The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-16
CONGRESSMAN BURKE SCORED.
Confederate Veterans Pass ON re
cent Rem m rIxs Ntnde l,y Him

| cent tc"nrNH ny
Fort Worth, Texas. August 14.-The reg
ular weekly session of X. u. Leo camp Of
ex-Confedernte Veterans was held yester-
day afternoon and was presided over by
Commander s. T.. Greene.
The most important business transacted
ed week ago to draft resolutions relative
to the attack made upon the order by Con-
gresham X. Il. Burke of Dallas county in
reference to the pensioning OF ex-Confed-
crate veterans.
The report of tho committee was received
and is as follows
To Hon. S. P. Greene, Commander r. Il.
Lee Camp. Fort WORTH Texas;
Your committee appointed at last meet
ing TO inquire into the remarks Of Hon
Il. l.. Burke OF the Sixth congressional
district at the reunion at Waxahachie OF
Parsons brigade on August and pub
lished In the Dallas News OF next day, bog
leave herewith 10 Me copy OF same al
taken from that paper. which reads as fol-
lows
During all this time that has elapsed
since the civil war you have seldom seen
an ex- Confederate soldier pensioner upon
his neighbors; they have succeeded in
=
der l think this pension offered by Texas
is wrong. There are men In my own coun-
ty (Dallas) who are not entitled to a pen
sion. / believe time Will remedy all these
things 80 long as God gives Confederate
soldier ability TO make living he should
stay away from the pension rolls. ! have
seen enough. as your representative in
congress, to disgust me with pension rolls.
believe we have Union soldiers who are
cd m
they ought TO have them, but when | see.
us have seen and when l know. ms /
know today, that men are drawing from
$50, $50 and $40. also a salary Az congress-
man. as United States senator, as promi-
nent officials OF the government; when
know this 10 be fact, ] look with close"
ness and with scrutiny, for | know some OF
the Confederates are attempting 10 draw
n pension from the State government
which places them In the same line with
the Northern pensloner."
In this connection we submit the object
OF the order Of Confederate camps us
taken from the constitution of the United
Confederate Veterans and copied In the
constitution Of Sterling Price camp, which
being at the home OF the honorable gem
tleman we presume Is the camp to which
he belongs, the same being copied In the
constitution OF this camp here and all
other camps as rules governing their pro
cedure:
"The object OF this camp shall be for
social purposes, to perpetuate the memory
OF our comrades, living and dead; 10 pur-
sue and maintain that sentiment OF fra
ternty born OF hardships and dangers
shared In the march, tho blyouac and bat
tiefield; 10 aid INDECENT comrades and their
Widows TO give TO our children true his
tory OF the incidents OF the march. lire-in
camp, and deeds done on the battlefield;
to avoid everything that partakes OF par
tlsanship In politics or religion; to extend
courtesies on every fitting occasion to our
late adyersaries In arms: TO assist In the
maintenance OF law and the preservation
OF peace"
that Comrade Burke understands the PEN
sion law when he says "as Confederate
soldier ! think this pension offered by
Texas Ia wrong" or he never would. as Il
Confederate soldier, have so far forgotten
the history OF the law as 10 utter such
language against his INDECENT comrades
and their widows. Nor do we believe he
held in remembrance the VOW of the lamps
governing the object OF the organization.
or he would never have selected such
time and place to censure the INDECENT
and helpless ones embraced In this law. II
will be seen that the rule quot,d ep.ons
II as duty on us ITO aid INDECENT onm-
rades and their widows" The pension law
defines INDECENT" to mean "one WITHOUT
property and the means OF subsist ,nce,
without income and one unable 10 ! ,oor at
any kind of work or calling sufficient 70
support himself" This he must swear to
and be supported by two witnesses. and II
must be certified to under oath by Isp-
utable physician, giving In detail the
causes OF this disability. This must BIO
passed upon by the county Judge as q
prima facle case, and next must be con-
frmed by every one OF the commissioners
court, and lastly must be approved by the
comptroller. Every other Southern State
has passed similar laws, and Texas, though
last. Is the most stringent OF all the States
We submit that before our comrade could
be Justified In thus assaiIing the COM
rades of his own county By going to re-
union set apart for the sacred purposes
under the rule quoted--for social purposes
only--and entering the plant that there
are men In Dallas county not entitled to
pensions" he should have at first shown
all these Confederates and their witnesses
and physicians and officers Of the Law
were ut fault This hs does not do; this
be could not do. for these claims are YET