The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-20
$4,000 FOR PENSIONS.
But no State Home For Disabled Confeder-
ate EerteranS-How the Senate Dis
posed of the Several Pension Propo-
sitiOns Before It.


sitions Before 1t.
Register
The Senate met Monday at 10 o'clock
and, after the Usual preliminary busi-
ness, proceeded 10 work on the calen-
dar.
The bill to repeal an Act entitled
"An Act oprovide for the relief Of Ger
tain soldiers, sailors and widows Of
soldiers or sailors of the late war be-
tween the States" approved December
~ 1887, Was taken up fora second read
ing.
Senator Pope gave his reasons for
advocating the bill. The amount ap-
propriatcd by the last Legislature to
carey out the provisions Of the pension
Act WAS inadequate. Two thousand
and thirtynine applications had been
received and accepted under this Act,
and the sum of SI2l 500 was needed to
pay the applicants. The Sena asked
the question, was the State, in its pre!-
eut condition, able to meet such 4 trc
mrHiuus expense? He answered, no.
The people were behind in Tho payment
OF taxes. He recognized the claim of
the soldiers, but the State was ccmpell-
ed to provide for lis educational and
cnartuble ilIstitu ions, and was unable
to stand. the drain upon the treasury
such Us was nccasioned BY the pension
Act. He thought the axe should be
laid ut thu root of pensions.
Senator Moore opposed the bill pro-
vihing for the repeal Of the present
pension law, and also opposed the bill
providing for the establishment Of Il
soldiers home. He did not believe the
old soldiers would he willing TO leave
their own homes, surrounded by family
end friends, to 90 to a home where
II v would be among strangers. The
Senator thought the State WAS pledged
to help the ole! soldiers to the extent Of
5000 per annum, but opposed any
Incl r;sc Of. this amount. TO make
this sum suflicie 1t. he favored the sub
stitute bill proposed by the military
committee, which provides for the APP
pointmcnt of Il committee of five old
veterans in every county, named by a
county convention Of veterans, who
will select from the list Of applicants
most worthy and most needy.
Senator Pop opposed the substitute
bill. He thought it gave to the conf
mittee of old veterans, appointed by
their comrades in convention, a most
difficult and unpleasant task to per-
form. They would dislike to sit in
judgment upon the services rendered
in war by the various applicants for
pensions. Bad blood would follow the
enforcement of such a law. There
would be nothing but recrimination
from the mo Intains to the seaboard.
If the State must do something, let it
provide a soldie's' home, as Virginia
and Texas ha.e cone. But in the
present monetary condition of the State
he did not think anything should be
done in the way of helping the old SOL
diers They had gotten along for
twenty-three years without State aid,
and in all that time he had never heard
of but one old veteran in the poor
house. FANNY and friends had in the
past taken care ofthc old soldiers who
needed help, and they wonld in the
future render the same charitable SER
vice.
Senator Murray favored an annual
appropriation of $4,000 in behalf ofthe
soldiers. As they had done and sufie-
red so much he could not take away all
| help from them. Nor did he favor a
soldiers home where the old soldier
would spend his last days among stlang-
ers. He could not have any regard foe
man who would leave his own
home to 90 to one provided by the
| State. The Senator did not believe any
trouble would arise from the enforce
ment of the provisions of the substitute
bill. The local committees appointed by
the old veterans would discharge their
duties faithfully and consc;entiously,
and no bad blood would be engendered
by the performance Of the work entTus,
| ted TO them. The State was pledged 10
| help the old soldiers to the eXteut OF
S50, ,ODO and it could not 60 back on S
| promise.
The .ilrec bills in regard to needvand
disabled soldiers were considered at the
same time.
The substitute bill, which provides
! for linli!in" the annual apptopria, ion
for pensions to $50. .Oc0, passed its second
| reading.
Senator Pope moved to strike out
Section Of the bill. which provides for
4 committee in every County to select
the most needy and worthy applicants,
but his l.,tion was laid on the table by
a vo of iG yeas 10 nays.
! Senator Field moved to strike out
S3 per month and insert 81, but this
mo,on was laid on the table bv a vote
of - 10 II.
Senator Pope moved to postpone the
biz to repeal the Act providing for
DrnS;ors until the next session 0! the
Genc:al Assembly, but this motion was
defeated by a vole Of II to -. The bill
! was then in definitely posr poned.
The bill t. establish and maintain a
home for disabled soldiers and seamcn
OF lne Confederate STATES army and
navy met its death by the following
vote.
Ayes Nsssrs. Alexander, Byrd.
Buist, Donaldson, Edwards, Erwin,
Field, Hemphill, Howell, lzlar, Mason,
McMaS,er, Mccall, Noise, Moody,
Moore, Munro, Murray, Ready, ,Slnkler,
Smith, Je'eniah, Smith, R. NJ, Yer
die, Wilson, Woodward-25.
Nays-Messrs. DoZier, Ferguson,
Patterson, Pop Soiourner-5.