Arizona republican., 1910-07-31
CONFEDERATE PENSIONS.
Southern States Constantly Increasing
 the Amount Expended.

The southern states have not failed
 to undertake to provide pensions for
 the disabled and needy among their
 own Confederate soldiers" says a writer in the South Atlantic Quarter
 ly. "To the federal pensions they
 were obliged to contribute from the
 very hour of defeat With the re- covering 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 in- crease in resources there is con- stant increase in the state appropria- tions for Confederate pensions. This is true in spite of the pressing need in the south of public money for edu- cation, good roads, sanitation, and the protection of the public health, and for the maintenance of necessary state institutions for the dependent and defective classes.
 An investigation made few years ago showed 99,04O Confederate pen sioners in the southern states. The total expenditure for the year 1906 was $3,S75, 900. so that the average pension was less than $40 a year. Fortunately recent reports are avail able from Georgia, the state with the most important Confederate pension system.
 "In that state pensions have been paid since 1893 to the widows of Con federate soldiers whose husbands died in service or after the war from dis ability or disease contracted in serv- ice. In 1896 indigent Confederate sol diers were placed upon the rolls. and in 1902 the benefits were extended to indigent widows of Confederate sol dicrs, 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. eS- pecially in the granting of pensions to Confederate soldiers widows.
 "To indigent Confederate soldiers and to the widows of Confederate sol diers Georgia pays a pension of s6O a year. Invalid Confederate soldiers who receive disabilities of service origin are allowed specific annual rates in proportion to the serious ness of the disability. The rate for total loss of sight is $50, for total disability for labor so as to be help less, s1OO; for the total loss of hear ing, $50; for loss of a hand, SlOO; for incapacity to perform manual la bor, $50; for the loss of one finger or one toe, s. and similarly for many other specific injuries.
 "These rates are very much lower than those paid under the federal system for injuries of the same char actcr. For instance, the federal gov ernment pays s1,2OO a year for total loss of sight: for total loss of hear ing. $4S0: for loss of a hand, $360' for incapacity to perform manual la bor. $360, and for the loss of finger or a toe, SIP.
 "'The growth of the pension system of Georgia was so rapid that in 1S95 it was entrusted to the administration of a commissioner of pensions ap- pointed by the governor. The latter was authorized to exercise power of revision and change over the com- rulings. In 1908 the office of commissioner of pensions was made elective by the voters of the whole state, indicating that the position IS now regarded as one of the most im- portant state offices.
 Pensions were formerly paid m quarterly instalments, but are now paid annually in one sum. Including the year 1910. the pension payments since the beginning of the Georgia system have amounted to over $14,- OOO, 900. great sum for a single state of the south. The following table shows the growth of the Georgia pen sion system: