The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-02-14
OUR WESTERN VETERANS.
Congress Asked to Establish Soldiers Home
West of the NissisSiaDi

OUR w ESI ERIN NE1ERANS.
Congress Asked to Establish Soldiers Home
West of the mississippi.
As stated in our last issue, the committee ere
ated ut the seventeenth Encampment of the
Grand Army to urge upon Congress the estab-
of a soldiers home west of the Mis-
sissippi River arrived in Washington several
days ago, and it has lost no time in bringing
the subject TO the attention OF both Houses.
The members OF the committee had satisfactory
interviews with leading Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes and left nothing undcne that was
calculated to insure the speedy adoption of the
legislation desired. The bill to establish the
proposed home, as prepared by the committee
introduced in the Senate by Mr. Allison, of
Iowa, and in the House by Pennsylrania's old
war governor, ANDY" Curtin-is as follows:
A Bill to authorize the location of a branch home
for disabled volunteer soldiers in either the State
Of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas Iowa, Minnesota,
Missouri, or Nebraska
Be il enacted By the Senate and House Of Repre-
setdtires Of the United States Of america IN Congress
assembled, That the board of managers Of the Home
fer Disabled Volunteer Soldiers hereby author
lied and directed to locate branch Of the home at
suitable point in either the state of Arkansas,
Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri. or
Nebraska; and that the shall not be located
tract of land less than three hundred and twenty
acres in extent.
Section 2 That said branch home shall be located
gers within three months. soon thereafter as
practicable. from the approval Of this act
Sec. 3. That within SIX months, or as soon there
after practicable, from the approval OF this act
the said board of managers shall commence the
erection of a suitable building buildings on the
ground so purchased for the use of said branch
home; that said building buildings shall be
completed at as early a day as possible.
Sec. l. That the sum OF two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars is hereby appropriated for the
purposes herelnbefore mentioned and tine improve
ment OF the grounds of said branch home
Sec. 5. That all honerably discharged soldiers
and sailors who served IN the war Of the rebellion,
who are disabled by age, disease, otherwise,
and by reason OF such disability are incapable OF
earning living, shall be admitted into the Home
for Disabled Volunteers Soldiers.
THE MEMORIAL.
In connection with this bill the committee
presented the following memorial to Congress: :
a memorial to the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives OF the United States Of America
Your nlemoFialst5 would respectfully urge that
the necessity for the establishments of a soldiers
home west of the Mississippi for disabled soldiers
and sailors who served in the OF the rebellion
who, by reason OF old age. sickness, otherwise,
are incapable Of earning living, Is. take 1t,
admitted fact.
Recognizing this necessity, the National Enca-np-
nent OF the Grand Army of the Republic at It's
seventeenth session, held at Denver, Colo, July,
1885, adopted on motion of q eomrade from the
State of Kansas, resolution
That committee of five members of this En-
campnlent be appointed 70 present TO the next
Congress of the United States the necessity and
justiee OF establishing q soldiers home west of
the Mississippi
In pursuance of said resolution your memorial
lists appointed such committee, and have
prepared the accompanying BILL
This bill is not drawn in the interest of any local
ity but IN the interest alone of those whom IL Is
intended to benefit in the great States of Arkan-
sas. Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri.
and Nebraska, having within their borders to-day
more than three hundred thousand volunteer sol
ders and sailors who served their country well IN
the war of the rebellion many of whom by reason
of age or sickness, are unable TO earn living
Thus conditioned and in poverty they must find
shelter, food and raiment IN home provided as
an act of justice, not charity, by the Government
they fought to save, or become inmates OF the
poor-house, and through its windows look out
upon the prosperity which, without them would
have been impossible 10 the Government which
leaves them 10 starve or become the common OBJ
jects of charity.
Il once was young" says the Psalmist but
now am old; but never have seen the righteous
foTsaken or their children begging bread
May this Nation never become so old or forget
full OF its duty as permit of the last of these
its veterans to beg his bread.
Your memorialIsts have only one object, and
that is to secure the speedy erection of eomnlo-
dious and suitable home at some convenient point
in one of the States named IN this bill.
They have full faith and confidence IN the board
of managers of the Home for Disabled Volunteer
Soldiers and believe that their selection of loea-
ticn, under the bill, will be wise one.
Your memoriaists trust that no member of Con-
gress will antagonize this measure, which is just,
as we'll as one of pressing necessity. because he
may prefer to name the locality of the home in
his district or State.
This bill also provides for the admission into the
home of all destitute thonorably discharged) sol
diers and sailors OF the civil war; who, by reason
OF age. sickness, or otherwise, are rendered inca
pable of earning living, whether their dlsabili-
ties can be traced their service not. This IS in
accordance with the oft-repeated recommendations
of the board of managers of the National Home
for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and, their Ian
guage it deserves the attention of Congress-
The homes now established are inadequate to
meet the demands; are far removed from the ter
ritory named in this bill, and are crowded that
they could not receive our disabled comrades If
sent to them.
The board in their report for 1883, say: There
Is steady increase of the number Of members
from year year, and it is not probable that the
number viii attain its maximum for some time 10
come"
General Patrick governor of the central branch,
in his report of July l, 1883, says During the last
winter the number of our members present rose
to 4oI5-the highest number ever reacheCI-making
1t necessary for large numbers of men to sleep on
the floors, and erowding the barracks much be-
yond their capacity, interfering with both ventiia-
ton and comfort. From present indications we
shall be much more crowded in time to come"
In conclusion, he says: Judging from past ex-
perieace especially OF the last three years the
ito of increase in members will continue to grow
for some years TO come; and the question con-
stanty before US is how shall the demand be met?
Alrea ~ We have been crowded to the utmost of
our capacity, as have already stated. By far the
largest proportion of those who apply for adj
mission are well advanced in years. many of them
requiring hospital accommodation from the time
they enter the home.
MANY of those who have hitherto taken care
of themselves, with little aid from others now
compelled to apply for admission; Others still. who
have been more largely dependent upon.their fam
lilies, find their families breaking up by death or
otherwise, aud seek refuge here Their claims
cannot be ignored, but how can they be metz"
Their demands must be met Justice, duty, and
even humanity demand that they should be met
and at once.
No nation, with millions of surplus revenue in
its treasury can afford to let its veterans, who rem
dered that surplus revenue possible. starve!
The Justice, wisdom, and immediate necessity
of the passage of this bill must be apparent to
every member of Congress.
Words of praise aud commendation for these
destitute soldiers Words that the children of
tile wind" words grouped ever so eloquently, will
not warm the cold, clothe the naked OK feed the
hungry.
The disabled volunteer soldiers and sailors of the
civil war deserve all and more than is asked in this
bill Let your appreciation of their services when
strong of body and patriotic of SPIRIT be shown by
your deeds, deeds that are the daughters of the
SOUL
Your memoriaists, in their personal intercourse
with the members, have been kindly received and