The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-08-06
Communicated
THOMAS F. RYAN
His Kindly Act In Behalf of -cOnfsde,st.s

His Kindly Act In Behalf Of R-coniedefste
fredericksburg. Va. Aug. ;sd. 1907.
/ TO The Ere. Lance:
Thomas r. Ryan. E~d, has given an
annuity OF - yer month 10 two hundred
/ hN-Onniederlte soldiers of iN-l~oncOunty
auc 10000 toward thu erection of the
/ Confederate monument at Arlington.
I Now. 10 L. about time Tor SOMEONE To ri-..
up aud say, beware Di this Greek bring
D glit-, or Tor some other person to
wonder whether any good thing can
come oi Nazareth. And these very high
aud holy ones. IN their own estimation
have never given anything To- the eN-
soldiers oi the South, no matter how
| iull their puckctitooks or how plethori,.
their hanA accounts. Certain railroad
interests ia Virginia have never seen
ANY thing good IN Mr.. r. al aud We sun
| pO-' that some sinister and selfish mo
tive Will b" attributed % him for max ing
these splendid gifts Well the world. Il,
SEEMS. must b" peOpled with all classes
and kinds and the great Commonwealth
oi Virginia Il no exception. We. EN-Con
iederate- in this section. will not in. b.u..-
iiclaries of this muuihcence. hut never
theless We thank this generous donor
lu the maine aud behalf OF all the old
soldiers. lie has made many "a home
and heart happy IN Nelson county. And
these old soldiers whom he has 50 kindly
remembered in the evening OF their liver
see IN him "a friend Indeed a. he is "A
friend in need
IL Is a splendid beneiaction. aud every
follower Oi the stars and Bars will ever
remember Thomas r. Ryan. with graft
tude Tor thus mnistering To- the wants
and Necessities OF their old cuIurnd,.-. A.
I .IN fas D..
erection Oi "a monument in Arlington
Cemetery To mark the spot " here sleep
many ot the deathle-s dead But THE,
say lac accumulated his colossal fortune
/ 10y the manipulation of railroads aud in
Suri.nce companies. and playing hull and
bar a. his Interest might dictate. on
! Wall street. Well. what ol it, Has ANY
"ue l,--n hurt 10y it, No one save. the
other fellows who werr irving their
level best To do the same thing but ii1ilrd
" hike he succeeded. The TACT is. he gn,
hi~ money 10y first knowing how. by
making opportunities or needing the cal
of opportunity when 1t knocked at hi.
door, while the other fellows" slept
their way. But. pray tell me. who's.
business II il to make such an INQUIRY
Nobody's. Well done. Mr. Ryan. We say.
for giving this much of his fortune away
To some old and decrepit soldiers. who
nave no country To give them IA pension,
and who imperiled their young lives for
the defence OF their homes. and now. old
decrepit and poor and inhrm. are worthy
ben"hcl0ries OF his splendid charity. On.
| prominent among the new rich gives a
small modicum OF his fortune away in
| libraries with string attached to the
| gitt. Libraries, which hungry and
iuiirm old soldiers cannot patronize.
Another gives his money TO some denom-
national college, 10 teach the higher
criticism oi the Bible, and thereby de
stroy men : faith in the religion of Jesus
Christ. Others dispense their superabund-
ance IN paying almOuy and employing
lawyers IN the divorce courts. Others
don give-they die, aud leaye their
worldly goods, because they can't carry
them away with them. But this gift oi
| Mr.. Ryan is beautiful ia its charity and
very touching and tender 20 the old
soldiers. We believe he WAS actuat.d
IN the bestOwal Of this annuity bv
high, patriotic and philanthropic
motives. His father was "A Confederate.
soldier. In making these donations
he pays high tribute to the mem
ory of his father. and at the same time
eN presses his affection and admiration
Tor the eN-COniederate soldiers and the
righteousness OF the cause for which they
fought. We do not know of a mon.
meritorious and splendid benefaction
than this of Thomas +. Ryans. For il
his country extends their benediction and
for this MIR. Ryan deserves, as he will re-
ceive, the applause of all the ex- -Confed-
crates and citizens OF this fair land of
ours. An EN-Confederate.