The National tribune., 1883-10-11
GOVERNOR PATRICK,
And His Management Of the Soldiers
Home at Dayton.
Special Correspondents National Tribune.


Special Correspondence National Tribune
TOLEDO, October, 1888.
To-day | met DR.. J. T. Woods, former sur
geon of the old Sinety-ninth Ohio v. l., a man
who has attained to eminence in his profession,
and who, beneath a brusque exterior, carries a
heart as warm and tender as a woman's. Learn
ing that ne had Just returned from visit to the
National Soldiers Home, at Dayton, Ohio. the
thought presented itself that here was good
chance 70 get the impressions OF a solid, sensi-
bic man, and an old soldier, upon the manage
ment OF the affairs of that institution.
Having previously had some conversation
with him concerning the complaints arising un-
der the administration of General Patrick. the
present Governor of the Home, the introduc-
tiOn of the topic was easy and natural.
: So you have been to the Soldiers Home,
Doetorl May ask what were the impressions
of your visit?"
My impressions are simply this-that the
Soldiers Home is 8 paradise ON earth, and that
every one of the $500 veterans there ought to
stand with heads uncovered before the people
OF this Nation, who have cared for their sol
diery as no other men were ever cared for be-
fore"
Very true, Doctor; the Home is complete
IN all its appointments. The buildings are pala-
tlal, and the grounds, commanding q view Of
the lovely Valley Of the Miami, are beautiful
IL,
1t not true that the old soldiers are made so un-
comfortable by the petty tyranny of Governor
Patrick that the humblest cottage would be
preferable, were they but free to enjoy them
selves in their own way and come and go as they
choose ?"
saw no evidence Of petty tyranny there,
and n this | am free to say l was agreeably
disappointed after what 1 had heard and read
in the daily press. 1t is true that there was
the best of order everywhere aud that the men
are neatly and comfortably clad, presenting a
soldlerly appearance, and that they are not al
lowed to roam at large, disgracing themselves
and the uniforms they wear, as was too often
the ease under Governor Browns leHisHt rule
But, as they chatted IN groups under the
trees, or showed their friends around the
grounds, or repaired to their weIl-laid tables.
or clean, wholesome quarters, they certainly
seemed to possess all that grateful country
could well contribute to their happiness and
care"
INvEsTIGATIEG THE COMPLAINTS.
Did you have any opportunities Of examin-
ing into the causes Of the continued complaints
against Governor Patrick; and if so, VIII you
not tell me something about it TO satisfy the
many inquiries that have been made of TIE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE?''
Yes; did make inquiries, and made them,
too, directly Of the veterans themselves, before
I had spoken TO q single olfieer-nOt even with
Chaplain Earnshaw, whom l saw later in the
afternoon. ] mad long had the desire to visit
the Home and satisfy myself as 10 the way
things were running there, and 70 do it. too in
just the way I did. Reaching Dayton I took
the cars that run directly to the Home, some
miles out, and found myself seated By a re-
turning veteran, laden with parcels he had
purchased in the city fasked him concerning 2
was an outburst of dissatisfaction against the
management in general and Governor Patrick
in particular. Pressing him for something of
a definite character, I found he had moth
ing personal TO complain of, except that he did
not enjoy the food. He had never been IN the
guar6-hOuse; had never been disciplined for Of
tense OF any kind had always had q pass when
he wanted it, and, as for himself, had no other
cause for complaint. Thinking there was a
shortage on table supplies, or that they were
inferior in quality or badly cooked, | still
pressed him for something specific. Finally.
when | kept him strictly to the facts, / found
that his sole complaint was, that the meat was
cooked by steam, and steamed meat he did not
like. He also liked more fruit and kniek-
knacks than were served with the meals and
had been to the city to make some purchases .
Well, that was certainly not very griev-
ous case as the Home table probably furnishes
pension. But certainly You found something
more grave and serious than this?"
Ies; but l mention this as q sample of the
kind OF complaints that are made Every man
has some grievance or thinks he has, but when
pressed to tell exactly what it is he finds great
difficulty in putting his complaint in words.
The chief cause of complaint is in the strict
military regulations to which the veterans are
subjected in the matter of passes, it requiring
oh
get q furlough in the army
THE NECESSITY FOR STRICT DISCIPLINE.
''Well, why not let the old soldiers go and
come at will2 There is no necessity. certainly,
for them to be bound strictly to their posts"
There is the best of reasons why the man
agement must exercise great caution in the
matter of passes. The veterans at the Home
are simply soldiers in camp, and their conduct.
upon departing from the grounds upon a leave
OF absence, is quite the same. While the ma
jority viii respect their parole, the minority
will plunge into the first dram shop that hap
pens to be in their way, returning in a state of
maudlin int0xieation, if returning at all, but
oftener lying down on the wayside TO sleep OF
a drunken frclic."
"Can it be possible that any old soldiers
conduct themselves in this way? Tell us
more about it.
well if you could see the Gordon of saloons
and whisky shops that surround the Home,
you would not be slow TO understand how these
things operate. l happened to come across q
man on guard, who gave me inst the points ]
was seeking Approaching him, he began with
the usual tissue of complaints about affairs IN
general, but in the course Of our conversation
discovered that he, too, traced all the trouble
to the presence upon the grounds of the bum
mer element. Owing to the misconduct of four
or FIVE hundred men who are addicted 70 drink,
whenever subjected TO temptation, more than
three Thousand men find their personal privi-
leges very materially curtsiled. Nor can the
refusal of passes withhold these men from
temptation. They scale the fences at night
and find their way into the rum shops, in spite
OF the guard. Only last night. said the guard
to whom / spoke, a man stole away to that
hell-hole over the hill there, and returning
pretty drunk, fell with splash into yon
little lake. One of the guards went to the
rescue and pulled him out, but he fell in again
This time he was marched to the guarJi-hOuse
The next morning he was up before the gov
ernor, who asked him if he was intoxicated DE
said he was not, and was returned 10 the
guard-house Later he was recalled, when nc
acknowledged that he was druak-and these
cases are coming up all the time The guard
concluded his story by laying the whole
trouble to the bummersn
WHY THE MEN ARE UNHAPPY.