The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-12-15
Newberry, S. c., Dec. II, 1911.
n the Editor of the Journal,

/ NN-S
Chickasha, Oklahoma.
Dear Sir: An old army comrade, MI.
George G. Buchannon, commander OF
!oe Shelby camp of Chickasha, has
cent me- CODY of the Journal, contain
ING = full report of the recent State
meeting of the United Confederate
veterans of Oklahoma, as held IN
Chickasha, in which meeting discus
sion took place concerning the dis
nosition of the cotton tax, in case the
federal government should refund the
tax to the Southern States, on Whlcn
il was levied and collected just aI1er
the War Between the States. The Okla
homa meeting expressed itself in favor
of the whole amount of the tax being
given to the Confederate veterans:
While 7 am glad to see movement
taking shape to secure the retundlng
of the cotton tax to the South, I am
free to state that I do not think that
the action of the Oklahoma meeting IS
altogether the best one, will state
my position in the hope that my plan
NAV be considered in the future oy
such meetings as may assemble to dis
onss the important matter.
While attending the reunion of the
Confed derate veterans at Little ROCK
gave Mr.. Buchannon a copy Of a letter
which I had written January, 1917, 10
Hon. Wyatt Aiken, the congressman
from my district in South Carollna'
SUGGESTING that a bill be introduced IN
CONGRESS to refund the cotton tax to
the States from which it was eXacted,
T enclose a copy Of that letter, and l
hope that you will give it place IN
your columns in the same connectloh
with this letter. I have given mucn
thought to the matter Of the cotton
tax and the justice of the movement
which seeks to have it refunded by
the general government. The amount
Of the tax is sixty million dollars, and
even if we get only the principal 1t IS
readily seen how such sum OF money
may be of great benefit to our people
if it be distributed in an equitable
manner.
The plan which I suggest is, in the
event, of course, that the tax be re-
funded. That it be divided into three
parts. First, I would have one third
of the tax devoted to the payment OF
the public debt, which was foisted up
on the Cotton States, by the carpet
Dagger and the scalawag.
Second. One third to the cause OF
education in the Cotton States as rep
resented in that, large class of chill
dren who attend the common schools
and then third to the surviving SOL
diers of the Confederacy and the wild
oWs of those of the soldiers who gave
their lives for the cause they believed
TO be true. This latter division would,
of course, include the widows OF all
ex-Confederate soldiers that have died
since the war. Such disposition OF
the fund, if the South should receive
what is Justly due her, would be in
dorsed more generally, I believe, by
our people and give more general sat-
isfaction than any other plan that l
can think of. All the important in
terest of our Southern people would
be represnted in this plan. Many of
the original taxpayers from whom the
money was extorted by the federal
government have long since passed
away, and it is doubtful if their de-
scendants could readily establish any
claim for the amount of the tax each
one paid. Since this is the case, their
descendants could participate in such
distribution as I propose and have
a part in movement, which would
rebound to the good of the whole
South.
The plan herein suggested for the
consideration of all our people has re-
ceived the Endorsement Of everybody,
with one exception, to whom I have
presented it. A large number of per-
sons who paid the tax have said to
ME that they were in favor of the plan
to divide the amount into three parts
as indicated, and | believe that when
the plan is fully explained, as it should
be to the people, it will receive q gen