The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-03
Measure Expected to
Carry a Total Expendi-
ture of 100000.
T w 0 M EMBER
STAND AGAINST 1T
Brewer Declares That $125,oOO
Must Be Trimmed From APP
preparation Bill-Road and
School Funds May Be Up
set-Judge Williams
Sounds Warning.

over the protest OF the chairman of
the Appropriations COMMITTEES and the
democratic floor leader. the House OF
Delegates yesterday amended and
adopted tho general Confederate peu-
sion bili carrying; the largest sum ever
voted bE this state for pensions
While no exact data has been gattercd
ss L" the number who may apply for
pensions under the new provisions thu,
most conservative estimate is that the
b'li "!l! entail Il total expenditure -.
sboe.ueo n wear. while tho total may
run 20 saoh,ooc or more.
Chairman Brewer, Of tho Appropria-
tlous Committee, called tho attention
Of tho House 70 the fact that the APP
propriation bin has heen drawn on the
assumption that there would he an .u
crease of 20 per cent III Confederate
pensions. and sufficient fund had been
sct apar; TO carry out that increase
Ihe action Of the House in MAXIM
further increases averaging IL per
cent In most OF the schedules. and in
opening the gates To new pensioners
and widows without any definite IDEA
OF the number, would necessitate the
trimming OF the appropriation bill at
least Sl@5,oeo d year, II there ia not
to be Il serious deficit at The close oil
;hc :isoEi period.
Amendments 10 two OF the schedules
alone carry increases over the Baker
Stubbs bin as reported by the Commit
tee on Appropriations estimated by
Auditor OF Public Accounts c. Lee
Moore 1T s63,sis, while Mr.. Moore re
ported tina; there was no Information
on which to base estimates of the
probable cost OF other amendments.
such as raising the property limit, and
changing the date OF marriage. In or
der that widows oil Confederate sol
diers ma. ae. eligible. ~.-
WIN upsct appropriation Bill.
Only two members ci the House
voted against tho bin on its final pas
sage. Five members OF the nouse.
who were interviewed by reporter
for Tie Times Dispatch within n few
minutes after the hnai passage Of the
bill admitted that the voting OF so
large 4 sum IN the dark would tend
largely IL upset the appropriation bl.
which IS the special oruer for to-day,
ana van make necessary sharp cuts IN
the road ana school funds.
Two others interviewed said that thev
we're prepared to show thut the appro-
priation bin did not take up all of the
fairly anticipated revenues, as the
chairman had stated and that the in
creases to pensions could be allowed
without danger of a deficit.
Fear Semiannuai Payments
Ihe pending question had been
ordered just before Adjournment on
Saturday, and the bin came up yes
terday on its passage with large
number OF amendments. Witch were
voted on without explanation or dis
cussion. The final amendment offered
by Mr. Lewis. Of Mccl<lcnburg, To pro-
vide for scmiannual instead OF annual
payments, threw the House into great
confusion when il WAS suggested tha,
the bill was so worded that the amend.
ment might serve TO double all pen
sions and double the charge AGAINST
the state. The amendment was reject
ed. On later study IL was shown that
in most OF the classes the provision Is
Tor certain sums per annum. In other
classes the words per annuln" are
omitted, and provision for payment
twice year might have been construed
10 mean two payments OF the amount
specified.
When the vote was announced Alr
Norris stated that as the amendments
would necessitate an increase in rhe
amount set apart In the approximation
bin for pensions OF from Sl50.00o to
si6o0O0, he wished TO give notice that
he would oppose any diversion from
the highway funds.
Should Watch Where Money Goes.
1T is just as important for this
House To watch whore the money goes"
said Judge Williams as 1t is to rack
our brains to nnd new subjects of tax
alton. | am In favor of Confederate
pensions, and il some one VIII show
ne where to find the money To paw
these pensions. without disturbing the
fund for common schools, l will vote
for transfer.
But ! Will never vote for a bill that
distributes the peoples money when
j do not know how much IL Will take
or where II Is 10 come from. We have
adopted a bin to-day that no man living
can tell what the cost will be. II is
estimated that it will take $500 Ooo
more than last year. Judging tho
future by the past. believe IL Will
run To S4oo,000 or $500. 900 more t,an
last year. -Four years ago the Cen
eral Assembly changed tho date for
pensions Of widows OF Confederate
soldiers who were married prior to
1866. to 1863.
Dont Know What II VIII Cost.
"Wo appropriated $4,000 To cover
the probable increase because OF that
change. Every dollar of that amount
was spent. and when VIC came back
here two years later. the first bill that
went over the desk was ono appro-
priating $4,000 to meet a deficit i'm
pensions. because OF that change. Now
YOU have amended this bin. TO move
that date from 1868 to 1870, and no
man In tho world can say what the
cost Will lie. You have added Il hair
dozen other items just as far reach
Ing. say again that I am I'm favor
OF Confederate pensions. hut ! DO not
believe that IL is right for this House
to vote away the peoples money with
out consideration, and without any
knowledge of the cost of the amend :
ments which have becn voted on"