The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
SERVICE PENSION
 LAW PROVISIONS Stigma Of Pauper Affidavit Is
 Finally Removed INCREASE IN PENSIONS Political Discussions Are Rising in Georgia With a Hoke Smith and An Anti-Hoke Smith Flavor
 to Them.
INCREASE IN PENSIONS

send out next week to members of the legislature. county authorities and camps of Confederate veterans relative 10 the operations of the new service pension law provided for by amendment to the state constitution.
 One of the chief features of this law is that it removes the so-called stigma of the 'pauper affidavit" In other words, hereafter, as soon as the legislature shall have taken action in the matter, the applicant for pension will not have to swear to his poverty, a requirement i which has been so distasteful to the pensioners.
 The effectAis, of course. to open the doors to numerous veterans and widows of veterans who could not, under the old laws, get on the pension rolls. Just how much will be the increase in pen i sion payments above the S940,o00 year the state is now paying is problematieal 1 There are all sorts of estimates, some 1 of them going as high as Sl,oo0,000 addi- tional.
 It is with a view of securing accurate l information along this line that Commis- sioner Lindsay has written this letter to | legislators, county officials and camps of 1 veterans. He has urged upon them the l importance of making a census of the l Confederate veterans and widows in each county in the state, showing how this ! can be done with comparative ease by first consulting the records in the office of the tax receiver and the ordinary and then supplying information by personal 1 investigation. Inquiry should also be
 
 pensioner is worth as much as sl5Oo in property or cash. the one fact which will disqualify.
 In this letter Commissioner Lindsay appeals also to all good citizens and l taxpayers to lend their efforts in this matter, to the end that there may be no fraud in the new pension rolls, as is undoubtedly the case with the present ! ones.
 Moreover such a census of Confederate veterans in each county carefully com piled and with the legally required evil dence in each case, will prove valuable guide to the general assembly in legis- lating under the new law. If there is any extensive increase in the pension rolls as a result of this law, it is not l present status of the states finances, the legis- lature will find it necessary to make some reduction in the amount of the in- dividual pension now paid. It is hoped, of course, that this necessity will not arise, but with material increase in the number of pensioners it is difficult to see how it can be avoided.
 Political Discussion,
 It is amusing to see how the question of i jected into every little political fracas that comes along from a squabbe in Georgia's congressional delegation to a 1 municipal police board row. 1 That is the turn that has been given 1 to the dispute in Washington between 1 the two elements in the Georgia dele gation growing out of the fight over the House rules and Cannonism. The six so-called "bolters" from the democratic caucus-those who voted for the Fftz- gerald resolution-Edwards Brantley, l Griggs, Lee. Livingston and Howard have always been opponents of Governor Smith. For that matter, so have Adam son, Bell and Hughes, who voted with the regulars.
 But the two members who are raising ] the largest fuss over the action of the | six Georgians-Hardwck of the Tenth and Bartlett of the Sixth-have always been among the warmest supporters of l the governor in the state. Bartlett, de- | clned to accept a committee appoint | ment from Speaker Cannon, and Hard wick has threatened to stump the state against the six Georgia members whose action he has pronounced disloyalty to l the democratic party. The six declare that as a "spanker" they have no fear | of Mr Hardwicks activities.
 | cO aq c al mo concerned the local political situation In Georgia had nothing whatever to do with their action, it is easy to see how some l of the folks at home have figured out a | Hoxe and an anti-Hoke lineup. Coming down to the municipal police board row, the same application has been made to the scrap in which the Atlanta police department is now involved. Car los H. Mason, the newly elected chair l man of the police board, is strong Hoke Smith supporter. His opponents who | failed to defeat him have also opposed the governor politically. Although the governor has not for a moment con cerned himself with this local row, 1t is apparent how in the minds of some the l lineup has been figured out.
 "The same old Hoke Smith and anti Hoke Smith row." is the way not a few have figured it out in the street corner | discussions.
 It has gotten to be that this view | is taken of almost every little political fight that bobs up anywhere in the state. | Possibly in many instances the people concerned are just naturally antagonis- tic, and this state political situation is as good a line of cleavage as any other, in the absence of a real issue to con- tend about.
 At any rate, there is no doubt that Hoke Smith and the opposition to him are being held responsible. in a meas ure for most of the political scrapping which the state has recently produced.
 State Convict Farm.
 There is much interest in the out come next week of the contention be- tween the prison commission and Gov ernor Smith over the question of a state farm for the white convicts.
 There is every indication that the prison commission will stand pat upon its recommendation of the Wimberly property in Twiggs county, as the best and most centrally located land for the price which has been offered the state-5339 acres for $80,O00.
 The governor objected to the shoe string of the land, and claimed part of it was unhealthy. At the same time his inspectors reported to him that the portion of the property under culti- vation was as fine land as could be 1 found anywhere in the state.
 One fact which led the commission | to select this property is its central location. It was figured that the dif- ference in railroad fares, on account of this location, would, in 20 years, prac- | tically pay for the farm.
 The members of the commission have IL. A