The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-09
The Moral Of the Pension Grab.


The wicked Democrats of the House offered
grab of SIS, 000. 900 a year to the highly moral
veterans who saved the Union, thereupon the
Democrats are accused of spending public money
to buy votes. But if the good veterans who
saved the Union afford to take the money
why should the wicked Democrats be con-
demned for the offer? Nobody believes the good
, veterans would refuse the cash; is the man who
buys vote worse than the man who sells one?
Or is the man who accepts the price of'a vote
without delivering the goods model of in
tegrity and patriotic virtuer
II has been boldly ounced by Republican
! journals that a virtuous Republican President
would veto the wicked grab II II ever reached
him. But can it be shown that this latest grab
is any worse than many OF Its predecessors ex-
cept in being Democratic bid for votes in
stead Of a Republican one? difference we
admit. but Is 1t difference that converts
morality into immortality?
| Republican Senate determines to cut down
the grab from $75.000.000 to SIT, 900, 900 and
a vrtuous Republican President has half
promised" to sign the reduced grab. But it
/ he shown that pension grab Is any the less a
grab because OF a reduction In amount Is the
man who sells his vote for IS more guilty
than he who sells one for 50 or less?
OF course II the Confederate veterans had
consented to accept pensions Democrats would
now be accused of providing grab for their
constituents and opposition to the combined
grab would be futile: let recognize that the
honors earned by Southern soldiers not less
| In value to the country at large or honorable
to their people in peace than In war. Grant
who won in war. failed in peace Washington
was equally great In both. Who shall pre-
sumo to say that the veterans of the blue kept
| in peace the reputation they had earned l.
war? Who shall say their opponents lost any
thing in peace lose by comparison p
Jacksonville Tim-s-Tnion.
The Richmond Spirit
! What stanton needs most of all is or
! the Richmond spirit No other town in the
country perhaps so insstently toots its own
horn of praise. and other perhaps shows
! in such striking degree the good results that
| come from eternal boosting. II is this habit
! continuously ar
nice to say about itself. combined with pre-
paredness to take advantage Of opportunities
! they arise that constitutes the Richmond
spirit
There to Staunton dozen times each
year salesman whose home -is Ia Richmond
j and who represents a Richmond house Half
of the time he talks cigars for that ~ the line
| he sells. and the other half he devotes to singing
the praises Of the Paradise the James While
taking lot of pleasure in doing It this man
tell YOU and win insist telling you.
| unless you threaten him with club OF how
many dollars worth of this and that Richmond
| sold last year. how this compares with the
| output Of houses doing the line OF husi-
ness in Baltimore. Kansas City, kalamazoo
| Bangor. Dallas where not; he will tell you
how cheap rent Is in the capital city, of what
pretty girls they have. of how many hundreds
/ of billions of dollars the bank deposits aggre-.
gate-ln fact. IL you will only listen to him.
and It's pretty certain that you will. he will
manage to convince YOU that Richmond is just
about the grandest place without the reary
gates.
! This one is typical Of the Richmond
people. No matter the station of the individual
| the Richmond folk agreed in thinking their
I, town the very best place on EARTH and wire
Their at home abroad they neglect
opportunity to speak word In praise of 1t.
Nowhere In the world will be found set OF
| people more loyal to their own city, and It is
| this eternal boosting and pulling for Rich
mopd combined, has been said. with a
readiness to take advantage of opportunities.
that has placed the Virginia capital well up
IN the lead among American cites--Staunton
Dispatch News