The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-04-24
MORE VETERANS HOMES.
The Bill to Establish One Beyond the Mississippi
Passes the Senate.


PASSES the Senate.
The bill to establish Soldiers and Sailors
Home west of the Mississippi, which was intro
dmeed in the Senate in February last at the
request Of the committee appointed &C the last
atlonal Eneampmeus OF the Grand Army,
consisting of William Warner. Theodore Wise
man, H. E. Palmer john Lindt and Albion P
Pease. was called up in the Senate on the 18th
inst. with the amendment reported from the
Committee on Military Affairs to insert at the
end of section 2 the words:
Proriicd That said Board Of Managers may seiecs
any GoseTnIneit property suitable for such Home,
by and with the consent of the Secretary Of War.
Senator Miller, of California. offered the fol-
lowing amendment, which was adopted.
SEC. 5. That the Board Of Managers Of the Ma
tional Home for Disabled Volunteer SOLDIERS Ia
hereby authorized 10 inquire into the expssieEcy
OF establishing branch of the Home she state
OF California iOT the Pacific tOssi. and To that end
the said board Is authorized ~ receive proposals
from the managers u the NeS rams Home located
ia Nat county California for he transfer IF the
buildings. grounds aud property OF said Veterans
Home 10 the United States for use a branch Of
the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.
and report To CssaTes respect 10 the pr0priety
as.d expedeBcy OF accepting said Veterans Hons
for such branch But this section shall inter-
tere with the establishing of the Home provided
for in this act
In explanation of his amendment, Senator
Miller said:
There are a great many disabled veteran soldiers
only Of tie Of tit rebe. .i.15 but Of tas
Mexican war, the PaeiBc coast. "a California
there seveFai tiIeas.ad veterans. OF them
Disabled at least have share OF This class Of
deserving soldiers the Government has er
esla'ilS;ied any hoIne or any aFtne1 o. the Ma
uonai House on that coast The people themselves
have established what they cali Veterans Home,
and have about fifty Thousand dollars worth OF
property, consisting u lands and buildings which
they willing 10 Eurn over TO she Government "a
be used as a branch OF the National Home.
offer this amendment To eulhe Tire managers
s.ta
fOrna be had for this IL VIII, of course.
cost tue Government nothing and viii provide the
means of taking of the disabled soldiers
that coast IL i - EIr away that they have
benefit OF the National Home any OF il branches
this side OF the Rocky Mountains. Il IS mani
fesIy just and proper that they should have these
benefits. know Of other way tian TO establish
Home sheFe; and beginning for il liberal
subscriptions have been made the property Ia
owned and is free of debt 1 think il would DO
good arrangement to have the property turned
TO the United states, and branch Of the Ma
tionaI Home established there.
Senator ConGer, of Michigan, offered an
amendment of like character, which was also
adopted. Ii is as follows:
And also that the Beard of Managers of the Sol
diers Homo be instructed to inquire into the
pedieney of establishing branch soldiers Home
in the State of Michigan. and also to The Of
the Fort ID, arbOFn military reservation and ina
buildings thereon for that purpose and 70 report
to Congress thereon at an early day.
In explanation OF his amendment, Senator
Conger said:
In the State of Michigan there Is military res
ervatiOn few miles Irorn Detroit the old Fora
! Dearborn reseTvasOn-which has upon It all tbs
buildings which were at the fort yvn il was OeeE-
pied az an arsenal and fort. Perhaps wi h
repairs of those buildings ught be made
available for a soldiers home. At least the Gov
has the property there, several hundred
acres of land. believe. a saluhrious region and
the expense could not be great of fitting 4 mp aud
preparing II u suitable home Tor the sciers IN
| Michigan who DO not ike To go OF into other
/ States who Ito rot Ike to go away from their
friends their families their relatives 10 be away
| in sickness and perhaps in deRtll so far removed
/ they would he by going To Dayton tina
lake TO Milwaukee. There should BE at least asy-
-lum~ for tile sick and disabled and those who
not he moved to great distances. There should ne
branch honie a smaller scale FOR that class Of
/ soldiers, and I shy il is the universal desire Of
every soldier in Michigan W no connected with
/ the service IN the war and il has heen expressed
/ In the resolutions of the Grand Army Posts 81
that State. and ins, yielusily that there should
be branch home in Michigan for their comrades
in which they may live and II which they may Dc
reasonably those who interested in them,
that they may die in their own land aHd in their
own homes.
There is no sentinlentality about this. There 10
no reason why men should be sent far OFF. We srs
not doing them favor II we give them q homo
that has ilti al The virtues of home one Oh ~hien
Is their relatives and ueTncss to tacir
/ friends. We should give il TO them IN their own
State especially for those who are sick and unabis
/ to be removed a great distance away rom their
/ friends.
/ A question having arisen as TO whether tbs
/ amendments would conflict with the main pur-
pose of the bill-to establish a veterans home
| in either the States Of Arkansas. Colorado,
| Kansas Iowa. Minnesota. Missouri and Ne
| brslska-Senaror Logan. of Illinois moved %
amend the amendments by adding thereto the
| words
But this provision shall not interfere with the
establishing of the home provided for in this act
/ This amendment was agreed 10, and the bill
was passed withousa division. IL appropristes
! $250.000. There is little deHht bHt that il Will
! be passed by the House at an early day.