The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-07
Pension Commissioner Explains.
Editor Thc Manning Times:

Editor The Manning Times:
In your issue OF THE MANNING
TINES Of May y l note in your local
columns there is considerable dissatis-
faction in this county with the distribu-
tion Of the pension funds and the blame
is put on the county pension board.
Nou further add: "a man came into
your office a few days ago inquirlng OF
YOU if there was no remedy for the I'M
just discrimination; he says men have
been known TO shift their property over
to their children in order to get on the
pension roll, and in one instant OF bis
own knowledge lraa almost totally
blind and wholly unable to work IS not
put on the class he is entitled to be
placed in, but that a near relative. :a
member of the board. is in the highest
class, drawing S97. He charges favor
itism."
In reply as pension commissioner and
in behalf of the board, [ respectfully
submit the following:
AS to considerable dissatisfaction IN
the county in the distribution of the
pension fund and from the various
presses of the State this is general over
the State and very naturally so with
the veteran that cannot come within
the rule of the pension law OF the State.
nevertheless they may have been
amongst the bravest and best OF Lee
and Johpson's historic armies: and
again this dissatisfaction is brought on
by outsiders and perhaps by other de-
signing motives.
You Will recall that the State appro-
pria.ion is directed TO those who can
subscribe to Class \. 3, G, No. l. ,. ,
and I. The county board is composed
of four old soldiers who are not on the
pension roll and Sturgeon.
The county pension commission IS dl-
rected to be at the county auditors Of
fee each Saturday in the month of jan
uary in behalf OF any new applications,
transfers or otherwise.
In February the board meet and pass
on these new returns. transfers and any
other matters connected with the dis
tribution Of the pension fund. Our
surgeon, one of the best in this State,
passes first on the physical disability OF
the pensioner in Class a and 3 and the
board collectively and gladly approves
any application approved by him.
The working OF the pension board is
public and appreciates any information
leading up to Il just and equitable dis
tribution of pensions, especially those
who shift their property to their chill
dren to get on the pension roll. This
charge may be made casually outside,
but never reaches the ear of the board
of pension commissioners so they may
have the opportunity to bring on an in
vestigation, which the board would GER
tainly do promptly, but so far no one
specifies and the board is left without
this assistance IN reaching the aim de-
sired.
Now as to the man" you say came
into your Office charging Favoritism.
do not know who he is, but I suppose
l will have to answer this grave and
unkind thrust from the dark. He
charges he knows a man almost totally
blind and wholly unable to work and is
not put in the class he is entitled to be
in, but that near relative of mem
Der of the county board is in the high
est class, drawing S97. In reply l would
place in defence OF the board the issue
of THE MANNING TINES which con.
tains the list of pensioners of this
county, sent out by the State board for
publication On that list appears the
name of T. \. Bradham, Class A. and
the only name in Class A Comrades
Hilton and Beatson having diedl and on
the same list is found the name of Jo-
seph w. Stukes, transferred and ap-
proved by the county board to Class y
and disapproved by the State board as
not totally blind. This is the only name
came to be transferred to a higher class
this year before the county board.
1 will here state our surgeon and the
entire board cheerfully approved Jo-
seph ". Stukes' application for trans
fer to Class A, but the State board dis
approved and left our friend on Class
c, No. ?, where we have been doing the
best possible for him and exceedingly
regret the State board differs with us.
but the county board is not to blame
for it. l know Bradham and StukeS to
be worthy of any kindness this State
can render them in their physical dis
tress [blindness) and both being of my
old command naturally recalls scenes
Of daring and suffering, vivid as the
lightning On stormy night.
I suppose it is unnecessary for me to
state that T. A. Bradham is not rela-
tive to any member of our board, as
Capt. D. J. Bradham left it last year.
Mr.. Editor, the pension board of this
State realizes the fact that some who
stood nearest to the flashing of the guns
and carried the starry cross to so many
victories will be unable to draw a pen
sion as long as the present pension roles
prevail, being unable to subscribe to
the rule, as the appropriation is to
grades of physical and financial dis
abilities, and that this apportionment
may be equitably made the board solic-
it's any information to that end as they
do not desire to make any mistake or
be unjust, but be fair to all during their
term of service.
1t has been charged by the various
State papers, amongst them the Man
ming Farmer, that the State board had
returned the pension blanks to every
county of the State to be corrected, as
they had been improperly filed out,
which caused the delay of the distribu
ton of the pension funds Miss Kate
N1aher. the clerk of the State board,
will make this statement. that not one
blank was ever returned to Clarendon
county for correction during my ad-
ministration as commissioner.
Respectfully,
a. J. RICHBOURG,
Pension Commissioner.