Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-04
40 COrrespondents.
SOIdiers' Home,

We gave yesterday some OF the rea-
sons, which incline us to disfayor the
Soldiers Home Enterprise as contem.
plated BY the Association organized at
Indianapolis. Our objection was, in few
words, that too much of the money sub.
scribed would be absorbed by supernu-
mersries connected with the Associa-
ton, and the benefits of the Home con-
fined to too few Of our disabled soldiers
We propose, to-day, to suggest what We
regard ss q more prsctical, uniform and
certain way to accomplish the object
aimed At BY the Soldiers Home Associa-
ton, while obviaEing the most serious
objections to that enterprise.
We would adopt one Of TIVE plans,
both operating in the same direction.
Let. We would have q careful invssti-
CATION 20 ascertain the exact number Of
our soldiers who have besn disabled in
the service, the character of their mis-.
fortunes and their circumstances in life.
A roll of these unfortunate but honored
children of the Republic and State
should be kept in the archives OF oar
State by some one Of the State officers,
to be designated. In this way not alone
those who boldly apply for assistance
will be known, but the modest and re-
firing, who would rather suffer than
parade their poverty, viii also have their
claims recognized and their suffsriHgu
alleyiatsd. This we regard as an i'm
portAnt point. Hundreds Of men, needy
and disabled, would rather suffer with
their families and remain at homs thar
to abandon those families and apply fol
admission to Soldiers Home, however
luxurious might be it's accommodation
II I'd. Having ascertained the numbs
and circumstances Of those requiring
relief at the hands Of the citizens o
the State, we would have the STATE
! Legislature enact Law setting apart Q
liberal pension---which, added to the pen
sion allowed by the Government, would
place them in comfortable circumstancs
and levy q tax for that especial pur
pose. BY fhis arrangement the fund
for the relief Of disabled soldiers woul
be permanently secured. We would lik
to see the party that would dare to a'
tempt its repudiation. A greater nun
, Der of soldiers would be benefited, an
their families az we'll enjoy incidentally
, the blessings conferred BY the pension
y Modest men would not have to exhib
70 themselves daily to satisfy the idle Gu
=. riosity Of pleasure seekers Who chose
- visit the handsome grounds and splel
v did gardens Of Soldiers Homei hut !
: the quiet of their own freGidea, aud su
rounded by loved. ones, they could fe
they had o soldiers home worth q
others, however grAndly they might
constructed and adorned. If the uur
bers Of disabled soldiers are no larg,
l than has been estimated BY the India
apolis Home Association, the addition
u burden upon the taxpayers Of tbs Stai
to provide liberal pension for them q
4 would scarcely be felt. 1t is sstiwat
- that not over ! 900 disabled soldiers q
to be found in the State. A pension
500 each per yesr would With the &C
srnmeut pension, make the majority
8 them comfortable aud contsnted. T
State pension might be graduated to {
condition Of those receiving it-t
worst cases of disability rscsiving t
I'D largest pension.
). If the people Of Tadisus are too q
patriotic to make such provision
- her msimed and suffering sons-whi
~ We can never bslisve--we would cali
- the patriotic and li5eral-hearted to ra
BY subscription what the Legislature
! fused TO appropriats. But we VOL
have the funds thus raised disburaed
.H the form of pensions, thereby disPe
ing with the costly psrsphernalia
ahowy Soldiers Homes. We do
think our people are so anxious for {
sia play that they viii not subscribe nUl
-. their subscription is continually Para'
before the world BY lavish trustees I
stewards Of gaudy establishments, n
Ma. called Soldiers Homes. The com
of all the disabled soldiers - mari
and singls-is is what they are after,
A they prefer to have every dollar
sRr, directly to that object a-fs-.
Bat of the two plans we much PR
TDs the one frst named-the pass
of q law by our State Legislature, I
salty viding liberal pension for the disAl
2 ...s os; soldiers of our State, and no distinct
-ly ahould be made by reason OF any
= they held in the service. This plan
- ahink win satisfy al our cotemporal
BON. Who, with uss doubt the practieab
\ - =, and wisdom of the Indianapolis Sold
,stsa; Home enterprise. Il certainly viii
aooE: viAte the necessity Of spending th
s@. a. ands of dollars in purchasing gro