The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-18
SIDNEY HERBERT'S LETTER.
TWO LETTERS WHICH CALL FOR
ANSWERS.

ANS +" AAANSs
DoDsions Paid to Those Well Able
90 Take Care of Tn smseIves-The
LAST officer who Resigned From
,be old Army to Take Service in
+be confederate Army-These Are
Ttmes when Remarks Made by
ARMY and Navy Officers Are Not
PubIic Property-Perry's Gallant
Announcement-Rem ON the
Ease with Which People Are
uumbugSed-FnmOu Hymns and
What Inspired Them.
pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla,
Aug. 1.-THE next printer who makes
mo call myself "a battle scared SOL
dior" will be in danger of a drum
head court martial. While be-
Iieve that opportunity. with proper
Qualifications" develops heroes. 1 do
not think opportunity, with gratifica-
TONS" can accomplish that object. And
this reminds me of Judge j. w. H.
Underwood and his plain spoken faith
or. John was very ambitious as
young man and high-strung in his ma
turer years. During one of Johns
over ambitious spells his father gave
him letter of Recommendation to use
in an effort to secure a place. This
will introduce to you," it read, my
son, John, who has greater aspirations
and fewer qualifications than any
young man 1 know" Poor John! he
was too crest-falen to appreciate his
fathers shy reprimand. But 1 never
knew a more genial, companionable
man than Judge Underwood in later
years.
have two letters of inquiry that l
am unable to answer this week, as l
am quite feeble from a ten days ILL
ness. One is from Alachua, Fla, and
the other is from Brunswick, Ga, and
both refer to the war record of the
writer's fathers. 1 will answer the in
quiries in my next letter.
There is one important plank in Col.
J. H. Estills concise and dignified
platform worthy of the special atten-
ton of taxpayers in Georgia. He says
he favors liberal pensions to INDECENT
soldiers and widows, but to no others.
A great deal has been said about pen
sion frauds and extravaganza in Wash
ington, but the same evil already exists
in Georgia, and the taxpayers are
threatened with a still heavier pension
burden. 1t is not denied that pensions
are now paid to veterans and to wild
Ows who are we'll able to support them
selves. All such should be stricken
from the rolls and only the dependent
ones aided by the states Col Estill is
an old battle-scarred Confederate and
no trlCfpd do full inSfipa f0
every deserving pensioner.
The death of the venerable and he
roic Brig. Gen. Richard l.. Page, C. S.
A. and commander, G. S. N, removes
the sole survivor of the naval officers
who resigned from the u. S. N, to en-
ter the Confederate navy, and were
given high rank in both the army and
navy. Admiral Semmes and Command
er Page, 1 think, were the only ones
commissioned brigadier generals. The
latter lived to be "a years old, while
the former died in Mobile, Ala, many
years ago. Gen. Page did splendid ser
vice in the coast defenses of the Con-
federacy. The death of my
highly esteemed friend, Gen. G.. Monkey
Sorrel, c. S. A, pains me deeply. He
was one in whom the Officer and gen.
teman" were beautifully blended, and
his whole life stands out clear and
strong. 1t takes all kinds of men to
make world; but, alas! the smallest
proportion comes up to his high stand
ard of living. Always the gentleman,
he was beloved and honored in all cir
cles where he was known. Lawton,
Gllmer, Jackson, McLaws. Barlow.
Bowen, Harrison, Willis, all passed
over the river, and now Sorrel joins
them.
I regret to see that my handsome
and talented young friend, Chaplain
Harry w. Jones, u. S. N, has been
guilty of making public the remarks
OF British naval officer who was
guest on board the United States war
snip to which Chaplain Jones was then
attached. Remarks thus made by
army and navy officers are not consid-
cred public property, and in this case
the statements made by this British
omcer. if given to the public at this
tlme. might have caused international
troubles. 1t appears from pri-
Vate letters and newspaper reports
mat the veterans in the Georgia Con-
ieuerate Soldiers Home are no longer
IN clover, all over" but have been put
on common pasturage. They complain
OF lack of medical attention and nurs-
ing, poorer food and the absence of
uelcacies for the sick. One veteran
writes to Augusta that he is going back
nome as soon as he can get the money
ana reports that several others have
already gone back to their homes.
expected the usual troubles, but, as
Jack Adams once said, mot so SOON"
mere will always be some friction in
any soldiers home.
Admiral Sampson in the telegram
announcing the destruction of Ceveras
spanish fleet, evidently did not have
N mind the noble action of Commodore
~ IL. Perry, in announcing his Lake
Erie victory. Perry did not say 81
nave met the enemy and they are
nine All! No! He remembered the
oHlcers and men who made his glori-
GUS victory possible, and his message
iead thus modestly: I'VE have met
Ihe enemy and they are ours" .
see that gallant "Old Joe" Wheeler is
pranclng around like a gay young cav
amer in the "swell set" at the only one
newport of the world. Many social
nQhors have been paid the old hero,
Mho deserves the best the country can
give him. With the Astors he is in
GOOD company, for they have been
urave soldiers and liberal patriots in
more than one war. Col. John ]. AS
.or, U. 5. ", in Spanish American
var, as well as Brevet Brigadier John
d. Astor of the Civil War, won his
battle. =
II is SfTanUn haf l.