The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-09-25
SOME EXPLANATIONS AND
ARGUMENTS.

land oregonian on the subject of Con-
federate Homes and incidentally touch
ing some other matters. The Oregonian
Is one Of the great papers OF the North
west, and Is one OF the fairest and most
conservative Republican papers in the
Union. For these reasons its opinions
are worth reading, but there are two or
three points in the present article that
we think should be discussed a little.
The general tone OF the editorial is ex-
cellent, but 1t IL not altogether fair in
some particulars.
In one paragraph the article says the
Southern States "are prosperous enough
today to provide asylums for those old
soldiers who are disabled by wounds and
disease" and adds: But the Southern
people do not like to pay decent tax
for the education of their children. white
and black. and such q people are not
disposed to make q generous appropria-
ton for the hundreds Of ex-Confederates
who are spending their old age in pow
erty with the prospect of a pauper's
grave"
So far as Alabama 10 concerned this
statement Is unjust and inaccurate. We
admit that our State is now suficiently
prosperous to provide Confederate
home and to keep it up. or provide the
major portion Of the funds necessary for
that purpose. That, we think. will sure
~ be done. and we need not discuss It
now, as the matter is going to be fully
discussed before the Legislature meets,
and such representations will be made to
that body as will convince 1t that aid to
needy confederates is a duty which the
State owes them and which cannot be
honorably postponed any longer.
What The Oregonian has to say about
the schools Of Alabama is peculiarly I'M
fair, rs well as inaccurate. A few fig
ures from the Auditors report. showing
receipts and disbursements for the fiscal
year ending September 80. 1901. will show
the injustice Of The Oregonian's charge
For that year the States receipts from
all sources were, s2,s424S5; paid out for
peA POSSSp SAtvoV,S@As
This, as will be seen. shows that q
trihe over "a 1-2 per cent of the total
receipts OF the State for that year went
for educational purposes. Does the State
Of Oregon do any better than this? The
figures for the present fiscal year are not
yet available. but there will not be
great difference in the proportional
And, as our contemporary
children, white and black"
1t is but fair to say that while these ed
tween the races according to numbers,
practically all the money was paid in as
taxes by the white race. We hope soon
to get. at least approximately. the
amount of money paid by the white and
the black races and the amount expend-
ed for the education OF the two races.
If The Oregonian should meet this ar
gument by saying that Alabama should
raise more money by taxation the reply
would be that the white people Of this
State are paying Just about ss much in
taxes as they can afford 70 do. or should
be required to do. Ene time may come
when the state will be able to expend
much more money for educational pur-
poses than is done at present, and when
that time comes no one will rejoice more
than The Advertiser.
Now, a few words about the relief Of
Confederate soldiers and their widows.
The State last year paid, out $251. 439 for
pensions and expenses connected with
amount. and when II Is divided among
the many claimants 1t is but pittance
for each, and that 1t is no more is cause
Of sorrow to every true Albanian. Then.
too. as in all pension matters, it is pos
sible that some are drawing who are not
really needy or deserving, but this seems
unavoidable. And in this connection we
think 1t but fair to remind The Oregon
ian that the people Of Alabama, Confed-
crate veterans as we'll as others. are pay
ing their full share Of that $139, 600 OOC
which goes to Union soldiers in the way
Of pensions. II all the money paid for
pension purposes by Alabamians went to
her own Confederate veterans there
would be no lack Of relief for them. This
by the way. 1t is not exactly part OF
the argument but we want The Oregon
ian to look at all features OF the case.
But we are fully in agreement with the
sentiment it matters not from what
source u proceeds, which demands that
Alabama should provide home for those
old veterans who have reached a point
where they cannot, and should not, do
anything but rest. Many OF them are
old. practically helpless. and with no one
to do for them what they are each year
less able to do for themselves. The de-
crepitude OF age. OF sickness and of
wounds walks hand in hand with power
ty and want. The State can provide a
Home for them. 1t ought to do it and it
must do it. No plea Of high taxation,
financial inability or anything else must
continue to prevent the State doing its
duty to those whose gray uniform was a
badge of honor acknowledged and recog-
nized by the civilized world.
The Advertiser does not want to be
misunderstood as to its attitude towards
the offer made by Judge Torrance. We
understand. approve and endorse the
spirit of independence which leads any
OF our Southern people to object to as
sistance from the veterans Of the Union
inik