The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-19
Voice Of the eople
An open Letter to Mr.. Taft
The Times Dispatch has been i
quested to print the following:

I :
| quested to print the following: e
70 the Hon. William Howard raft.
Washington, D. c.:
MY Dear MIR. President,-One week
a aseoo t;o1day the Confederate Veterans
as the Lee jackson Camp. held It's an
nual memorial services, and to me, rs a
member Of that association. the kind
words which you had telegraphed to
the Confederates at Little Rock were
brought forcibly to memory.
When you say. THE men of the Con-
which they believed to be right and nd for for
Wnich they We're willing to sacrlhcc
their lives, their homes-in ali those
things which men hold most dear, AS
we recognize their heroic services, so
.ney and their descendants must honor
! me services rendered by the gallant
sons sons of the North in the struggle for
me preservation of the Union. The
contending forces of nearly half a
United North and South. and TO an
tues and glorious destiny we equally
and gratefully share
DurinE my visits Svuth 1t has graft
ned me greatly to see those who fought
FOR the blue and those who fought
Tor the gray mingle to-ether, WORSHIP
IN the old nag and feel a. common pride
displayed in the Civil War. one of the
most pleasant incidents of nv visits
through the South was the evident de-
s ,a i, on me part OF its people TO coniirm
~ .he world that we are getting closer
and closer together ~
congratulate the South OH the won
Gierfui progress which 1t is now max
Ss!gned) .WfLLilM H. TAFT
40 an eN,Confcderate these are
Of silver" 's - '''ess"i e
Two years ago the writer OF this
Lee Jackson Camp of this place to he
T,corfederate reunion held at Memphis.
Tenn There he met in social way
many N ny old C4nfederates Of renown, such
rs General Luke Wright Private Johii
aiien. ex-senator Turley and othcrs.
and when MIR. Taft's name was men,
c rtoned These hes, sontherners without en-
!laise for our Presidents so upon the
testimony OF these men, as we'll as
T Hnon the knowledse Of many other
oent sent hy telegram these gracious
words of congratulation To the Confed-
eiIatGs assembled but recently at Lit
I ne h,, iSock. that he did II out of tie
Having fun faith in you and in your
expressions of kindness for the South
as well as having faith in your. ability
10 remove what every true Southern cr
must think is a badge OF dishonor to
me cause he represented. earnestly
a,cslre TO call your attention to par
ticnlar section of the Revised Statutes
or the United States. and this section is
Known as $3.50, which reads as fol-
(Ciaims of Disloynlt,t,o
Sec. $3.50 GIT shall be unlawful for
any officer TO pay any account, claim or
G [1htas AGAINST the United states
5th da aee or sar Or eNiS'fd prior the
person who during such rebellion was
not known to he opposed thereto and
a and na " IN favor OF It's suppression
hereafter to be granted, shall authorize
the payment of such account, claim or
demand until this section Is modified or
pc construed TO prohibit the payment
OF claims founded upon contracts made
by any of the departments, where such
claims were assigned or contracted 10
be assigned prior TO the first day Of
April, 1861. to the creditors OF such
con con ira ctors. loyal citizens OF loyal
prior. to the first day Of March. 1851
This law was enacted in March. 1867
during the darkest days ofTcconstruc-
tion, and when now read in the light
OF history brings to memory what
every Southerner prays to forget
Forty years afterwards to the LAY
Inc late Senator Daniel on motion of
Senator Pettus got a bill passed by the
Senate abolishins by repeal this Sec
lion '''i'. II
, Your writer is In possession of
.Duiiudhl pIOOI 10 snow lnat IL was
the dream of the late Senator Daniei's
life to live to see this Objectionable
law removed from the statute books
During the present extraordinary
session, both in the Senate and House
bills have been introduced by the IIor.
Claude "a. Swanson and William S.
Jones to abolish by repeal the $3.50
section OF the Revised Statutes. and
may not ask our generous President
to have done now what should have
been done long ago?
Because of the known friendllness
of The Times Dispatch to our presi-
dent and his administra ton Is the rca :
son its columns are selected to publish
this letter. With great respect, ii
JOHN a. MCNEIL y
Not Satisfied With the situation.