St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-27
SAINT PAUL MATTERS.
Ideas of Gen. G. @. Andrews Concerning
the State Soldiers Home that will
Probably be Founded.
MATTERS on Which the West st. Paul
Union Would Have Legislation
This Winter.
Tho Ros&on TdeaIs--How the Ballot
ing Progresses at the ST. johns
Church Fair.
Mr.. MiIler's Remains Taken TO MIL
vaukee--Many Minor Matters
ofLocaI News.

Gen. C, c. Andrews, of this city, who is
INSPECTOR of the department of Minnesota,
G. A. R., has issued a circular in relation
to the proposed soldiers home in Mime
sofa. The general was colonel of the Third
Minnesota regiment, brigadier and brevet
major general of volunteers. he will send
COPIES of the circular to all newspapers OF
the state for publication, in the interest OF
a cause Endorsed by the platforms of both
politicaf parties. There is hardly doubt
that the legislature will take some action IN
the matter, and Gen. Andrews favors a
home on a plan similar to the national
homes and different state homes.
Gen. Andrews says: The state of Michigan
has lately established soldiers home at
Grand Rapids, the buildings alone costing
100000. The grounds, consisting OF log
acres were donated by the city OF Grand
Rapids. The cost of the illinois Soldier rs
and Sailors Home at Quincy. including
grounds was 100000. The grounds COM
prise 40 acres, but are considered lnsuh-
cient The benefits of these state homes are
not restricted to those who served in a mill
tary organization of the respective states,
but may be enjoyed by any ex-soldier, coming
within the prescribed conditions, who has
been resident of the state for year. Inc
conditions for admission to the natlonal
homes are equally liberal, it not now being
required that the disability should nave peen
incurred in the service.
The principle which is characteristic both
of the national and state homes is emphatic
ally against the idea of charity and is ex-
pressed as follows, by the managers OF the
national home: 1.-The provision is not a
charity but is q reward to the brave and
deserving. and is their right, to be forfeited
only by bad conduct at the home, or convtc-
ton of heinous crimes"
The Soldiers Home represents the
SENTIMENT OF THE STATE
towards the ideal hero of the war. 1t IS
memorial to the dead as well as retreat for
the honorabiy disabled survivors of the war
1t must therefore, in the durability and
beauty of its architecture and its whole char
acter not only do honor to tho sentiment and
dignity of the state at the present time. and
be an object to which every citizen IN this
generation can point with pride, but it should
be something which will reflect honor upon
the state twenty or thirty years from now,
when its population shall be million or two
more than now, and when the inmates OF the
home shall be in the decline of life.
state like Minnesota, which received as
gift from congress the munificent dover or
1850 acres of land in every township for an
inviOabe school fund, now amounting 10
over So, 900, 00U, and destined to reach the
amount of Sl2, 100000, cannot afford. and
should not be permitted, to do anything mean
in the way of establishing a Soldiers home.
Her veneratiOn for the memory of her heroes,
who in rosy life sacrificed their lives in the
war, will of itself cOnStrain her to create a
home that will be worthy of her name gen.
pration or two hence as well as now. Its sit
nation should be where the sanitary condl-
lions are unexceptionabIe, with plenty OF
pure water, ample grounds and easily Access
gibe to visitors from all parts of the state.
Not only are the buildings Of the difere Mt
national soldiers's homes elegant and dura-
bls, but the park grounds belonging to each
are, in most cases, extensive: AS Is well
known the grounds Of the national home at
Washington city
ARE LARGE AND BEAUTIFUL.
The Northwestern branch home, near Mil
waukee, has $40 acres, very finely situated,
purchased at a cost of $10O, 000-the proceeds
of fair made by the ladies Of Milwaukee,
and donated to the government The Central
branch, located near Dayton, o., has charm
ing grounds OF 627 acres. The Western
branch, at Leavenworth, has $40 acres, which
that city not only donated, but embelhshed at
an additional expense of $50, 600. The East
ern branch. about five miles from Augusta,
Me-, has tract of ], 100 acres. We thus see
that extensive and embellished parks form
an important feature of every soldiers home,
and it should be insisted upon. if a home be
established in Minnesota, that 1T shall have a
large and f1nely-situated tract of land.
Congress appropriates over million dol
lars year for the support of the different
national soldiers homes. If Minnesota shall
establish state home, the expense of MAIN
tanning it would be considerable every year.
Whether, in view of the fact that there are
now so many disabled ex-soldiers in Mime
sofa and Dakota, congress would create
another branch home in this state, am not
in a position TO express an opiuion. The dis
lance from the branch home al Milwaukee to
a1i In cit MinnnSnfQ ic vpr 10
more than it is from the branch home at
Dayton, o.. to that at Milwaukee. 1t is safe
TO say. anyhow, that the action of congress
in such case would be very considerably in
fuenced b. the inducements which our state
would offer for having such branch home
established in It's limits.