The Sidney herald., 1956-01-12
BY Ernest rmmsi
Held over from last week.

&a&A
it appears to me, that the hi
taxpayer point of view represent
ed by the Montana Taxpayer
association is not notably sympa
thetic to those who, except in tn
most dire circumstances seek
measure of security through fed
eral and state pensions systems
or ask for old age assistance
benefits. UNDERSTANDABLE, and no
to their discredit, big taxpayer
are inclined to keep a sharp eye
on public expenditures, but
wonder whether in certain cate
gories of public expenditure:
some of these people fail to rec
ognize society's obligations.
A Montana Taxpayers asSocia-
ton news release a few days age
said that Montana people aged
SIS and over are more self-reliani
and do a better job of meeting
their own financial needs with
! out help from public funds than
people in other states" This OBJ
servation implies no censure of
persons who avail themselves of
aid to which they are legally en-
titled, but in reading it l get the
feeling that the foregoing of
such assistance is considered a
most praiseworthy demonstration
Of exemplary citizenship.
Last winter the association I'M
successfully opposed legislation
making it possible for public en-
ployes under the state govern
ment and its subdivisions to come
under the federal retirement act
in addition to being covered by
the state retirement act. An argu-
ment on which the taxpayer
group put special emphasis was
the increased outlay of public
money this would require.
Taxpayer ability to support well
fare and pension programs is of
course a pertinent consideration.
funds for these pur-
poses should be guarded against
douSC. oQh ~ SCCAilS W AC ei&dt
in regard to public welfare pro-
generally there is too much
of a tendency to forget that the
elderly citizen, in way or
another, may already have full
filled his responsibilities to So
and that society, represent
I'd by government, now has a
responsibility to him.
When the Montana constitution
was adopted in 1889, it contained,
and still contains, this provision:
''The several counties of the
state shall provide as may be
prescribed by law for those in
labitants, who, by reason of age,
nfirmity or misfortune, may have
upon the sympathy and
aid of society
Until about 20 years ago this
vas implemented chiefly through
poor farms or direct aid
o persons in their homes. Then
as now, a county physician was
This assistance has now J
been expanded through the state
welfare department, which
has federal funds and state ap-
oropriations to supplement county
contributions.
Montana, in 1923, was the first
tate in the union to enact an old
lge pension law. In the legisla-
ure the bill was sponsored by
representative Lester H. Lobe
If Helena. This legislation was
project of the Fraternal Order
# Eagles, in which Mr.. Lobe
las been nationally prominent
many years. Boards of county
commissioners were empowered
pay old age pensions under
qualifications contained in the
ct.
l well recall how alarming the
.oble old age pension was to
ONE taxpayers and to people
Who see in any such measure a
dangerous departure from the
tatus quo.
The Montana law became an
Important precedent in the draft
1g of the federal social security
CT. Mr.. Lobe was one of a COM
littee appointed by President
Roosevelt to work out the con-
epts of this legislation.
Compared with even a few
ears ago, the number of persons
,aching the age of IS and their
alto to the whole population
as substantially increased and
lis will continue, the result, in |,
art, of advances in medical sci !
ace. But increasing the average :
pan of life enlarges the eco
omic and social problems Incl r
entail to old age. These problems +,
lnnot be shrugged off or be ig- {
pred.
Every now and then some rug
ID individualist who has done l
sceptionally well in accumulat-
g worldly goods sneeringly /,
-eaks into print in denunciation !
retirement systems as a sur :
'nder of independence. He SCOTS :
the prevailing concern about /
usually with the re- /
ark that if you really want to t
. secure, get yourself sentenced {