The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-24
PENSION MATTERS
 WORRY GEORG|ANS New Pension Bill Does Not
 Meet With Favor STATE MONEY TOO SCARCE New Measure Is for Service Pensions and Would Create Heavy Draft
 on State Funds if Allowed
 To Become Law.
STATE MONEY TOO SCARCE

Atlanta. August 2S.-(special)-
 Whether any determined fight will be
 made against the ratification of the
 constitutional amendment recently en-
 acted by the general assembly provid-
 ing for service pensions, that is a pen- sion to each Confederate veteran who | served in the war and each widow of | veteran who was married prior to 1870, regardless of other qualifications, | is questionable.
 1 But that there is widespread opposi- | tion to the measure among thinking people, cannot be doubted. Governor 1 Smith himself expresses the belief that 1 if finally enacted, this measure will have the effect of doubling the pension | roll which is now close to million dollars The same statement was made by opponents of the bill on the | floor of the house and senate.
 1 MT. Foster of Cobb, author of the bill, presented estimates with view to showing that this was a grossly | exaggerated estimate but it is mat | ter of history that all extensions of l the pension roll have greatly exceeded | estimates. For example, when Georgia l first voted pensions to Confederate | widows under the administration of Gov. John B. Gordon, it was estimated | that there would not be over 600 of these to be paid. The law was passed and s60000 was appropriated to pay | these widows pensions of s100 each. 1 Pretty soon the ordinaries of almost | every county in the state began to cali for additional application blanks under the new law, and scarcely six months had passed before there were more than | 4O00 applications on file for widows pensions. The legislature came to the l relief of the situation and appropriated s4OO,OOO to pay them, but the amount of the pension was subsequently cut to $60 on account of the large number of applicants. In practically every case where pensions have been granted | or the law has been extended this has been the states experience.
 | There seems to be little doubt there | fore that the granting of service pen | sions would add immensely to the states present expense in this direc- tion.
 | The legislature, as has been pointed i out, failed and refused to make any provision whereby these service pen sions could be paid in the event the people should ratify the, constitutional amendment. It was urged in both 1 houses that the people should also be permitted to vote upon the question as to whether they were willing to increase the tax rate for the purpose of meeting this obligation if 1t should be | finally created. This proposed provis l ion was voted down, and the legislature went on record as creating an obliga- tion for which it refused to provide means of payment.
 | There is a grave danger therefore to
 be considered in case the people should 1 ratify this amendment. If it becomes law the service pensions will have to be paid, and the only means of paying
 them will be to cut down the pensions
 now paid to needy veterans. In oth CT
 words where the state now pays out
 s1,OO0,00O to 15.000 dveterans an
 widows, giving them an average of S6o
 each, in case the number of pensions | sh ould be doubled, the individual pen
 sion would have to be cut to $50. That
 this would be a great hardship in the | vast majority of cases there is no ques- | tion.
 But there is no escape for 1t unless
 the people subsequently assent by vot- ing another constitutional amendment
 providing for an increase of 1 mill in
 the tax rate, or about $1 on each 5000
 of property It is extremely doubtful
 whether such an amendment could be passed The enactment of the service
 pension law, therefore, is almost sure
 to mean a material reduction in the
 individual pension. If 1t does not cut
 it entirely half in two.
 It was in connection with this ser
 vice pension amendment that Gov.
 Smith sought the advice of the attor-
 ney general as to wh ether the governor had the right of veto over constitu- | tional amendments. The law relating
 to constitutional amendments does not
 mention the governor at all. but pro- | vides that these amendments shall be ] enacted by wo-thirds of the memb CTS | of each house. ana snail De submitted
 by the legislature to the people for
 their ratification or rejection.
 Not in recent years has this question | been raised and every amendment passed has gone to the people with the
 governors approving signature. Tn this case however, Governor Smith withheld his approval. His friends say
 even if the governor had the power of veto over such amendments say
 would not have vetoed 1t because of his belief that the executive should not stand in the way of any measure
 upon which the people are given the l right to pass. But if he had been
 compelled to sign 1t, he would probably have had something to say regarding 1t.
 His decision not to sign 1t is strong
 ly indicative of his view regarding 1t.
 A full supply of horses and
 mules now on sale at the Ter
 II n.-