what they pay for. Un