The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-20
By
Jefferson
Bell
In 1894 the disbursement was 1896,

I In 1894 the disbursement was $780,
720.19.
| In 1905 it was ;317,443.53.
| In 1906 it was 1893, 969.15.
In 1907, 1857 .009.47
In 1908, there has been paid up TO
Octobef 81, 1908, $727.72s.Ss.
! In his report for 1888 the late W.
ID. Barnes, then comptroller, said, 1T
is apparent that the rate OF taxation
must be raised from to 4 mills. This
is made necessary by TIE largely in
creased expenses that have been
thrown upon the general revenue OF
the state The railroad commission
Pensions, criminal prosecutions and
expenses OF state troop are burdens
imposed in the last two years, and
amount to s1eS.0e0. which is more
than one mill on the taxable proper
ty."
Until 1899, ten years later, pensions
were paid out of the general revenue
fund. That year the law was chang
ed. An economical idea seems to
have taken possession of the legislat-
ure, and the new law attempted a
retrenchment and provided for a one
mill levy for pensions, created new
board of pensions composed of the
governor, comptroller and adjutant-
general, placed the pay of pensioners
at s72 per annum. with two grades,
800 and $50, wheAs certain injuries
had been sustained, and lowered the
property restriction to $500.
The disbursements for 1900 of s44,
049.40 left the comfortable surplus of
S42.431 in the fund.
Three years later the law was
changed and four mill levy was au-
thorized. Forty-one hundred and elev-
en- pensions were allowed during the
four years this law was in opera
ton. During the period of eighteen
months under the present law about
forty-two hundred claims have been
filed and the roll doubled, AID the end
Is not yet.
The Veterans Disapprove.
The strongest disapproval of the
present law has been voiced by the
veterans themselves, that grizz1ed
remnant OF the glorious and inspired
army of the South that waged four
years of bloody warfare, domicilad
within the borders of Florida. They
question the Justice of a law that
places a man, who endured the hard
ships OF four years of battle and car
mage and limped home at its close,
leaving leg or an arm on some blood
soaked battlefield, upon the same ba-
sis with home guards who never left
home, or vita the man, who, accord
ing to his own statement, served his
country eight years during the war as
clerk of the circuit court" and belong
ed to a company Of home guards that
never went into service. The law
makes no distinction in the reward.
1t is far easier for the latter to COM
ply with the requirements than the
former. Il
Every southern state should make |
ans No honor should be withheld !
from them. A reasonable income re-
strictionL inserted in the law WOULD
lower the number OF pensions allow |
ed so that a sum sufficient for the
actual needs could be paid fae deserv- |
ing and soften the road that leads |
past the last few milestones along
the western slope.
They should be "A sacred charge TO |
this generation, to whom has been |
given the privilege Of caring for and |
rewarding those left to us. Through |
smoke and blood and death they /
wrought that last fatal and glorious |
chapter of nations history and made |
US heirs to their fame. Through a |
retrospect of forty-six years we give
thanks
For all the radiant names that his
tory acclaims,
The deeds that now are Fane's
For failure-that which went with |
sublime intent,
For deaths dark sacrament:
Fo rbeckoning beacon hopes that |
show beyond the slopes.
How wide the future opesi"