Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-09-11
Pensions Federal and Confederate.

of The Forum, from the pen of Mr.. NJ.
B. Morton, of Frankfort, KY, contrast
ing Federal and Confederate pensions,
will be read with general interest.
With the leading feature of the Fed
eral pension system readers of the
Times Democrat are no doubt familiar,
since the subject has been so frequently
and so extensively treated in these col
umns. Almost everybody knows that,
last year, there were SIC. 06S Federal
veterans on the pension rolls that by
the end of this year that large number
will have been increased to 1000, 600;
that the appropriation for pensions for
1893 was Sl46, 737 $50, which deiicien-
cy appropriation is almost certain to
raise to at least $4,000, 900; and that
the appropriation required for next
year will probably be 5000, 900, 900. In
addition to the number of Federal vet
I'erans on the pension rolls there are
IA, 1913 Federal inmates of seven Nation
al soldiers homes, and 5,S25 Federal in.
mates of 20 StatesUnion soldiers homes.
The average pension of the Federal
veteran is at the rate of Sl65 per an
mum, or S13 IS per month.
Now let us, following Mr.. Morton in
The Forum, range alongside of this
Federal pensioner showing the compan-
ion picture of the Confederate pension
payments. And perhaps we may be
allowed to preface it with just two re-
marks, which readers of the Times
Democrat should take due heed Of, or
which, according to the picturesque
language of the Anglican liturgy, they
should ''read, mark, learn and inward
ly digest" The two remarks are: l.
That first and last during the civil war
there were enlisted in the Union armies
the goodly number of 2,772, 40S soldiers,
while in the Confederate armies there
were enlisted not more than 100000
at the outside; and 2, that, according
to close estimate, the South has had
to disgorge since the war, in the shape
of taxes, indirectly, for the pensions of
Union soldiers, the sum of $3.50, 000, 900;
Those two facts are worth remember
ing.
But the southern States have not for
gotten their own Confederate veterans;
although, impoverished in many ways
and among them by having to contrib
ute heavily to the pensions of Federal
veterans, they have been able to do
but little for them in comparison with
what Uncle Sam has done for the eX
Federals and their dependents.
The total number of pensioners and
of inmates Of homes in all the eX-Con
federate States, including Maryland and
Missouri, amounted last year to 81 ,2l1:
and the total payment to the pension
crs and for the support of the homes,
again including Maryland and Missouri,
was 81 ,150,936. The average pension
to the Confederate veteran is at the rate
of $3.50 per annum-which gives the
luxurious living ofS3.2 30 per month or q
+trifie over 10 cents day!
We have not space in which to set
forth the treatment of Confederate vet
Grams according to States. Some of the
States make appropriations alone for
their support, some maintain homes
alone for their support, while some
both make appropriations and maintain
homes. Georgia is easily ahead among
the appropriation States with its S445,-
900 to 7,400 pensioners. Louisiana is
equally easily at the the bottom of the
list with home in which fifty veteran
inmates are supported at yearly cost
ofSS,000.
1t is a pity, we may say in passing,
that the various States of the South do
not contrive to attain some uniform
method of helping their veterans to-
ward a living and it would we think,
be still greater pity if the tendency
at present apparent to increase the
pension roll every year were to become
the established order of things here, as
it has been at the north. Our vete-
rams, as they were brave in the war,
so have they been selfreliant and
modest in their requests for assistance
since the war. The Confederate pen
sion roll is the pure roll of honor, and
the best friends of our veterans will see
to it that it ever shall continue so.
Let us recapitulate a few figures,
which our readers may wish to keep in
mind:
MEN ENLISTED DURING THE WAR.
In the Federal armies. 772, 40S
Iu the Confederate armies. 100000
| PENSIONS.
Average Federal pension .................Sf65.O 90
Average Confederate pension. so
SUM PAID IN PENSIONS BY THE SOUTH SINCE
THE WAR.
For benefit of Federals.. $3.50, 100000
For benefit Of Confederates
lsay) ..922,Ooo,OoO
-Nc,c Orleans Times Democrat.
Col. OFcrrall's Resignation.