The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-27
PENSIONS FOR TEACHERS

III We \ have received the following com
munication: l
TO tho Editor of The Times Dispatch:
fh Sir,-I very much regret to see you
throw the weight Of your influence in
favor of the proposition to pension pub
lie school teachers.-I know Of school
where a wncanoyl occurred, and there were
seven applicants for the position, All
were ladies'. and equally qualified to
teach. OF course, only one secured the
situation The other six have had to
seek other employment, Now, submit
Is 1t right to tax these six to take care
of the favored one who got a place want
ed by all? 81. W. II. 81
Manassas. Va, March Is.
Our correspondent need not give herself
any concern on this score. Under this
proposed pension law, &the teacher who
secured this position will not be entitled
to receive pension Until she has been
In the service twenty-five years. and
even then she must show that she has
been faithful to her duties; that she is
moro than slxtyryears OF age, and that
she is not able to take care OF herself.
Twenty-Five years hence the ladies who
failed to get the place Will surely not
grumble II their old and decrepit rival
secures q pension ot 5000 a year from the
State. Their contribution to the fund
would at most be but$a few cents, and
not enough to cause any hardship
The Appomattox apple tree fades and
!wlthers from time to time, but never dies.
| It Is q perennial, Here 1t Is blooming out
again, An old soldier presented to the
University OF Georgia a piece of wood
which he said came from the tree be-
i meath which Lee surrendered to Grant.
s&eting that "he was present at the time
the tree was cut down and took portion
OF 1t to preserve as a relIc,''
i Tho Dean OF tho Faculty. believing
that there must have been something
upon WHICH was based tho widespread
belief that tho surrender took place I'M
dor an apple tree, wrote TO General Cor
don on the subject, Hs stated that he
was familiar with the history OF what
occurred In the Mclean house, and knew
that the articles OF surrender were
signed there. but he wanted to know how
the apple tree came into tho story, To
his letter General Gordon replied as
follows:
Mr.. Sylyanus Morris, Athens, Ca:
Dear Professor.--Yours received. Boil
General I.ongstreet and myself were
present In the room when tho formal sur
render took place ut Appomattox, ms waa
also Colonel Marshall. Tho account.
therefore. which states that only Col
onel Marshall was present iy incorrect
The apple tree incident Ia Il romance. Nc
surrender took place, except In tho room
OF tho MaI-edn house. Tho only connec-
ton OF tiss surrender with the apple tree
Is the fact that General Leo and General
Grant met there for n few moments and
agreed upon the place for formal meet
ina, Probably tho most appropriate In
acrlption you could place on the piece oil
wood would be- 10 tho effect that " was
taken from the nppa tree near which
Generals Leo and Grant met prior to tht
surrender. With best wishes. am. sin
csrely yours, u Il. GORDON.
4 Observation-Disclosures
New York ~ desperately determined t.
hold ON to her grain trade II possible
A bill has passed ono branch Of the LEG,
islaturs looking to the enlargement OF
tho Erie and Champlain canals SO tina,
l0Oo-ton barges may pass through them
Then such y barge, With wheat In bulk
may DO loaded at Chicago and need mol