The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-15


* long time ago the NoHNING News, in
o. series of articles. called attention 20
tB. fact that the material condition Of
confederate veterans, although receiving
very little assistance from their re
,poctiv, states. is about as good as that
ol union veterans. who are provided for
SD literally by the federal government.
Mr. NJ. B. Morton. in an article in the
current number of the Forum. dis
cusses the same subject at considerable
length. He points out that the states
that composer the confederacy, and also
Maryland and Missouri, either grant pen
siOns to deserving confederate veterans
or have homes for them. The total num-
Der of eX-confederatcs receiving state as
slstance either by pensions or in homes, is
1881 The total amount paid in pensions
and for the support of homes annually is
Sl,15O,736. Georgia appropriates more for
pensions than any other southern state.
Last year she distributed 600 among
5000 veterans and $3.50, 600 among 200
widows of veterans.
In striking contrast to the assistance
received by confederate veterans is that
received by union veterans At the
close of last year there were $40 900 union
veterans on the pension rolls, and it is ex-
pected that at the close of this year the
number will reach 100000. There are
seven national union soldiers homes
which contain IA, 1913 inmates, and twenty
state union soldiers homes having ), 325
inmates. The amount appropriated for
pensions for union veterans last year was
STAG, 737 $50 and it is estimated that S170,-
100000 will be needed for pensions this
year.
1t is true that there were more than
three times as many enlistments in the
union armies as in theconfederatea armies,
but the difference in the number of en-
listments does not account for the vast
difference between the number of union
veterans and the number of confederate
veterans receiving pensions. Only about
per cent of the confederate veterans
who enlisted are receiving aid, and they
get an average of only about 1852 cents
per annum apiece, while 30 per cent. of the
union armies are pensioners, getting an
average of $3.50 apiece per annum.
And will it be said that the material
condition of the veterans of the union ar
mics is better than that of the confeder-
ate veterans2 We think not If signs
are an indication there are fewer in
stances of extreme poverty among the
veterans in the south than in the north.
1t is rarely that a confederate veteran
is found who does not have the necessa-
ries, and even comforts Of life.
The reason of this condition of affairs is
that the confederate veterans realized
from the start they had to depend upon
their own resources, and Immediately af-
ter the close of the war they went bravely
to work to make q living; and they have
been cOurageously working ever since. In
the north there was great dependence
upon the government, and tens Of thous-
ands finding their pensions sufficient to
give them the bare necessaries of life
have ceased to work.
The question arises: Would it not
have been better for the union veterans,
and for the country, if the federal gov
eminent had been less extravagant in
granting pensions? If there had been
less politics in the pension business there
would be fewer dependents upon gov
eminent bounty and many more pro
ducers. There are thousands of union
pensioners who would be better of in
every way if they had been compelled to
depend upon their own resources Cor a
living