The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-10-23
THE STATES PENSIONERS.
Annual Pension Report Full Of In.
teresting Facts and Sugges-
tions.

Comptroller General ,Derham has
Just issued his annual Pension Report
to the General Assembly for the year
1901. The report is quite an elaborate
piece of work and shows the number
of pensioners in South Carolina on the
roll by counties ana classes.
Columbia, Sept. IA.
To the Honorable General Assembly:
i submit herewith the annual pen
sion report of this Office for the year
1901.
Under the Act of the General As
sembly 1900, the State board prepared
blank applications for the applicants,
and rules for the guidance OF the
County pension boards. For the In
formation of members of the county
boards in the State and others to
whom this report will be sent, / have
included the pension law and rules.
The Board, under the terms Of the
Act, ruled that Confederate soldier
or sailor, totally disabled by paralysis
and the cause Of paralysis could not
be traced to such service. They also
construed the law that a soldier or
sailor, totally disabled by paralysis,
was entitled to a GLASS;, a pension,
notwi ithstandin the fact that he re-
ceived no wound or bodily injuries IN
services, and the cause of paralysis
could not be traced to such service.
They also construed the law that
soldier who lost a limb in the ser
vice of the State or Confederate
States, and is. now a wreck physically,
could not be placed in Glass A, but
was entitled to Class B, there being
nothing to show that his physical con-
dition was the result Of injuries re-
seeived IN service.
In some instances applicants were
blind, but where there was nothing to
show that their loss of sight was the
result of wounds or injuries received
in service, they we're not placed in
Class A.
It seems that under this law the un-
fortunate Confederate soldier who is
totally paralyzed is favored above an
other unfortunate soldier who is totally
disabled, and yet unable to show that
his disability arises from injuries re-
ceiyed in the service of the State.
Whatever was the individual opinion
Of the members composing the State
Pension Board, they endeayored in
very instance to be governed by the
law and evidence before them.
In this connection ISdesire to call at
tention to the condition liable to exist
in this State at an early date. The
establishment Of a soldiers home by
the State may require for each inmate
of this home an annual expenditure Of
500. The inmate may be worthy,
decrepit soldier who did not receive
bodily injuries In the services of his
State. On the other hand, the State
will expend SIG. so for the soldier who
lost his leg and has been for 36 or more
years a cripple, and today is prac-
tically bed-ridden, who remains at
home to be cared for by an aged and
devoted wife, or friends. I believe
that the soldier in his home county,
with equal disabilities, is entitled to
the same consideration as the soldier
who is an occupant of the home at
the capital of the State.
T have no objection to make to the
soldiers home. I merely call atten-
tion to these facts, with the hope that
when an Act is passed creating a sol
diers' home, it will be so safeguarded
that the small sum that the State Of
South Carolina is able to spend for her
veterans will not be taken from the
needy pensioners and spent where at
best only few can enjoy it.
At this time some very old and de-
crepit soldiers in this State who re-
ceiYed no Injuries in the army, get
only s14. 10, and from the standpoint
OF equity and justice, to take one of
these men. place him in a soldiers
home and spend $1,000 annually on
him, and leave another at his home
and give him only s14. 10, savors Of in
equality, to say the least of it.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR PENSIONS
There was doubt as to whether
sl0O, COO 90 or $50, 0O0.00 was appro-
priated at the last session Of the
General Assembly for pensions.
After consultation with the other
members of the State Pension Board.
/ addressed a letter to the Attorney
General. setting forth the facts and
asking that he give an opinion as to
the amount of the appropriation. Be
fore he answered this communication,
the State Treasurer expressed himself
as unwilling to honor my warrants for
the $3.50, 600 90 on account of pensions,
even if the Attorney General was Of
opinion that ] should draw warrants
for that amount. The Attorney Gene
raj under these circumstances declined
to give the opinion, and suggested
mandamus proceedings to settle the
question. 1t was argued before the
Supreme Court, which decided that
500. .00G was the amount appropriated
for 1901. I proceeded to disburse the
pension fund in accordance with that
decision and issued warrants on the
basis of 800, 000.00.
PENSION RECORDS.
I have endeavored to make this re-
port full by giving the names Of each
applicant, with postofice address, the
company and regiment in which he
served in the case of the soldier, and