The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-06-15

IN MISSISSIPPI
ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ALL
SECTIONS.
AN EPlTOME OF THE NEWS
Culled From the Important Happen
ings Throughout the State During
the Past Week and Reviewed in
Brief.
Beauvoir Matters.

The celebration at the Beauvoir|
Soldiers Home on June 3rd, Jeffer-
son Davis birthday was a most sue
cessful and enjoyable affair. There
were about one thousand people pres
ant and they all enjoyed fine basket
picnic, the edibles largely being fur
nished by the local U. n. C. chapters.
| Crosses of honor were distributed to
fifteen Of the veterans, the presenta-
ton speeches being made by United
States Senator, H. D. Money. The
Ocean Springs Brass Band furnished
snlendid music for the occasion, Dixie
being one Of the most prominent and
most enjoyed selections. State Audi
tor I. M. Henry delivered the grafton
being the spokesman for the board
of directors Of the institution. He
highly eulogized Mr.. Davis and his
followers of the Lost Cause and went
into detail relative to the board 5
management of the Home The fol-
lowing extracts are made from his
speech, In that respect, which will
prove Of interest to all Mississippi
ans.
He said: "Since the opening Of the
Home there have been admitted 78
veterans, six wives and one widow,
making a total Of So. The average
age Of the veterans is Il and frac-
ton. The average age Of the ladies
is not given, as [ am expected to come
here every month, but in justice to
them desire to say that l think it
would be much less.
Measured by the history Of other
similar institutions in the south, and
I have the record Of them all, this is
a good start, and yet those most IA
miliar with the work appreciate the
fact that only beginning has been
made, and that the next twelve or
fifteen years will witness the period
Of the Homes greatest usefulness.
"While the board Of directors have
been unable, owing largely to the re-
strictions in the appropriations, to
accomplish all they desired there
being much yet to be done they
feel that good start has been made,
! the foundation laid, the great neces
sity for the Home clearly shown and
that succeeding legislatures will, on
| these accounts make ample provisions
for the Home.
| 81 feel confident that the iegisla-
ture would have established Con-
federate Sol1isrs' Home long before
i! did, had it been impressed with
the necessity therefor.
"Neither the directors nor the leg
islature fully realized that the Home
would be filed so soon, or am con-
fident that ample provision would
have been made for the necessary ex-
pansion.
! 'And now, just a few words ex-
planatory Of our appropriation. The
appropriation for 1904 amounted to
$4,000; that of 1905 to $12,5O0 The
bill, however, provides that not more
than $3.50 per month shall be ex-
pended on each inmate, for all pur-
poses, leaving practically only main
tenance fund, out Of which we have
H had to meet all kinds Of expenses.
"Under that restriction the board
could only use $5,7OS.78 of the 1904
appropriation, being compelled to
leave $4,291.22 in the state treasury.
The appropriation for 1905 is $12,-
500, but with the same restrictions.
Of the appropriation for the five
months Of this year, with May dis
bursements estimated, we have only
used $3,6O820.
i "The bill provides that the direc-
tors shall be paid actual expenses on
official visits to the Home, but not
one cent has ever been drawn by any
Of them. They did not feel that the
fund would even stand that small ex-
ira expense without depriving the
Home Of things essential to its well
/ fare and comfort. Every director
who has attended the meetings has
paid his own bills, and they all feel
that the money could not have been
used in better cause.
| "This statement is made, because
there has been some misapprehension
about the matter.
! every Mississippian should feel
pride and deep interest in this in
stitution. True, we were little late
starting out but we can amend this,
!! by making up for lost time.