The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-08
.IunGp W,ALLAcE ON PENSIONS.


Judge A. w. Wallace, Of FredeTicks-
burg, contributes an article to the Fsee
Lance on the subject Of pensions Tor
confcder soldiers which Is worthy OIL
the thoughtful attention Of the members
Of the Constitutional Convention and the
Legislatures The Free Lance says that
Judge Wallace is one OF the few Conieo-
crate soldiers who served through the
war as a private and is willing to ac-
knowledge it; that he received his d.
pioula ut Appomattox, where he sur
rendered with the beloved Confederate
cfiieftain, r. E. Lee, and his defeated
army
1t is not necessary to say that man
with such record has the very kind
est regard for the disabled Confederate
veteran. and has his true interest ut
heart. Therefore, what Judge Wallace saSs
is all the more important. He thinks ina
the matter should be definitely sett!2d
by q provision in the Constitution Of the
state. and suggests the adoption Of the
following ordinance:
No OTTER or greater amount OF tax or
revenue shall at any time be levied than
may be required for the necessary e*-
pepses of the Government or to pay tue
existing Indebtedness of the State. pro-
yided that for the payment of all per
sons entitled by law to pensions by rea-
son of service in the Confederate army
or navy the several counties and cities
shall levy a tax in lieu of all taxes Tor
that purpose on the real and personal
estate Of such county and city OF not
more than five cents on the one hundred
dollars OF values. and the Legislature
shall enact suitable legislation TO carr!
this proviso into effect
AS will be readily inferred from TINS
Judge Wallace believes. as The Times
believes, that the destitute Confederate
veterans should be provided for by local
taxation, that eacn city and county
should take care Of Its own pensioners
He thinks that there Is not a county or
CITY in the State OF Virginia in which the
people are unwilling that small tax De
levied on TIE real and personal property
of the community to provide all neces-
eary comforts for deserving, but dese-
tute, Confederate soldiers residing wlthia
the limits OF such county or city. 1t
may. be objected" says he, that under
this scheme some counties, possibly poor
er counties, might have the care of more
deserving veterans in number than 9TH
er counties moro wealthy and that 1t
would be unjust to compel SUCH poorer
counties to levy larger taxes. az
'eThe answer to this objection he goes
on. sis two fold First: that with few
exceptions these soldiers were originally
natives of the counties where they now
reside, and are not now, with few eN-
ceptions. IN need by reason of service in
the common cause, but by reason of old
age and infirmity. and therefore the OBJ
LEGATION is on the community where they
reside to care for them. and, sec
ondly, although only nly individual opin-
ion. the people CT eaci county want this
matter settled and are willing to take
cars of the needy soldiers residing within
each county; and as mere matter OF
popularity the man or men who perE;a-
nently settle this question satisfactorily
Will meet with the commentator OF the
people. The convention, not the Leg1s-
lature, in my judgment should do the
work and this settlement should be
mart of the Constitution An amendment
tn the tenth article twentieth section OF
the present Constitution would. think,
accomplish the result suggested If the
zane was amended so as to read as fol-
ows:
The old Democrats principle of local
self-government should always be ap-
piled when it is practicable. 1t Is
good thing for each and every community
10 take care of its own local affairs, ana
II the responsibility of caring for desti-
u,te confederates should be imposed
upon each and every locality, be sure
che taxpayers of Virginia would meet it
like generous men, and be sure, also,
that only the deserving would receive
pensions Tho local authorities would
see to it that the claims Of the deserv-
ing and needy were met, and that the
claims of the undeserviag pension grab
hers were not cashed in. 1t cannot be a
grievous burden upon any city or coun-
ty in Virginia. to provide for those true
Confederates who are now without the
eomforts of life, and, 1t seems to US that
The true solution OF the problem is TO
make our pension system a purely local
affair.
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ANEW ERA in FARMING.
The Rockbridge County News OF jan
uary &c has a strikip s artielear pm Changes
on Farms" Our contemporary starts OUT