Telegram-herald., 1890-07-02
TRAnpl TRAMP TRAMP
ths Bo,s % MarehisE ost 81 ne
sstds<4s' Hoa1e

Ioths Easfor 81 tae 4tLks A<-SA&sA[a
Tae fatal decree has bsen issued sna /
already quite nansber of the soldiers
Home veterans are on the tramp they 1
hardly know where ~ what for They /
know they 40 loases have Aoaas, Aad 1
must aecome : part OF the great army /
Who trsrap over the land, terror 70
faaigv at.a = ueleon2e % none. II thlS
wholesale expulsion could have taken
place in tlts early spging see matter
woe.d not have been go tTs ing, bat 70
tara ! man out la tbls bfOlhng fpn,
dnesssd IA woolen clothes, especially
when he Is lot used 10 being ln the sum-
Is not only cruel bal absolutely danger
Gus.
But some say 10 me, "ElGer, DO not
see Whv YOU make such fuss about
ghls matter. / certainly can not see
why These men who are able 10 earn
their living should not be made 70 d.
ir" But circumstances some times alter
cases, and TINS Is the very point | urge.
All the circumstances m the eSse should
be eonsideled. The mere fact that on
a hurried examination = medical hoard
has declared nlsn IS able 10 MAINTAIN
prCol that he Is thus able.
Notice, bow, pnysician IN the place
/ from winch veteran comes, cerules
under oath that in his judgment the
/ soldier Is not able 10 maintain himself.
/ The soldier himself has sworn 10 the
| same thing, and thathe has no property
or means OF support, ana tils tact Is
| also certified 10 by hls supervisor. Then
I aafta AaA a
| these swcrn statements are ex-
/ amlned by the commandant and
| the applicant IS turned over 10 DR..
/ Stevens for him 10 examine. Unless
/ his finding agrees in substance with
that Of the other physician, the mans
application is rejected; but having
passed these four ordeals, he IS admit
ted. He is told beforehand that TINS IS
the Soldiers Home; that 1t is not a
| poor-house, nor workhouse, nor 4
military post; certainly not Il prison.
He is told that his past services ia be-
half OF ms country and State are fully
recognized, and that the comforts here
provided are n proof that republics, at
least, are not ungrateful. He is taught
to feel at home in ms home.
Now, is it fair or honest TO keep HIM
constantly on ''the ragged edge" 10y
holding over him threat that as soon
as he begins to draw a comfortable
breath, and to feel at home, and to
gain little fresh courage to try TO get
we'll and, perhaps. TO once more retrieve
his fallen fortunes, that he shall be
forthwith thrust out?
One OF the greatest comforts ! have
ever found in the erection OF the Sold
iers' Home. was in the feeling that q
soldier, at least, need never go 10 a
poorhousel That soldier always had
a place of refuge, A soldier could al
ways do much better work at the front
If he felt sure that the base OF supplies
was well protected, and thousands of
poor soldiers throughout tins State
have been able to struggle more bravely
against dlsease and poverty, simply te-
cause they felt that if "worst came to
worst" thcycould 90 to the Soldiers
Home; thatthey need notgo TO the poor
house, and that they need not starve,
Anything that makes suffering, strug-
CLING soldier feel that the Soldiers
Home is not secured to him, is TO be
greatly deprecated, and / will fight 1t
as long as | can WELD pen.
There is one ray Of hope for the
veterans whom the Examining Board
may mark for dIschage. The General
is not obliged to reveal the list, and he
may do rs he has done before-use his
own judgment in the premises. He
has way Of using his own d sment
and acting accordingly when h is per-
united TO DO 50! Many poor fellow
who was marked for discharge after
the examination held nearly three
years ago was agreeably surprised to
lind that Gen. Pierce did not propose
to abrogate ell authority in his case;
and he still has a home on that ac-
count! 1t certainly is not pleasant for
the veterans IN the Home 10 be con-
tlpually in suspense least they find
themselves like Him of old who chad
not where TO lay his head" Worry IS
the cruellest form of torture. The
great mistake Of any mistake really
has been made) was IN admitting the
veteran to the Home at all. If he is
not Justly entitled to admission his ap-
phcation should be rigldly rejected
but having once admitted him the
management cut sorry figure by
pleading the baby act"
In many cases these men have no
families, relatives or friends who can
support them II they desired 10 do so.
The soldier cannot support himself
and he must 90 to the county house or
20 the Soldiers Home, or he must
starve, 1t is an act Of charity often
times not Oniyto the soldier himself but
to all concerned that he Is given shelter
at the home. The burden of his sup-
port is simply taken of from the few
and put on the many, Unsupported he
must be hy somebody so long as we are
q christian nation.
urge the point that the State at
large will close much in the long run by
this miserable shift dubbed "encono-
my" 1t nays their fare home and 1t
Will pay IT back. and during the short
interim the expense Of their maintain
ance Will fail in many cases, upon those
Tho are already staggering under heavy
loads. More Anon.
CHAs. X. GTBsoS.
Late Acting Chaplain"
/
A