The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-04-13
Howe About:
A Possible Cornrade
Veterans Expense
Preaching to Oneself
g Bell syndicate.-wNU Service.
By ED HOWE

| by LII IN" u
| IT is great comfort to me to at
tract a little favorable attention
from nice people This morning re-
ceived an agreeable letter from q gen.
tlemaD OF eighty-four who is still at
work as doctor In Brooklyn. N Y,
| should like to talk to him; old peo-
pie still able to carry on with rea-
sonable credit and efficiency interest
me. How do they meet the various
problems that confront me? How do
they sleepi What best agrees with
them" In food? ] dislike a man 1
have known many years, although he
has never viciOusly offended me; in
my efforts to get away from him fear
| may become impolite. What would
| this fine old doctor In Brooklyn, who
has kept sound grip on himself. rec
ommend in such casei The unneces-
sary fOllies of the young annoy me,
although ! know | should submit to
them gracefully. as the old submitted
to me when was yOung bore. How
does this man of real intelligence
handle newspaper heroesf Some of
the cheaper ones annoy me more than
| Is good for me. I'd rather 90 to
Brooklyn and see this man than go
around the world | have q notion he
has as much medical knowledge as any
, of them. and more common sense. 1
| had snch a friend a few years ago,
but he died. and greatly miss him.
A reader writes me: II am one Of
your few admirers. My only objection
to you is frequent repetition Of the
belief that the better man behaves,
the better he will get along. think
| this is true; that there is no greater
| or more important truth. But because
of my belief In this sound doctrine
do not behave any better. II is further
| proof of your doctrine that evangelists
are bores and do more harm than
| good We all believe In temperance,
but because of tiresome preaching of
| It, even the women and children are
In danger of becoming drunkards-"
| still believe In man preach
ing to himself good deal; If he tries
long enough. he will be able TO make
considerable progress. in spite of his
weaknesses. and find the going easier.
Gen. Frank T. Hines. himself a vet
eraD in the World war. and at pres.
ent administrator of veterans affairC
In the United States. lately said in
public address: statistics show Brit
ish annual payments of S3S per man
returned dead or wounded. the French
S5S. and the United States S2.65S''
Here is an official statement
that In certain item of public ex-
pense. the United States pays $1,000
per year more than England or France.
| I have never seen an equally startling
| exhibit of American extravaganza.
-. General Hines further said:
ITO the veterans who came through
the war unscathed. the government
owes nothing more than II owes
to any other loyal citizen ] can see
no justification for veteran who is
well able to provide for himself ap-
plying to his government for aid IL
we are to teach our Young men that
service TO their country means that
government thereafter must reward
such service, Irrespective of need.
then we are undermining the very
| foundation of good citizenship"
! At q recent congressional Investigation
of the subject It was stated that three
out of four men In government hos
| pitfalls are there for ailments not
caused by their war labors; also. that
all aid to veterans costs United States
taxpayers nearly a billion dollars year.
~. has cost since the war about six
billions. and will cost twenty-one bill
| lions by 1915 Veterans relief
will become the dominant Issue In the
immediate future; II has been so ex-
travagantly and dishonesty admins
tered the people must revolt The
three official statements quoted above
should be preserved for future refer
ence.
A lucky man Is usually smart and
| careful man. | thought of this lately,
and thought it rather good. Next
day | discovered one of the ancients
of note had said It. think II was
Goethe, whom do not like very well.
His Faust" either as book or play,
seems trashy to me. Still. through
Goethe's trash runs vein of wisdom
that has kept It going. suppose a
trace of gold would be found In an
! assay of any of US; frequently hear
very ordinary men say surprisingly
good things, and wonder whether they
thought II up or whether the good
thing has been floating around hum
dreds of years, free to everybody, and
l have not before heard of it.
Men are reasonably fair about
everything except their money and
their women; outside these two re-
spects, In which all are grabbers,
many OF them are fairly honest
see statement that Clarence OAR
row "hounded w. j. Bryan into his
| grave" knew both of these
men, and It did not seem TO me they
bounded each other. Mr. barrow was
no more guilty than Mr.. Bryan; In
| deed, in their exchange of insults, 1t
seems TO me am able to recall one of
Mr.. Bryan's that was meaner than
| anything Mr. barrow was able to think
up. "You say of US" said Mr.. Bryan,
that we are fools: we say of you that
| you are scoundrels."