Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-04-20
CAPT. ELMORE TO
The LEGISLATORS
WRITES ALAeHUA's REPRESENT.
ATIVEs ABoUT PENSIONS.
Thinks the Amount Given confsesrs;s
Veterans Low Enough, and
Q oHsrs Suggestions.

letter 90 Representatives Carter and
Doke az Tallahassee:
Hons. T. A. Doke and sgd l. Carter.
House Of Representatives.
"TaIiahassee.
MY Dear Slrs-There seems but
little doubt but that the present Leg
islature win undertake the revision
Of the present pension law for the
OLD Confederate veteran. You. sirs.
are the efficient Representatives pri-
marily Of Alachua county. bat being
members Of q body that represents
the State Of Florida. IN her entirety.
you become necessarily. by incorpOra-
ton. important factors in any and all
legislation that may rebound either
90 her benefit or injury. We. Afr.
Doke. discussed together a few weeks
agO. az your house. the present status
Of the pension Law. and. II am not
mistaken. came 10 the conclusion that
SIS benefits Overbalanced rs lmperfec-
tons and that except % revise the list.
on the ron. and ascertain who were.
By actual service. entitled 90 its bene-
hts and striking on those who were
not n would be well 20 let well
enough alone. Now. Slrs. in behalf
o. the Confederate veterans. desire
through you as the Representatives OF
our county Of Alaehua. as well as our
State Of Florida. 90 introduce 90 your
honorable body q bin protesting
against the curtailment OF the amount
heretofore paid The veteran Of even
ordinary intelligence can recognize
that the deficiency In the treasury Is
the present cause OF non-payment for
the quarter just past. Now this de-
hciency should be made up from some
other OF the States resources | know
that I voice the sentiment OF every
old veteran when l suggest that the
ninety per cent Of the white mans
money for taxes which Is applied 60
the education OF a worthless negro
race could be much more woTthily be
slowed upon the pension fund for our
old soldiers. / have always been OPP
posed 10 the use OF white money %
educate the negro. especially a. the
statistics Of the last forty years 90 20
prove that be has only made use OF Il.
both as a political and a domestic
stick. 20 break our own heads with.
In every election On the past as well
as the present. where does the negro
preacher and racial demogogue stand?
Always on the side OF the party most
bitterly opposed 90 every interest of
the white people Of the South
"A few years back ! know personal
~ OF a community in which the white
school was refused a teacher az SIS
per month. because there were not
quite enough white children 90 make
up a certain average attendance.
while within three-quarters OF a mile
two negro schools were hOurishlng
with an allowance OF $3.50 per month
% its negro teachers. The white peO-
pie were paying. and still are paying
ninety per cent OF the school fund
tax. the negro ten per cent. The
benefit derived can be divided In the
same proportion, reyersed-the whites
receive ten per cent benefit. the ne
gro ninety per cent.
Il am not sufficiently yersed IN the
doctrine Of State Rights. but certain
ly our Legislature could and should
go legislate that so much Of our nine
~ per cent as should be necessary
for white education be- so applied. and
the balance converted 90 the payment
Of the pensions OF the grand old
COnfedeTate veteran. When the toe.
sin OF war first sounded In 1861. be
bid farewell 90 his family, shOuldered
HIS gun. and went 10 the front. Upon
the snOW-Clad hills OF Virginia, as
well as Of other States, from the
Potomac 90 AppOmattOX. many and
many a night has be-, scantily clad,
Ehiyered IN the Wintry blasts as be-
stood on picket. on an extreme out
post, the fate OF the army over whose
safety he kept guard absolutely de-
pendent upon his watchiulncss and
hdelity and when the glorious spring
lime would cl0the the red hills and
bare helds with luxuriant clover and
gTeen grass. he would battle them
Eith his best blood turning the green
% red. Nov the old mans footsteps
lre trembling upon the brink OF the
-. 49,. H...aa- 80. L.. AL. aH.r.~