Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-11

There are two conflicting opinions as 10
a proposed appropriation for building addi-
tiOnal cottages for the accommodation of the
children OF the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors
Orphans Home, at Xenia. The Xenia
Gdzette, of Friday evening. says:
The lady advisory board of the Ohio Sol
dteTS and Sailors Orphans Home will ask
the legislature this winter 10 appropriate
funds to build several additional cottages at
that institution. There are very many
more children entitled 10 admittance there
than there is room 10 hold them, and as a
consequence many are being kept al
various Children'S Homes over the state al
a greater expense than would be required
10 keep them at the Home, and they are
not being 50 well kept either. There are
some persons high up in the q. A. K. even
who doubt the wisdom of this move. and We
see in some papers such expressions as this:
There is feeling that the taxpayers
have done more for the old soldiers and
their children this year than in all the sue
ceeding years since the war"
That our readers may be fully advised of
the objections alluded to, We reprint an edi-
| tOrisl from the Akron Beacon, as follows:
While il is true that the board of visitors
recommended that the legislature be memo
rallied for the building of additional cot
tages for the soldiers and sailors orphans,
yet the trustees of the Xenia home did not
approve il, and leading Grand Army men
! throughout the state think it unwiSe at this
time.
There is feeling among the leading G..
A. K. men of Ohio that the tax payers of
the state through their legislature have
done more for the old soldiers and their
widows and orphans this year than in all
the succeeding years since the war, save
the erection of the Soldiers and Sailors
Orphans Home at Xenia, appropriating.
first. S35, OO1 for the erection of
monuments at Gettysburg; second. S15.-
900 Ia care for the overflow of children at
the Nenla Home; third. the passage of the
bill appTOpriating S50.O 900 for the establish
mcnt of the new soldiers home at San
duSky. and lastly in the passage of the
Green bill, providing that 1-lO of one mill
shall be levied in each county throughout
the state TO be diSbursed for the relief of
the old soldiers, their widows and orphan
children, who are in needy circumstances.
Returns at &. A. Il. department headquar-
ters already received show that CON
Siderably over 500. 600 will be real
lied from the last named law. max
ing in all over 5000. 600 that the tax
payers have granted through the efforts
Of the grand army in a single YEAR Lead
ing grand army men throughout the state
have expressed themselves to the depart
ment commander, and they undoubtedly
voice the nearly unanimous sentiment Of
the order in thinking it unwiSe at present
TO ask for additional appropriations for the
enlarging of the home. Every year the
grand army is becoming more powerful and
influential, and it commands the entire con-
tidence Of the legislative authorities, state
and national. and great care should be
taken not TO abuse this confidence by asking
too much at once of this sort of legisla-
tiUn.
The Lebanon Gazette says, and truly.
that these are thoughtful words, e
worthy of careful consideration.
The Xenia Gazette has something more
to say, on the other side of the question. as
follows:
Still no money could be more honorably,
more beneiicially expended that what has
been used and is likely TO be appropriated
for use at the Orphans home We are
right at its door where We can watch its
workings and see its results, and after
making it study for years do not hesitate
To say that the institution is performing the
grandest work possible.
50 thoroughly are We convinced that il
surpaSseS all other charities in its results
that We stand ready today to give sup
port 10 the idea of establishing like homes
over the state large enough in numbers and
accommodations to take In the children of
all the poor of the state. the expenses of
the same TO be paid for by taxing the people
al large. We would think tine money thus
used well expended, and we believe that in
ten years the rich harvest of improved NOR
ais and increased intelligence would cause
Ohio 10 81 shine out ahead of her sister
states that the same thing would be done
throughout the country.
The care Of the children at the home, the
education they get there. the industrial
training they receive, prepares them so
much better for life than the training chill
dren get at the average home. that there is
no comparison, and after carefully STUDYING
the matter we have firmly committed our
selves to the Children'S Home idea, even to
the establishment of enough homes for all
the children of all the poor. so far as they
might wish TO take advantage of il
Our readers can now take the case and
render their verdict. The matter at issue
is to be decided by the legislature.