Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-01-18
OUR LEGISLATURE.
Richmond, Va, Jan. |.

To the Editor Of the Alexandria Gazette:
A birds eye view Of the personnel of
the Virginia legislature reveals the fact
that the Law making body Of VTgiuls Is
made up mostly Of young, ambitious and
eulerprising men. Very few indeed are
the old regulars whose faces have for
many years occupied positions 10 the
Senate and Houss chambers. One still
CONSPICUOUS, however, is Mr.. ]. N.
Stubbs. OF Gloucester, who, bat for q
short interval, has been member OF
the legislature for perhaps twenty-h7e
years. He, as be sat In the First Bsp-
tist Church yesterday morning listening
10 Rev. Geo. w. Mcdaniel excoriste the
drunkard and the liquor traffic in general,
looked ss vigorous az he did twenty
years ego, when be was leader iu the
temperance forces of this state. Tonight
Monday Rev. Mr.. McAlister will start
Ihe state wide prohibition ball rolling
when he will address the Virginia legis.
lature a. the First Baptist Church This
is really the entering wedge OF fight
which will be made before the General
Assembly, although it is claimed that
the meeting will be nou.pOliticsl. From
ell that can be cleaned by the close ob-
server, IL is hardly possible that any
movement toward state wide prohibi-
ton will be successful, as 1t is geuer-
ally considered that a contest at
ihis time wcu'd be unwise, but
az the anti-sslOon league meets 10 con-
ventIou Wednesday OF this week In this
city, the leaders may be forced to act.
II is said that the present legislature
will be one for entreuchmeDt In the
expenses Of the state; ii is also said that
this step is necessary owing to de-
pieted treasury. In the contemplated
reduction 10 the Ordinary expenses 1t is
earnestly hoped that the appropriation
for the Confederate soldier will remsin
as it 10, If it is not Increased. The legis
latars at its last session appropriated
$52, 900 or the soldiers and when one Wis.
ils the home here he!will become entrsnc-
cd a. the surrounding. Every comior
Imaginable has been furnished the old
soldierIin his declining years. You can see
them stroling through the grounds, tot
tsriOg with age aud in6rmity, representing
every city aod county 10 the old COM
mouweallh. Over 250 old veterans are
safely housed from winters SHOWS and
ice snd summers torrid heat. Ia sd-
dilion to their temporal blessings their
spiritual welfare is being we'll cared for,
as divine services are held week.
ly aud semi-WeeklY in hand
soma chapel. Well may the bard
think snd write these beautiful words;
Roll old James, proudly roll.
AdOwn thy rocky glen.
Above tbse stands the home Of some
OF StOlewall Jackson's men
and others who fought under the other
gsllsnt leaders OF the Confederate forces.
Il is to be hoped that the hearts OF our
legislators will be touched when the
appropriation in the bill ls reached and
that instead OF reducing they will In
crease the amount. Alexandria city
and county Is represented in the home
Id tue ptIbOu vi mSssios W. W. 0uhm
aud Aleck Harrison, who are we'll pleas
ed with their surroundings and speak
In highest praise Of their treatment.
The ranks are getting thinner as the
years roll by and too much cannot be
done for the survivors, and as they are
taken out to the cemetery almost weekly
and laid to rest 1t can be truly said:
The clasping grass unfolds the gray.
The flowers unfold the blue.
With equfl love both fold today,
The dead Of gray and blue.
AudIso will it be till eternity dawns-
the memory of the gallant Confederate
soldier should be uppermost In the
minds of every true southerner. II