The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-08

DR.. Henderson, president of the
board of directors, Hon. o. l.. Mckay.
Hon. T. NJ. Henry, Hon. ]. H. Megehee.
and Hon. W. A. Martin, have answer
ed Their letters, which appear be-
low, are self-explanatory:
T. R. Henderson, President.
A. Henderson, Vice President.
R. c. King, Cashier.
BANK OF COMMERCE
Greenwood, Miss, Jan. 81. 1911.
Gov. James X. Vardaman, Jackson.
Miss.
My Dear Sir-Yours of yesterday
relative to pass over the G. & S. l.
railroad used by you, myself and
other gentlemen members of the
board of directors of the Jefferson Da-
Wis Memorial Soldiers Home. and
others not members of that board. is
received. Your request for informa-
ton Of how this pass was obtained, I
can easily give, as I remember the
matter quite well think. feel, how
ever, that in making the explanation |
should also explain fully why this
pass was issued by the railroad COM
pany, with a statement of some facts
which lead up to it.
During the session of the legisla-
ture of 1904 bill was pending pro-
viding for an appropriation for main
tenance and improvement of the Sol
diers' Home, and hard fight was
made against its passage. The Home
had been opened for Confederate vet
Grams and was then being maintained
by money provided by various chap
tiers of the Daughters of the Confed-
eracy.
Those who were endeavoring to ST.
lence opposition to the bill providing
for state support deeming it very i'm
portant that it take to the Home the
pension committees of both branches
of the legislature and as many other
members as possible, explained the
matter to Mr. Hale, vice president of
the G. C s. |. railroad, saying that we
would not be able to get them to the
home at their own expense, and he
offered the transportation for all who
would go, placing special car at our
service
In this way some forty or fifty men,
bers were induced to visit the Home.
When the bill was passed making the
appropriation, some over-zealous men,
Der in the states interest, offered an
amendment that not over twelve aud a
half dollars per capita be spent each
month, including the expenses of the
board to and from their meetings. AL
though those favoring the bill knew
that 1t would be next to impossible to
care for the feeble and sick veterans
on such an amount, the fight had been
tedious one and they thought best
to accept the amendment.
In March, 1904, the state took charge
of the Home and so many of its
friends wanted to pay the new institu-
tion a visit that at the first meeting
of the board of directors, we, encour- |
aged by the previous liberality and
of the G. & s. I. officials, as
above shown, explained to Mr. Hale
that we wished to take a good num-
Der with us and asked that he would |
pass the board and entire crowd The
pass was issued to those known to be
going, including yourself and others
named therein, and several who later
decided to go with us were passed al
50.
The pass was not issued on any re-
quest of yours, and since you say you !
nave no recollection whatever of the
natter, I imagine that in passing the
,rowd no violation Of the law occurred
o you, as 1t did not TO me, or to any
me else SO far as heard mentioned
Continued on Page Four Z
& < 81 y g 4 q ~. II E