The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-06-05
AZ APPEAL 10 ALABAMA.

the Confederate Veterans of Aiabama-a
movement too long delayed. possibly. but
none the less necessary and praise
worthy. Instead of columns we might
have flied pages of The Advertiser had
we written all that can be said about
| II and for 1t. for 1t is work which 10
and should be dear to the hearts Of all
Alabamians-
1t was through the liberaiity of Colonel
IL. NJ. Falkner. and through the efforts
Of the veterans composing Camp Falkner
that the work assumed definite shape.
But It was not alone by the donation OF
the land that Colonel Falkner has shown
how devoted he Is to this movement.
From the very inception of the move
ment his heart and soul and time have
been in the work. Amid all the cares
and labors of exacting professional duties
he has found time to write and to speak
and to travel in the interests of the
Home. HIS interest and energy and en-
thusiasm have never tagged and never
will until complete success Is assured.
unless he shall be called to join the
veterans who have already passed away.
With him as the leading spirit. and with
the additional help and untiring efforts
Of the other members OF Camp Faikner
the attempt must succeed.
1t win succeed. The work which has
been done. the houses built, the improve
ment of the grounds. the veterans already
:, ell fhof ho mr. m
has passed beyond the experimental
stage. 1t will succeed. not only because
the veterans and others are behind the
movement, but because the glorious wo-
men Of Alabama are enlisted in 1t. The
gray-haired women whose hearts were
In the lost cause. and whose sublime for
titude and answering devotion nerved
the armies and strengthened the hearts
and the courage of the soldiers are giving
their aid as they have ever done when
anything was to be accomplished for the
Confederacy or for those who made it.
The daughters of veterans whose child
ish recollections tell dimiy of graycoated
soldiers, of wounded or dead heroes. and
of days of gloomy waiting. are working
| for it, and after them the grand-daught-
ers. who know nothing of the war except
| from books and traditions-they. too. are
devoting their young lives. their youth
full enthusiasm and the patriotism which
is part of their inheritance to the plan
which will make comfortable the last
days of those who are no longer able to
| fight the never-ceasing struggle OF exist
ence.
But It is not alone to Colonel Falkner
and to Camp Falkner that this work APP
Ipeals, nor must they be left to carry all Its
burdens. In every nook and corner of
Alabama there are men whose hair and
boards have long since assumed the hue
Of the uniform they loved SO we'll and
| wore without stain. Some of them have
prospered, and are in condition to help
those who have been less fortunate. As
4 they stood by and sustained their COM
rades in the hour of battle so should they
stand by and sustain those who are now
called on to fight a more implacable and
persistent foe than were the Federals
with whom they commended on so many
glorious fields. Some of our comrades
find themselves in their last days face
to face with disease and unrelentine
poverty. Some of them are manned and
disabled and can no longer maintain
themselves. They have yet the pride
which made them the finest soldiers the
world ever saw and that pride revolts at
the poor-house or beggary. At the Home
they will have no cause to feel humiliat-
ed or dependent They will be at home
prepared and sustained, by their more
fortunate brethren. and their needs APP
peal directly to the sympathies Of their
comrades who have the means to help
| them.
In most of the counties and cities and
towns of Alabama there are camps Of
Confederate Veterans, constituted and
kept together for the purpose of keeping
in touch with each other and of assist
ing each other. Now they have an op-
portunity offered them to show their love
for their comrades and their devotion to
the cause for which all suffered. Each
camp can make some regular contribu-
| ton for the good of all, for each camp
will have numbers who will need the
comfort and the safety of the home.
But this is not yet all. After individuals
and organizations have done all that Is
| in their power the State of Alabama
must come to their assistance. The next
Legislature will be asked for an appro-
priation for the maintenance of the
Home BY that time the Home itself
| will be an established fact. The houses
will be there to show what has been
done, and there will be inmates as an
evidence of the good faith of those who
are carrying on the work. There can
be no reason given why the State should
not make an annual appropriation to the
Home. We will go further and say that
any member of the Legislature who will
oppose such an appropriation will be
\ unworthy and understanding the support
| in future of any Confederate or of the
friend of any Confederate. But we do
not believe there will be opposition to a
a reasonable appropriation 1t is mat
ter which will appeal to the hearts and
the Judgment of the old Confederates and
their descendants. And, besides, every
member can call to mind some old veteran
| in his own county who Is in need of Just
such a refuge, and this will form an ad-
ditional reason for acting at once. The