The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-23
MORE ATTENTION
 ID PENSION FUND Governor Will Soon Appoint
 the New Boards ONLY NEEDY TO BE AIDED Some Counties, It Is Thought, Have Received More Than Their Share,
 and Officials Will Try to
 Guard Against This.
ONLY NEEDY TO BE AIDED

Montgomery, April Especial. )-The cause of the needy Confederate veterans and widows of veterans who are needy Is going to receive this year more care full and intense attention than has ever been the case, possibly Within the next few days the Governor will have to ap- point the state and county boards and it is very necessary that good men get out and apply for the office so that he can make selections early and have the whole questions thrashed out before time 10 make the selections of those entitled to aid. The state board is composed at this time of J. N. Thompson of Tuscum- bia, president; P. B. Mastin, Montgomery, and Dr. J. M. Horn, Luverne. They have been hard workers all the year to get the lists cleared up and hope to have them contain. if such thing De possible. only the names of those actually needy and legitlmately entitled to the help of the state.
 For Love of Them.
 It does not seem to have fully dawned upon the people of the state as a whole that the old soldier pension is not gift of the state, but the voluntary donation of the citizens who desire to help those who have fought and suffered for the commonwealth and are not now able to take care of themselves or the widows of such. The men who are appointed in the counties to look after the selection of the needy ought not to look at the positions as given for the sake of re- mnneraton but as one of honor. in which they are permitted to help in the distri- button of the monoy that a grateful peo- pie are happy to give to those who deserve 1t, but rebel against having it turned over to those who do not need it. The county examiner who simply goes out to get the small fee attached to the examina- tions is not worthy of the honor that has been bestowed upon him. It is not the purpose of the law to compensate him, simply to pay his expenses while he is doing this honorable service.
 Padding Feared.
 With this idea in view the Governor is very anxious to have men who can give time and attention to the work apply and let him fill the vacancies prior to the time when they are needed to get to work. It is shown by the auditors re- port that under the old practices there has been padding and that a number of counties have much more to their share than they deserve.
 He would impress it upon all that every person who secures a pension from the state does not actually need it is de- priving some poor fellow or widow of what the men who have given they money intended for him or her to have. It Is not enough that by a scratch so to speak, a person comes within the law governing the distribution; that person should need the help betore he accepts 1t. The money Is for those who need it, and if that rule were actually carried out the Gov ernor believes tl-at there would be large ly more money for those who are in dis tress
 A Commissioner.
 It Is contended that there should be a pension commissioner to look after these accounts and to travel all over the state and see that no man or woman gets on the rolls who is not entitled to the help. Several men around the capitol insist that the Governor should put a recom- mendation for such an official in his next message. In this way the rolls could be kept down to the lowest limit and give the money in hand a much wider influ ence in the betterment of the conditions of those who are the wards of the peo- pie of the state to this extent.
 And this same thing applies to every southern state. The survivors of the war who are needy are not in any sense
  of the state and it's people They are the men who went out and gave all they had of blood and service and privations and property and all. even to fife itself. for the country they loved and they are not to be held as charges on the commonwealth, but as men and women we delight to serve and honor.
 Money Available.
 The state gave to this cause last year sS31, ,5693O, the number of pensioners of the fourth class, the largest, being 14.595, of the third class 175 of the second class 1B. and of the first class 120. First class are those who are blind or have lost use of as many as two limbs and last year they received $43.50 each; second class those who have lost a leg above the knee or an arm above the elbow, $36l0' third class, those who have lost root or A hand or the use thereof, $2S.So. ana fourth class, those otherwise unable to make a living, or the widows or such who have never married, $2l.65.
 Suppose third of these are not really certified to the aid because they are able to heln themselves. and it is the general helief around the capitol that there are that many who ought not by strict read inc of the law be on, it will be seen that there would be $110.523 to be distributed amonq those who are needy, giving each ,,,on a third more than he now receives and going much further towards making ufe easy for him. It is hoped Dy every leader among the veterans that tnere VIII be change and that there may De waking up to the importance oL treat ,,g this matter in the light of pa- 4riotic nH dutv and not as graft for those who may be able to make few iees