The National tribune., 1907-08-29
uNGRAcIous FLORIDA.

The Florida Times Union has a par
ticularly mean and ungracious editorial
slam about Union pensions. 1t cxtolls
those paid by the Southern States. and
says:
1.-The idea that the poor may be
taxed to give pensions without Shame
where no need exists is one born north
of the Potomac, and it is born of politi-
cal greed rather than patriotic graft
tude. The results are not 10 be COM
mended. and experience already has
shown it to breed fraud and stimulate
avarice while producing the tyrannical
claim that the country belongs to those
who saved it. Let us beware lest we
copy the wrongs or the mistakes Of
others in our zeal TO show that we are
not behind in our gratitude nor less
loyal to the faith for which our fathers
died. Florida can afford TO give from
her necessities only a small sum in at
testation of her love and gratitude. Let
that sum go only to the deserving in
the first place, and then divide it oniy
among those who need Honor ceases
to deserve appreciation when put to
base uses. The pension that faithful
soldier must divide with ccffee-coolers
and hcstlers is no pledge of fellowship
to ennoble the recipient TO bind the
faithful together or to inspire the sons
~
veterans we honor take this view. We
dare not differ or dissent when reason
and proper sentiment confirms their
view
This is particularly ungracious on the
part Of the Times Union. since substan-
tally al lof the pensions paid to the
from taxes on the property of Northern
people who were opposed to the rebel
lion. who did all they could against It,
and VINO carried their wonderful enter
prise and industry into Florida after
the State had been brought back into
the Union, and developed it as wonder
fully as it has been. Florida had been
a wretchedly poor State prior to the
war 1t was far poorer than any of our
Western States. 1t had no industries to
speak of. and produced but very little
wealth of any kind. 1t was burdened
with debt. and the taxes barely sufficed
10 support the office-holding clique
which dragged the State into secession
There was nothing left for public i'm
provements. education or other desir-
able objects. The average Floridian
was a poor, aeue-shaken clay-eater that
had to be hunted out of the swamps
and forced into the Confederate army
After the war had made Florida an in
separable part of the Union there was
a wonderful influx of Northern capital.
and vigorous. enterprising Northern
men, who saw the possibilities of the
country. They drained the swamps,
cleared the brush from the hummocks,
built railroads, established orange and
lemon groves, began exporting phos-
phate, started to raising fine tobacco,
established cigar factories, opened fine
Winter resorts. and in every way
breathcd an astonishing breath of ac-
tivity and enterprise into the sluggish
shiftless atmosphere of that land of
swamps and morasses They even turn
cd the loathsome alligators into a
source of profit. The pensions which
are paid the Confederate veterans are
raised by direct taxation upon the prop
erty which the Northern people have
brought into the State or created there
out of next to nothing. Since they are
doing this uncomplainingly, there seems
to be a particular meanness and ingrati-
tude in the papers false and slanderous
filings at the pensions paid to Union vet
Grams