Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-27

! LIZ
Old soldier May be Made Happier
The Present Management Of the Home
in This City.
To the Editor of THE EvENISe STAR:
In your fragmentary publication of the gov
| ernor and commissioners reports of the
| Soldiers Home, u. c., tissue OF 10Th inst.) re-
| ferring to the ''increase of drunkenness"
| you say: ''rhe cause for this is laid by the
| governor at the door of the existing law for the
| disposition Of pension money of inmates =
showing the amount paid quarterly to the
| treasurer to be 10000 1t is asserted in a be-
grudging spirit that all of this sum "becomes a
good basis for credit at the grog shops, a con-
| slant temptation and that Legislative rem
| edy is not to be had"
So then, ''to permit the peusioner to enjoy his
pension and his liberty seems to be in the eyes
of somebody, a high crime. If IL is for the ul-
| terror purpose OF further vexing the honorable
men here that this fratlty is spread before the
| public with a view to influence narrow guage
| legislation to mulch the pcnsonere this sort OF
harangUe Will neither serve the purpose nor
rebound to the honor nor interest of him who
may have the hardihoOd to advocate IL. Gentle
men should consider how themselves would
| like it.
Not ALL by very long range do these SlO.-
OOO go to the 'grog shops. There men
and as sensitive of their honor any that ever
| drew sword or wore spur. The pity il they
are closed with. or compelled To elbow against
the loathsome drunkards, incbrtates. idiots and
lunatics. They deserve better treatment. The
! following extract from Senate bin No. 1921.
| defines the law tor The disposition of tensions
''fhe pensions OF all or who may become in
mates ct the horne except those who transfer
to famiies} shall be paid to the treasurer oil the
home, in trust for the pensioner." THE gov
ernor may from time To tins, pay over TO any
inmate such part of his pension money as lac
may think best for the interest and consistent
with the discipline and good order of the home,
but such pensioner shall not De entitled TO de-
mand the same SO long rs he remains an inmate
| OF the home.' .'In case of the death OF a pen
| sioEer. any pension money due him and re-
manning in the hands OF the treasurer, shall
be paid TO his legal heirs. il demand Is made
within three years otherwise the same shall
escheat to the home The intention of the
| law is quite eviden: that the diScrminaIing
| power should draw lire between good and
bad behaviour, that the good should not suffer
/ for the bad. 1t is however, a law contradictory
j to the supreme statute, 'prohibiting pensioners
| from transferring Their certificates To any per-
SON, and therefore, by appeal, would be
held invalid. II is stigma to American free
dom and legislation: but for the lobby and the
INDUSTRIOUS accommodating pound rule il
| never could have passed.
The regulations for the government OF the
| home are necessarily as absolute as the articles
| OF war, and are productive of good results when
enforced. Here is a sample:
Article l. ''rhe officers and inmates OF the
Soldiers Home are subject to the rules ard
articles OF war, designed TO protect the good and
~. Inmates of the home will not be permit
ted TO introduce any kind OF liquors within its
Enclosures, and violation 'of this regulation
will be deemed sufficient cause tor dismissal
| from the institution
| V. "For misconduct (of which drunkenness.
| fighting and abusive language may be named
as the most prominently, or for any conduct sub
versive of good order and discipline. inmates
shall be subject to punishment. by stoppase OF
| their pocket money, and confinement, or other
| wise, at the discretion of the governor, and for
a repetition of such offenses they may be dis
! missed"
| VIII. "Any inmate who shall behave i'm a
| riotOus, disOrderly. insurbordinate manner, or
who shall persist in disregarding the rules and
regulations OF the home, or in disobeying the
orders of the officers appointed over him, shall
be dismissed
X. Authority for dismissal is vested in the
| governor of the home &c.
! OF late years many young men, apparently
/ able bodied, have been admitted TO the home.
! They have been OF little account To the service:
| Sinking duty and feigning sick. their officers
tire OF their worthlessness, and in due time they
are fosted on this institution, TO iced like mules
| in heavy pasture. This should be stopped by
rigid surgical examination or their arrival, and
| at intervals as they recover from temporary
| ailments finally discharged. The home was
| founded and intended for men worn cut in long
| and honorable service of twenty years or more.
| A law prescribing the admission of any man
with use OF his legs and arms and drawing 1.
pension Of $50, with a prohibitory clause for
! retired soldiers, should be passed. They have
no right here And an allowance OF SD per
! be given from the home fund to men of twenty
Years service and upward, provided they
!
that figure to have the additional sum to equal
! nOn-pensionerS.
The horror of .home'' life would then be re-
moved; it obiiterates political identity. sewers
/ and estrangeS the dearest tics of kindredship
Many would avail themselves o. such q priyi-
leye TO join their friends and their families, and
thank God to be enabled TO live modcstly and
| in peace. II was the intention of tine soldiers
great friend, Vice President Wilson, 10 nave
sucn a law enacted for this institution, and
whoever will now champion it will be doing a
| great benefit Ia all concerned. 1t would be an
incentiye for good men to serve long and faith
fully. The pension bureau, hedgeG about AS IL
is with absurd laws. gives the soldier discharge
| for total disability, worn and broken ia health
| By the most rigorus services in the world, about
| as much chance for tile success OF his claim as
| he would nave TO draw a fortune in a lottery
A law retiring all veterans of twenty years
service would be the right thing 10 maintain
responsibility and decrease pauperisin, pro-
duced by the mockery of the pittance allowed
The home government is under a better re-
gime than ever before. That Gods blessed
heroic old general, Chief of artillery. army Poto-
mac, Henry J. Hunt. with his gentiemanly as
| sistant, the deputy, goes about late and early
| looking alter the comfort OF those over whom it
is his lot and their good fortune to rule, in a
riety vi food, with marked improvement in the
cooking, is served. Blankets have been washed,
| that was not permitted heretofore, as being too
| expensive, and all who can appreciate his kind
improved. Very sincerely and respectfully
| yours, VETERAN.
soldiers Home, D. c, Nov. olst, 1855.
! Commissioner Rlack'S Report.
HE SAYS rHE PENTIoN OFFICE WAS A POLITICAL
| MACHINE WHEN HE TOOK HOLD OF 1T.
In his annual report Commissioner of Pen
| sions Black states that the amount paid for pen
sions during the year was $64,91s ,435, an in
crease over the previous year of S., O69, S3S. He
suggests that an increased pension be given in
cases of total deafness, and in those which,
in lesser degrees, approximate total deafness,
| and recommends q rating of $40 for total deaf
ness and proportionateiy for lesser degrees of
! this trouble He further suggests that the benz
| efts OF the act OF March ), 1885, lie extended to
soldiers and sailors who, while in the line of
duty, lost an arm above the elbow joint or a leg
| above the knee joint, and who, in consequence
thereof, have been substantially disabled TO the
same degree as though amputation had
or hip joint. He expresses the opinion
that Injustice is done by time Limitation
| and says that IL soldier was entitled to pen
sion at any time prior to 1st day of July, 1850,
! he ought 10 be allowed to make proof OF IT at
| any time. In conclusion he makes . general
review OF the condition OF the Pension office
when he assumed charge of it, saying that the
| Pension bureau was recently almost avowedly
a political machine and adding that ii was not