Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-01-19
Old Soldier Advocates Changes
in Payment of Pensions.

1 shall bring several charges
against the officials of South Caro-
lima. the legislature, the Executive
and the Judiciary, for the way they
have treated the old veterans. And
in doing so, I must go back to the
civil war to lay the foundation for
tie complaint.
Alleged first, South Carolina ra's-
ed more cain in starting the war
than any other State; that is an his
toric fact known to all America.
In January 1851 the war dogs from
the mountains to the sea howled for
war, saying that the war would be
over in three months; that we could
whip the whole business with corn
stalks. And some went so far as to
say that they would drink all the
blood spilled, etc. But that class
never did get there; ard when it
came to fire, sweat and blood South
Corolina did not do her duty to her
soldiers on the field. This is also a
fact of history, and l can prove
every allegation in the complaint
1 use the word South Carolina ad.
visedly. My complaint is to the
POWERS that BE, and them only.
VERY few of those fellows that
would drink the blood ever is
much as heard the music of the
bullet-showers of a battlefield.
My second complaint of indict-
ment is, that South Carolina has
signally failed 10 come up to the
other States on the pension" bill.
These men who went to the front
and returned with wounded legs,
empty sleeves and bullet scars on
their bodies are heroes of nobility
and patriotism; men who for four
years bivoucing on, the ground,
sleeping on fence rails, marching
and fighting in the heat and cold,
often pressing the ice and snow with
bare and bleeding feet. Now after
being benefited by the storms and
conflicts of life, they feel the need
of a helping hand. Is this State so
poor that she cannot do for her old
veterans what other States are do
ing? No, it's not that. 1t is an
other Pharaoh who knew not JOS
eph." Another generation that never
knew anything of the pain and suf-
fering that follows in the wake of
war.
My third complaint is, the prop
erty qualification embraced in the
pension bill of this State. l take
the ground land l think it tenable),
that where man went into the war,
leaving everything that was sacred
and dear to him behind. doing his
duty in camp or on the battlefield,
and got back home, and went to
work and accomplished fortune
maybe,- by honest toll, he has the
same right to pension" as the fel-
l low that has never made anything.
AS / understand it, that is abso-
lutely wrong.
Ny fourth complaint is, the way
the 'Old Soldiers Home" is con,
Quoted. ] have visited the home
often, and it is always the same, as
see it.
And I have said, and now say,
that I had rather die in sheep
pasture exposed to the fowls of the
air and the beast of the forest, than
at that Home" And yet for 1915
there was an appropriation of nearly
$le,S54 to run that institution.
There is something dead up the
creek--the fountain is not pure.
say in the name of all that is holy
abolish the "Home;" give the old
soldiers a good pension and le,
them live among their relatives anc
friends.
My fifth complaint is the way the
Pension Board cuts down the pen
sion Of the widows of dead soldiers
and l shall prove this allegation
and will put only two witnesses OF
the stand. namely j. w. Edison anc
G. w. Lott deceased. These men
went in the army at the beginning
to fight to the finish, no better sol
diers ever lived or died, member
of my Regiment company. G. W
Lott left his leg on the rocky sides
of Gettysburg, J. w. Edison lief
his on the banks of Chickamauga
They both suffered for years anc
without any help from the State
finally they both received the small
pittance of $1,000 year, $500
mouth for giving their service anc
leg to the State. Listen, six dol