Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-23
49, ;, Tl.is Pension business?


here copy a part Of letter. writen
from Fitzgerald. Ca, ana presu
by an old Federal soldier
Assuming that you had rather De
psVbt than be president. and under
rreSeut conditions you can't be both
will try 10 set you right on the pen
sion law. In your article on PENSIONS
in the Semt-Weekly OF the 18TH IN
srant YOU say that at a morning session
= few weeks ago in congress 500 new
pensfors were placed on the roll the
facts are that vas a small per cent OF
new names. The law OF 1850, put the
- ct u3 monthly The speslel as
Won object are Tor a class VINO nave
become wholly incapaCitated for manu-
nal labor and must have special ACT
10 increase the pension As to your
question. Where will this pension ous-
mess endT God only knows. God knows
the old coffee coolers are going Ners
rast on both sides. Old Father Time has
n IN for them IN a way that must De
highly gratifying 20 the undertaken
me commissioner or pensions re-
ported in 1909 that the amount or pen
sfons in Georgia ranged from $500 IN
Camden county TO $Sz,ebs IN Fui'oh
county. an increase from 1871 tone
YEAR OF saSs7. and an increase II
amount paid S1z7,4sO.
There seems TO be an equal amount
OF avarfce in the coffee coolers on
both sides.
4 was here when the constitutional
amendment was voted on providing
pensions for Confederate widows. and
Notwithstanding the pensions were
paid BIZ direct tax. the ola Yankee sO'-
diers voted for it, They said, Yes
give the old girls a pension
70 erHaH In q
worthy and needy soldiers a pension,
mat 1 know anything about, but the
whole business Is menaced by fraud, in
tivfng to those. who do not need. and
sometimes are not worthy of the bene-
faction
For instance. I Travelled with Fed
sraI soldier when he was going with his
regiment 10 unveil a monument at
Chfckamauga for his state. He said he
volunteered for three months under
Isincoln's nrst call for troops. He serv-
ed between Washington city and Ma
nassas in Virginia under Mcdowell. His
time expired before the frst battle at
the latter place. l remarked, Why
didn't you stay little longer. then you
would have been pensionedZ
He replied. Il get il anyhow" I was
bold enough 10 ask how ne got IL. as
] knew he had TO swear pretty strong
20 meet the requirement. and he an
Ewered. They Just handed il to M nj
j took it, According TO his own YER
sion. ne had three months picnic, ana
a pension for the rest OF his life. Is
that q plain view OF the case7 How
many such are still on the roll?
also travelled with a Georgia Con-
federate widow on a train. later on.
She was left with good farm and her
grown sons were then able 10 cultivate
IL we'll
To get q pension from the state she
said her boys persuaded her TO sell the
Giving soldiers widow pension
Is this q plain view OF this case? L
think SO. The pension benefaction is
intended TO help the mccoy anc deserv-
ing whose sacrifices in war entitled
them 70 help at public expense.
II the coffee coolers" are disappear
Ing 50 fast. why in the name OF peace
and honesty should the pension roll
grow so fast. and me appropriation be-
come more blOated each YEAR,
How much imposture could be en-
countered careful scrutiny alone can
tell. but IL Is a delicate subject TO han
die when there will spring up a we'll
organized howl against those who asked
Tor the scrutiny. Some pension COM
missioners have been rooted out OF of
nee by ravenous pension attorneys who
knew how 10 work the scneme to a
finish.