St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-04-27
Old VETERANS ASK
INCREASE OF PENSION
LOCAL CAMP SAYS SPIRIT OF
LAW SHOULD BE CARRIED OFT
one Mill Tax Should Be Bonded,
say Wearers Of Gray, and
Give Pensioners $25

Not SO long ago, as the mind OF
man runneth, the people of the state
adopted an amendment to the ON
stitution which provided a further
levy of one mill taxes on all the tax
able property Of the state in order to
old soldiers of the Lost Cause. 1t
was confidently believed that this
one mill would increase each pen
sioner's quarterly pay considerably
and do it at once. AS a matter Of
fact, for some reason to US unkonwn,
the first increase came at the be-
ginning Of the present yea as the
quarter ending March 81 brought
each old vet $27 instead OF the usual
$24. This shows an increase of but
one dollar per month, and the old
vets think that they are entitled to
more, as witness the following from
the r. e. Lee Camp, u. c. ", of this
city:
Headquarters, R. E. Lee Camp No.
IA, U. G. ",
Opelousas, La, April Z, 1918.
Be it resolved, that we ask no ex.
ira tax, only to bond the one mill tax
and interest, to run until principal
and interest are paid yearly from the
proceeds of the one mill tax which
Is now being collected. Then by the
death of pensioners, as the number
decreases the one mill tar can be
lessened every two years by the gen
eral assembly SO as to pay each pen
sioner the $25 limit. This should be
done at once SO the pensioners can
enjoy during the few remaining days
of their lives the reward given them
onlys two years ago by the patriotic
people Of this great commonwealth
with full knowledge and intention
that the one mill tax would increase
the fund set aside by their consent
TO reward to the full limit. We ask
no extra tax, only to bond this tax
which was unanimously voted by
the delegates and officers Of the in
coming and outgoing administrations
of the Louisiana division Of the u.
Q. VI, held at Alexandria October 4
and 5,1917. All the pensioners ex-
pect is the $25 limit. This does not
represent more than the old limit,
comparing the high cost of living.
Therefore, we petition His Excellen-
cy the governor and the honorable
members of the legislature to grant
this our last request.
In closing, We approve the govern
ment Of President Woodrow Wilson
III this great war. We love and adj
mire the bold and soldierly look Of
our young heroes clad IN khaki uni
form. our sons and grandsons and OF
those who opposed US In the bloody
strife during the sixties are fighting
side by side for the same principle
of the Lost Cause. Our armies were
overpowered, but the principle for
which We fought shall ever live.
Ours was for the rights of the states;
theirs Is for the rights Of nations.
Half q century after this cruel val
lis ended, when the maddened hearts
and minds OF men will have soften
ed by time, the historians viii gather
the true history and cause Of this
great conflict. Then the sons and
grandsons Of Allies and Teutops will
gather in the broad shade of Amer
ica's liberty flag and the sound OF
Columbia's liberty bell win be heard
ringing to the nations of the free
and the homes of the brave, protec-
ton, freedom ii friendship in all
DatioIis forevermore.
Respectfully submitted,
q. P. RICHARD, Adjutant.
Approved a. SIMON, Commander
Camp No. IA, u. q. v.
-O-