Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-18

!. The following address was pre-
pared BY Major I. NJ. Barna. member of
!. William Watts Camp. OF Roanoke. Va,
: for delivery ar the recent Confederate
Reunion in Richmond After arriving
, in Richmond, Major Barna decided not
to deliver II and he now presents il 10
) his comrades of '61-'65 in the columns
{ of The Times Dispatch.
am not here for the purpose OF
: euloglzing the heroic deeds of our
< old soldiers: their fame is written in
: imperishable acts of patriotism, and
! when the last member of the last camp
( has passed away the memories of his
: monumental achievements will grow
) brighter and brighter as the centuries
/. come md go But what of his pres
!, ent condition? Has each of our South
Z ern States done all in its power to as
!. sist the comparatively few yet remain.
: Ing among US? Again and again the
2 most earnest, logical, and unprecedent-
: ed appeals have been written in the
: public press, addressed 10 our law
: makers in the Legislatures to ascer-
!: tain whether or. not decent pension
!: could be given to these needy old
), souls, twenty-five or thirty years ago
: there was some reason for not granting
! even half living pension, but
!: now that the South is recognized as
! pre- emincntiy the most prosperous sec
;, Ton of the United States, with the pub
\ lie press boastinE of our progress and
" plcthoric treasures, IL is simply
! crying shame that SO little has been
! done towards paving the way for
/, ameliorating the last days of these
. grand and noble old soldiers who to-
!. day are just proud and brave in
: their adversely as they were on the
& battle fields Many as have been the
. appeals for help, rarely do we find one
I as coming from any one OF their num-
/ Der. 1t is quite unnecessary to assert
! that suffering does exist with many
/. OF these gray-h ea ded heroes. and they
|. too proud. or. maybe, too feeble to plead
:, their own cause.
. NOTE OF PATRIOTISM
!. WORTHY OF EMULATION
j am not posted as 10 what each of
!. our Southern States pays its old sol
: diers, / 40 know that Georgia the
!, State from which l served. commenced
! away back, twenty or twenty-five
/ years ago. by paying. nearly twice as
much a Virginia pays to-day. and is
. moving to make IL the same as the
s famous Sherwood bin for the Grand
= Army. $50 per month. BY the way,
!. the clause in that bill sounds a note
$ OF patriotism worthy of emulation,
!. even II the South does pay u per cent
: or II 1t reads: ANY person who
served in the war, and was honorably
discharged, and Is now UNFIT for manual
labor, shall be paid the maximum mem
sion under this act. to wit: $50 per
month, without regard TO length of
service or age" Virginia the grand
. old mother OF States, pays $3.50 per
month"; difference of about s27 Yes
J you say, but the G. y. rs have the
United States Treasury to draw on.
!: Correct you are. and this brings HE to
the point ! have in these remarks
When l made up my mind to attend
the Gettysburg Reunion--thc reunion
, or all reunions--l said to myself. that
: would-face to face with the old boys
In blue-ascertain whether some of
them were really in favor OF the Con
, federate soldiers being paid--in part
: at least-out of the Federal Treasury
had heard il stated many times. hut
& rot by the soldiers themselves that
:. they were opposed TO the proposition
y lust how manv l interrogated am un-
!, ab!e TO say--certainly not fewer than
(. nitN--and without a single exception
e they most heartily and earnestly as
; sured me, not only of their desire. 10
:. see II brought about but Voluntarily
: pledged me that, from that reunion
occasion. and upon returning TO their
: homes. they would agitate and work
Il for II among their difreront posts, Tho
,, unanImlty with which they discussed
!. This matter was, 10 come extent. n
= surprise 10 me. but .syhen they learned
!: what pensions we. received the greater
I. surprise was with them. For thu in
FORMATION sought ! went among the
/. more Intelligent officers of different
posts, etc Several of these said this
!. matter could and should have been
= easily accomplished long ago. but tbev
/. understood that the Southern people
T were too proud to accept a pension
: even out OF the Federal TREASURY
q citing the stand taken by the late John
{, warwick Daniels. OF NirEinia, on the
- moor of Congress What n hlu,d.r
a tTnSeSyr M
3 we may be. There IS no question ~
charitv Involved in receiving penston
i none! that we pay into tho govern
neht treasury. in the shape of taxes
me whole country is almost a unit IN
4 FAVOR OF this movement but ~, ,,ust
!. 80 10 work, 10 show that we ore In
:. earnest. III
: MANY VETERANS UNABLE
TO ADVOCATE OUR OArrsp
:. Az nrst move. lot the chair annoi,,
!, committee OF I'VE veterans for m
= purpose OF framing a suitable re.olu-
> ZION 10 De presented to this reunion
: tor INN ed'ats action. This should
az 'east consensus Of how the
: oio heroes feel in this matter And leI
those gentlemen who have hitherto m
!. Posed similar resolutions bear n, mind
/ that large majority Of the rink ava
: ME Of these veteran soldiers are phvfi
ch!!y unable 10 advocate their real
1 -. " nc N"lt''ND iat"d useful
i. move except by their votes Again
. 'hese same gentlemen who cry on,
. we are toe proud TO be patio ont OF
- the eceral treasury" bear in nird
I, that being paid in this way IS si,nnIv
receiving what the South has already
: pa'o into The said treasury. a ycrv
: poor argument, indeed. 10 man win
!. an empty stomach out Of the as 0O0
or $1,000 Confederate veterans sim
: win us. Surprisingly many ar. :o-5a,,
:, In most painfully destitute conditions
ana would gra tefully grasp relief Re
! hold their tremulous. unsteady forms
/, All over the Southland Toll ;bna.
= brave old veterans that Congress has
: vo'eo sum suffcient TO care for thom
arord n decent burial. and see bnw
: quickly they would exclaim Amen
= Among those opposed who are FRS, 10
spring 10 their feet at these reurio,=