The news & observer., 1897-11-21

of the Old North State that it is entitled
to the honor of sending more men to the
front than any other State Of the Con-
federacy.
Alabama has not yet organized
Home, but expends for pensions $117,-
770.90, each receiving $1705.
South Carolina maintains no Home;
for number Of years it appropriated
annually $4,000 for pensions, but re-
cognizing the increase of need as veterans
grew more infrm, she raised the amount
for $780, 100000.
Mississippi pays $75 to each pensioner
| May says: There are many in Misss-
sippi who feel that the gratitude of the
State and the generosity of its people
| should build a Home, when the few re-
| naming years of the helpless. depend
ent Confederate soldiers could be spent
| in the comfort and ease the so richly
| deserve"
Arkansas appropriates for the Soldiers
| Home near Little Rock, $17,35O for the
| two years. 1S96-1S97-for 80 inmates on
| ly. She gives liberal pensions to INDECENT
veterans. and their widows and orphans.
Kentucky, having troops in each
army, leaves to private benevOlence the
care of the veterans.
Georgia makes the following annual
appropriations to all Confederate veter-
ans living in the State, at the passage of
/ this act: To widows of soldiers, killed
| in action, or dying by reason of injury
| in the line of duty, $240,000. Each
widow receives $50 per year. To SOL
| J;eo I'D NV Iicnasa
while in service, S190,000, ranging from
| So to $3.50 on each.
These aggregate the sum OF $550,000
| annually. OF these, 100 North Carolin-
ians receive pensions. The Comptroller
General says that four millions of dol
lars have already been expended by
| Georgia for this purpose.
The Hon. VIM. B. Workman, Treas
urer of Texas, says: "Our State, by
constitutional amendment, has provided
at Austin, the Confederate Home for
disabled and INDECENT Confederate SOL
ders, citizens of the. State of Texas.
The number of inmates maintained for
1895 was 1852; for 1896, it was 175. The
appropriation made by the Legislature
for these two years was $50, 400 for
1895, and 32,250 for 1896" AS this
was about S21S per capita, it was nearly
double the amount provided for our own
veterans per capita.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that in an
other week, our annual appropriation
will be exhausted, and the North Caro-
lima Soldiers Home must exist on credit,
until December 1st, when another fiscal
year begins.
This day there are veterans in the
c 1nty homes, or poor-hoa1~ for whom
Il is no room at thu ~ : in Raleigh.
III, uent appeals cass@ 'Sy to your sec
reta : and as fl e-ssa :, he learns from
the manager of ~ lone, that there is
no means of relieving the wounded and
disabled veterans, fleeing like a battered
wreck, into the sad precincts of the poor
house. We are trying to elevate the
standard of the county alms-houses, and
in a measure succeeding, yet at the best,
1t is shame, crime that it is the only
refuge of any deserving Confederate
soldier.
1t is for this Association, and for the
enrolled camps of Confederate veterans,
and for the unenrolled heroes in our
great struggle, to touch the heart and
conscience of North Carolina. and right
this great wrong. Let it be made an
issue before the people. Let us stop
counting our wealth in factories and
fields long enough to show that we
prize our wealth in manhood.
We need an appropriation double the
amount, for the care OF 200 men. We
need saving of fuel and other expenses,
by change to substantial brick cot
tages, SO constructed as hereafter to be
sold by the State, and the cost returned,
when the last veterans have passed
away, and the generation OF the war has
become but memory
1t is proper to return thanks to the
skilled and patriotic physicians, Drs.
Mckee and Hines, and to the devoted
clergy of this city, who have always
been ready. at the call of the Home;
also to the ladies who have given sacred
music weekly to cheer the tedium Of the
inmates.
1t is proper to inform our brethren
who may believe that certain men are
permitted to remain in the Home un-
justly because believed to be able to take
care of themselves by labor, while others
are denied admittance, that the disabili-
ty of every inmate is judged by the
physicians, who have no interest in favor
ing any man. Eight are now in the
hospital, and few are at the Home who
aie Hot Tic suDJeclS VI some grave ln-
FIRMLY. The remedy is to be found in
larger means, and the people will cheer
fully do their duty, when we perform
ours in reminding them of the necessity.
In conclusion we respectfully urge all
Confederate veterans to form camps. or
to join those already in existence in
their respective counties, and to see that
the enrolment of the camp is sent to
this office, to be placed on the books Of
the State Veterans Association.
With sincre thanks for the high honor
bestowed in the call to the office, where
duties have fallen to me, | am,
Very respectfully,
G. B. DENSON,
Secretary.