Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-09
CONFEDERATE PENSIONS.

The southern states nave not tailed
to undertake to provide pensions for
the disabled and needy among their
own Confederate soldiers To the
Federal pensions they we're obliged to
contribute from the very hour OF de
feat. With the recovering wealth and
prosperity of the south, one by one
every southern state has established
its Confederate pension system. The
amounts OF the pensions are small
as compared with those under the
Federal system, but with the increase
in resources there is a constant in
crease in the state appropriations
for Confederate pensions. This, says
The South Atlantic Quarterly, is true
in spite of the pressing need in the
south for public money for education,
good roads, sanitation and the protection
OF the public health, and for the main
tenance Of necessary state institutions
for the dependent and defective masses.
An investigation made a few years
ago showed 99,049 Confederate pen
sioners in the southern states. The
total expenditure for the year 1906 was
SO. 875, 900, so that the average pension
was less than $40 a year Fortunately
recent reports are available from
Georgia, the state with the most import
ant Confederate pension system.
In that state pensions have been paid
since 1898 to the widows OF Confede
rate soldiers whose husbands died in
service or after the war from disability
or disease contracted in service. IN
1896 INDECENT Confederate soldiers were
placed upon the rolls, and in 1902 the
benefits were extended to INDECENT
widows of Confederate soldiers. even
though the soldiers death was in no
way due to his military service. A
constitutional amendment has recently
been adopted which opens the way to
increasing liberality, especially in the
granting OF pensions to Confederate
soldiers widows.
TO INDECENT Confederate soldiers and
to the widows of the Confederate sol
diers Georgia pays pension OF 500 a
year. Invalid Confederate soldiers who
receive disabilities of service origin are
allowed specific annual rates in proper
ton to the seriousness OF the disability.
The rate for total loss OF sight is $3.50,
for total disability for labor so as to
be helpless, 800; for the total loss OF
hearing, $50; for loss Of hand, $IG0:
for incapacity to perform manual labor
$50; for the loss of one finger or one
toe, So and similarly for many other
specific injuries.
These rates are very much lower
than those paid under the federal sys-
tenn for injuries of the same character.
For instance, the federal government
pays 81 200 year for total loss OF sight;
for total loss OF hearing, $3.50; for loss
OF hand, $3.50; for incapacity to per-
form manual labor $3.50, and for the
loss OF finger or a toe, so.
The growth OF the pension system
OF Georgia was SO rapid that in 1896 it
was entrusted to the administration of
a commissioner of pensions appointed
by the governor The latter was au-
thorized to exercise a power OF revision
and change over the commissioners
rulings. In 1908 the Office of com
missioner of pensions was made elective
by the voters OF the whole state, indi-
eating that the position is now regarded
as one OF the most important state Of
fees.