The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-01
Sena tor BrOOn1e Answers
Ex-Governor Fleming

The following letter sofs Ex-Governor
F. p Fleming and answer thereto by
Senator ]. E. Broome, both of which
appeared in the Times-Union. are self
explanatory:
Florida Pension Law of 1907.
Editor Times nion.-I presume no
one will question my loyalty to the
interests of the Confederate veteran.
1 devote no inconsiderable part of
my time to promoting the welfare of
those who have found a srefuge in the
Confederate Home in this city 1t is
because | hold so sacred the honor OF
those survivors of the lost cause"
that | am impelled to comment upon
the pension law enacted by the legis-
lature which has just adjourned.
The first Confederate pension act
of the state of Florida was passed in
1885, providing a pension of So a
month, and was limited TO those I'M
fit to perform manual labor by reason
of wounds received in line of duty
and to whom such pension was nee
essary for support. This act was
amended, or new acts passed from
time to time, somewhat increasing the
amount and enlarging the class, final
ly extending to all those disabled
from any cause-but there was al
ways a property or income qualifica-
ton. In other words, it was the wis
dom of all legislatures, acting on the
pension law, except the last, to pro-
vide state aid only to those who, by
reason of physical disability and in
digency, stood in need of it. The last
legislature makes no such limitation,
but provides, besides those suffering
from disability, that all who are sixty
years of age shall be entitled to a
pension. The war ended forty-two
years ago, so that a person who was
eighteen years of age at that time
is now sixty years of age; it will,
therefore, readily appear that the
sixty year provision will take in near
ly all the Confederate veterans in the
state, and in four years will take in
practically all.
The act also provides for the levy
of state tax of four mills, which
under the present assessment, with
due allowance for. the usual insolvent
list, will yield sum of $500, 900 per
annum, an amount more than suf-
fcient a few years ago to have run
course, bears upon the poor widow
and other persons of small means, as
we'll as the wealthy. By what process
of reasoning the legislature came to
the conclusion that it was proper to
tax the people of the state to pay pen
sions to Confederate soldiers, without
regard to their property income or
ability to earn a living, is difficult to
understand. God has blessed me with
the means tof earning a. support for
myself and family, and l know Of
numbers of Confederate veterans who
are wealthy and many others who
make good livings. Why, ask in all
reason, should the tax payers, of the
state be required to pay four mill
tax to enable me, as we'll as others
who do not need it for support, to put
my hand in the public crib and draw
out 500 a year, on the sole ground
that l served in the Confederate army
performing nothing more than my
duty. 1t may be answered that
need not apply for pension. That
is true, but the legislature, which
gives me the legal right to the pension
can take no credit if 1 do not avail
myself of it. Undoubtedly many who
do not need it will avail themselves
of the law.
All Right for indigents.
l do not disfavor a pension to the
veteran who is INDECENT and whose
physical condition is such as to pre-
vent him from earning a living, but,
giving the legislature credit for the
best intentions, in my opinion this
pension law is wrong and tends to
bring Confederate veterans into dis
favor and to lower him from the high
standard which he should occupy. Let
us hope the next legislature will cor
rect this evil and eliminate from the
pension rolls all those who do not
need such state aid.
F. P. FLEMING.
Senator Broome's Answer.
Quincy Fla IulN O 1907