The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-06-17
LEGISLATURE URGED TO VOTE.
AID TO OLD SOLDIERS
A Large Delegation Was Given 4
Hearing at Baton Rouee-Pron'-
inent Men Speak.


full constitutional limit of S290,o0'
per year for the pensioning o. the
aged and battle-seared heroes in TINS
state, and urged that il this addluohaI
amount could not be saved from
some other quarter, that special tax
of one-fourth of l mill be levied to1
the pensioning of veterans, which
would yield a revenue of some Sloo'-
600 annually on the present bass OF
assessment The delegation called
on the governor and then secured a
hearing before the appropriations
committee, over which Hon. Jose
Generelly of New Orleans presided
in the absence of Chairman James M.
johnson of Madison.
It was one of the most formidable
and impressive delegations of vetei'
ans that ever visited the capital, IN
Guiding as it did so many prominent
and Influential citizens Of the state.
General T. J. Shaffer, commander
of the Louisiana division i. {. v,
spoke first, urging that the time had
cone when the veterans needed help
They had reached an age where, IN
MANY instances, restitution stared
them in the face, and their only re-
lie was from the state, under whose
banner they had fought.
General ". T. Castleman and Col
one, O. D. Brooks followed with pow
erfu! arguments why the state should
come to the rescue of her old soldiers
in their, last hours Of need.
General w. ]. Behan, postmaster
Of New Orleans. delivered a con-
v;Dcing argument, saying that if 1t
was impossible to find the necessary
money elsewhere, he regarded 1t as
tho most popular and patriotic thing
this legislature could possibly do
would be to order the leyying OF a
special tax of one-quarter Of one mill
for the benefit Of the aged veterans.
He did not believe anyone would OBJ
Ject to the additional tax. 1t would
only mean about 81 IL cents per
$1,000 assessment.
1T isn't the price Of two bullets"
declared General Behan. "Who is
there who isn't willing to do this
much for the veterans who are dying
SO rapidly?"
Under the last general appropria-
ton bill the pension fund for the re-
lief of Confederate veterans and
widows was increased to $4,000 per
year. 1t is now urged that this sum
be raised 100000 per year, or bring
It up to the constitutional limit of
s25O,0OO per year.
General A. B. Booth spoke for the
cause, telling how rapidly the vet
Grams were falling by the wayside.
He regarded it as burning shame
that something could not be done to
relieve these old heroes in their last
few years on earth.
DR.. Tichenor spoke along similar
lines.
Chairman Generally said at the con-
clusion of the hearing that he be.
lieved the Confederate cause was one
near the heart of every member of
the general assembly, and that he
felt sure the committee and the en-
tire body would do everything within
It's power to provide the relief de-
sired Representative ]. S. Atkinson
of Ruston, member of the committee,
declared in open session that he was
In favor of the demands of the dele
CATION, and he would favor a special
tax or any other means of securing
the necessary funds.
The matter will rest with the ap-
preparations committee.
Mr.. Hunsicker's bill amending the
cOrcubinage law, so as to patch up
the defects discovered by the supreme
court, and substituting the worl "col.
ored" for negro" had a brief airing
in the house, and as had been pre-
dicted, it made things hum while on
exhibition. This bill came from the
committee with a minority report by
Hon. Felix J. Samson of Vermlion,
and others, providing that the law
should not affect marriages that had
been legally performed before the
passage of this act.
Mr. Hunsicker and Mr.. Generally
made strong fight against any
amendment to the law Mr.. '1ener-
ely argued that an anti-miscegnation
law had been on the statute books
for years, hence how would 1t be
possible to have legal marriages prior
to the passage of this act? An ef-
fort was made to Indefinitely post
pone the proposed amendments, but
after heated debate, Mr.. Claiborne
secured the adoption of motion and
the committee rose and reported
progress. The concubinage bill was
then returned to the calendar.
Move Against Repeal of Locke Law.
New Iberia.-A number of taypay-
ers of this city and parish met at
the city hall to protest against the
amendment Or tho roraoJ nc