UNCLE SAM'S WALLET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1908, 16 March 1887, Page 3

UNCLE SAM'S WALLET

It is a notable faot that while the abolition of pension! is a cardinal feature of tile democratic programme generally throughout the world, the pens'on system m the United Statei not only holds Ite own, but grows alarmingly. The General Penilom BUI just passed by Oongn ss for the ourrent year contains the largest vote for pensions ever yet passed, being over 19,000,000 dols. Radicals of the Labou ohere type make a great fuss about the pensions m England, where, as a faot, the sTitem ii on Us last lege; and here m New Z aland, a pensioner who claims two or three hnndred a year after thlrt^jears' hard labor, is regarded by the same class of politicians with horror and amazement, muoh aa Oliver was by Bumble, when he atked for another spoonful of skilly Yet In the United States, to which these precious reformers are forever pointing as the model of perfection for us all to follow, there is a pension list euffiofeot to ■end an English Chancellor of the Ex chequer Into a fit or make our Civil Servants green with envy. "Uncle Stm payi for all" is a popular maxim there; and loafing on the public is carried to wonderful lengths.