Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-29
THE CONFEDERATE VETERAN
Nynchburg News.)

"A friend who attended the Confed
crate reunion at Louisville, remarked
TO us the other day, that he never saw
q inner looking body of men than IN,
$4,000 Confederate soldiers assembled
on that occasion. They were men of
imposing presence. and dignified de-
meanor. giving evidence by their per-
Sonal appearance of success in their
business pursuits. Ample provision
had been made for the entertainment
OF any impecunious veteran, who
might need assistance. yet out of the
whole number of $4,000 not more than
forty availed themselves of the pro-
vision made for their comfort. All the
oehers were able to take care of them
serves and pay their own expenses.
This single statement speaks vol
umes for the manliness and self-re-
lance of the Confederate soldiers.
Perhaps no army in the history OF the
world was ever composed of better
materials than that which maintained
the confederate cause for four long
years against overwhelming odds. At
the close Of hostilitfes they found
themselves financially ruined and
Obliged to begin life anew with little
more than the indestructible soil for
Whlch they had fought and the same
indomitable energy they had display
ed III the conduct of the war; but un :
diSmayed by adverse circumstances
they went to work with a will to re-
pair their broken fortunes. Gloriously
-haIa-tha4-- SiiGGeedaaa Many HERR
are now in the full enjoyment of a
competency earned by their own un-
aided efforts, and not a few have ac-
cumulated handsome fortunes.
What contrast do they present to
the Union veterans, who are now bask-
ing in the sunshine of government ia
Vor! No paternal government came to
the relief of the Confederate soldiers
with liberal pensions. They were
thrown entirely on their own resources
ana fought their way upward, handi-
capped by unfriendly legislation dur
ing the dark days of reconstruction
Yet in face of all these adverse cir
cumstances, they persavered with I'M
shaken courage and constancy and
proved themselves no less worthy OF
admiration in time of peace than they
had shown themselves on the field OF
battle. The Union veterans, on the
contrary, were relieved of the neccs-
sity of providing for their own sub
sistencc and learned to rely on the
bounty of paternal government
which now dispenses annually in pen
sions $l40,0 900.
OF course. every government ought
to take care of the soldiers manned
or disabled in the defense of the coun-
try, but it may be questioned whether
the eXtravagant pension policy of the
United States Government has not
tended to demoralize the people by ac-
customing SO many thousands to rely
on the government for a livelihood
and by encouraging corruption and
stimulating the activity OF pension
agents in pressing fraudulent claims.
There are many cases of hardship in
the ranks of the men who wore the
gray. but as n whole the Confederate
survivors furnish the world to-day the
spectacle of noble men who have risen
above adverse circumstances and
achieved success by their own in
herent merit In them manliness and
self-reiiance have been stimulated and
encouraged by the very obstacles they
were called TO encounter.