The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-14
VETERANS |NDORSE
MOVE TO PURGE
PENSION ROLLS
Camp Wilcox Passed Reso-
lutions at Its Meeting
Yesterday
is FIRST CAMP
TO TAKE ACTION
Captain John Smith Makes Strong
Speech Indorsing Resolutions.
Invitation Extended to
the G.. A. X.


Resolutions strongly approving the
searching Investigations now being made
hy. State Examiner Brooke into the lists
OF the Confederate pensioners as to their
war records and calling upon the Daugh-
investigation in regard to the crosses of
honor. We're passed by Camp Hardee,
United States Confederate veterans, al
their meeting yesterday
1t is understood that Camp Wilcox is
the first Confederate organization in the
state to indorse the movement to ex-
plunge from the pension rolls of the state
all "deserters, bounty Jumpers and cave
dwellers'' and those who never saw
live Yankee with a blue uniform on dur
ing the four years of conflict Capt.
John G. Smith, commander of the camp.
made stirring speech in favor of the
resolution in which he claimed many men
are on the Confederate pension rolls and
wearing a cross who were a dishonor to
the Lost Cause"
Invitation to G. A. r..
Camp Wilcox also passed resolutions
tending to bring together the veterans
u thV oitS anu Tic stay anu tAttiiurh
to the members of the Grand Army of
the Republic a. cordial invitation to at
tend the meeting of the camp and take
part in the discussions. The camp went
on record as not having indorsed any
candidate for the position of brigadler
general of the Fourth Alabama brigade.
The resolutions indorsing the movement
TO eliminate from the pension rolls all
who are unworthy, follows;
Whereas, 1t seems to be officially
known that there is a large number of
ing pensions from the state of Alabama
who are not entitled to the same, and
thereby causing hardship on the true
veteran, who stood behind the guns to
defend his country from 1861 to 1865;
Therefore be it resolved That Camp
Wilcox No. 1882 L. C. v, heartily APP
proves of the searching l.. estigation
now being made of the rolls OF the war
department by State Examiner Brooke,
under the orders of Governor O'Neal, to
the end that all deserters. bounty jumpers
and cave dwellers be eliminated from the
pension rolls of the Confederate veterans
BE 1t further resolved, That the Daugh-
ters of the Confederacy be requested to
start a searching investigation to ascer-
idiii II tntIc' Dt Ine15 wearing the t'Onfeu-
crate cross of honor as veterans who are
not entitled to wear the same, and If any
be found that they be taken up and re-
turned to unsoiled hands, and that every
camp of Confederate veterans In the state
of Alabama be and are respectfully re-
quested to assist the state authorities in
purging the pension roll
Captain Smith Talks
Capt. John G. Smith spoke in favor of
the resolutions as follows
'These resolutions as | understand the
matter, are not intended to conflict with
any of the rights of the Confederate vet
eran who did his duty as soldier in
the war between the states, but are in
tended to reach a class who are now pos
ing as Confederate veterans, when in fact
they never saw live Yankee with a blue
uniform on during the four years of con-
1lict. They are, however, intended to
reach the deserter. bounty Jumper and
cave dweller. These are a class of men
who played their parts to the detriment
of their country and their families from
1861 to 1865 and are now, many of them,
on the Confederate pension rolls and
wearing a cross to the dishonor OF our
cause
when the war ended these men were
cur worst enemies. and were the vampire
bats on our body polite. and it was to
check them and the carpetbagger with the
scalawag that the Ku Ixlux Klan was or
ganized. Nothing did much to hold
them in check as the Ku I<lux Klan, the
negro's ghost and the scalawag's devil.
"Do you ask me If l know these men
personally? If So answer no, but the
work of exposing them is now going on,
and the time will soon come when you
will know who they are. At present they
come before you appearing in sheep cloth
ing, when in reality they should be
clothed in goats hair and wolf skins.
A Plea to Real Veterans
''Will YOU men of 1861 to 1865 stand idly
by while the cry comes up from the de-
serving old comrades that there is no
money to pay his pension, the imposter
has 1t all? Listen to the cry from the
battlefield saying they were not there:
listen to the cry of the widows and or
phans who say put them out and cleanse
the Augean stable, that no imposter may
draw pension unworthily from the state
of Alabama.
''Remember the tears of your sainted
mother as she sent you out to battle
with a mothers blessing; remember the
tears of your sisters, brothers and dear
old friends as they kissed you good-by;
remember the sorrow in the family when
John was killed and James lost an arm,
and swear that no imposter, with your
knowledge and consent, shall longer dis
grace the honor and pension rolls of the
veteran. or be counted army heroes of
1861 to 1865.
Let it he known that there is no place
for them, but let them, like the hog. re-
turn for their wallow, while the old SOL
dier protects the honor of the Confeder-
ate veteran. stand up and be counted
for the cause of righteousness as you did
in 1861 to 1865 amid the rattle of mus
kerry and the roar of artillery. Do your