The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-01-13
TO PENSION TENNESSEE CONFED
CRATES.

10 PENSION TEN NESSEE CONG Ell
CRATES.
Mr.. McKinley's suppression upon
the South, )" so magnified awhile ago,
has about faded, forgotten and gone
and the enthusiasts who drank
themselves drunk upon his gush,
have sObered down, to find them
selves lonesome few, and still in
the same old South.
Truth is, it is not writ anywhere
commanding the South to be born
again, and it never will be. 1t don't
want to, don't have to, and won't.
1t is the old South, and will never
be new aLy more. 1t is the South
settled an hundred years ago by our
forefathers, bequeathed by them to
their children and developed and
made great by these generations of
Southern born citizens. Southern
brain and Drawn has discovered and
developed it. 1t is the prettiest,
happiest, healthiest spot on earth;
and the only place where a public
speaker may look large audience
in the face and call them all Ameri-
cans. 1t is proud of its history,
loyal to the government of which it
is part is and has been for thirty
years; ever since its idol and premier
statesman, jeff Davis, told it to be;
and it is not it's fault that some 9TH
er folks-narrow, ignorant and
bigoted-are just finding it out.
And it is about time that those peo-
Pile who want something new, were
emigrating. The South will never
satisfy them. 1t will grow older
and older, and more and more fond
of its memories. 1t is just simply
built that way, and can't help it and
don't want to help it.
And that is why they feel almost
insulted that anybody should want
to care for the graves of their heroes
for them, or minister to the needs of
their needy comrades. Where is
the man in the South who would
give to stranger the exclusive
right to plant flowers on the grave
of one he loved? Who is he who
; would turn out to the cold charity of
others, his own brother in distre ss?
He is not of the South. And if Nc
Kinley had known better the proud
and loyal nature of the people, he
would never have made them so cold
calculating and mercenary bid for
: their votes.
But his visit has done this. 1t has
reminded the South that it was not
caring for it's own as it should
Many Confederate veterans were
suffering in silence. restitution and
privation in their old age. They
have become too old to work anC
are too proud to beg, and were
suffering in many instances the
pitlless pinch Of hunger, silently
, and alone. But their friends have
, been awakened to their necessities
! now, and their days offurther priva
ton will be few. Homes are open
ing up to them, and pensions from
their States are coming to help them
t Texas annually appropriates $250,0OC
: in pensions for its manned and dis
abled Confederate soldiers; Georgii
1000; Virginia $4,000, Alabama
and North Carolina 100000 each
Tennessee has heretofore appropri
S ated only $4,000 for this noble
n charity, but bill will be presented
to this legislature asking to increase
~ that amount to 100000, and certain
ly it should pass and will pass; TO
: it should be remembered that Ten
e nessee furnished to the Confedergt
9 army ll3O00 soldiers. or more thar
q one-sixth of the entire Confederate
army. The survivors of these, VIII,
need assistance, should have wha
> they need.
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