Telegram-herald., 1890-04-24
AN oPEN LBPFER.
Fhs Late -AStins Shagl1i1s os shs
soldiers hSsas NrltsS

EE@FkltEh 2ia--olsLklc ItAc slilNr i
usaaeS pabdic statement OF the priuei-
pa causes whlca Resulted IN mv retire
msnt from the soldiers Home. Tins
statement has been criticised by several
psrsons among tAem = distinguished
individual Who may, perhaps. hs ygur
successor, Or Mr.. Bsiknspsl. Several
Of thena regSraed tie statement A. beng
confused &nd conflicting, A. proved ~
tie present fscts n TIE esss. A re-
rezI tne article ia question. MAS
fogea4 60 admit that there VAS some
/ truth in THESE Criticisms. BAT / can nOt
bod Myselt responsible FOR tie SEua-
/ ton; neither can explain the seeming
4 contradict ions, and for thai reason Sp-
pea 10 Your hO1Orv1 self - Tie only
/ one VINO can
Now, We're TINS matter that con-
cerned ne alone. e would, Indeed. nOt
7 D. worthy of a moments notice from
YOU. bul / think l can show YOU that
the honor OF The Republican party, a.
+ we'll a. your Own-the honor 0t the
/ STATE. the credit OF the Christian MN
/ lstfy, are each involved IN TINS matter.
! Accordingly, / call your earnest AZ
/ tenuon 10 the following particulars.
/ You may remember that about year
ago you wrote me stating that you
/ deemed A. best 10 dispense with resi-
| dent chaplain al the home. and - en-
| Hoy the various clergymen OF the city
| and vc.nity alternately AZ q salary OF
- a Sabbath, mus g.vlng greater
variety, etc.
wondered then, WI aer ought 70
| resign; but remembering that the law
| placed the appOmunen. of the under
| officials Al the Home IN the hands OF
the Commandant, General Pierce. /
| laid your letter before him. lie gave
! me &c understand that he did not APP
/ prove OF any such project, and did not
| desire to make any change, and 50 the
I matter rested.
The last of March of tins year, how
! ever, Gen. /. e. Smith, during cal AT
my Office, informed me that al the last
meeting OF the Board OF Managers IL
mad decided 10 carry your plan into
effect, for a while at least; and ] re-
ceived ike notice from General Pierce
the next Sunday.
Now comes in the confusion
and apparent contradiction noticed
bv mv critics. The very same
week after my retirement IN obedience
10 these owners, and the appearance Of
my public statement, the city papers
announced that Rev. Mr.. Crawford has
been appointed as "my successor" and
thus my public statement, based upon
good authority, as / supposed, was
fatty refuted.
Next comes the confusion. / had
stated on your authority that the
change had been made IN the interest
Of economy, as the State could thus
save 81 a month. | had said | WAS re-
ceiving the princely sum OF $40 a month,
and the problem was how your plan OF
economy could he carried out, and yet
the varied departments of clerical work
at the home be performed. You see
SIC month must pay for two sermons
Sunday by the different clergymen of
the city; pay for the preaching of an
indefinite number Of funeral sermons a
month, and also for Saying grace" at
the table three times a day every day
in the year. This works. no child's
play.
The gentlemen referred TO agreed
with me that your desire for economy
was highly cOmmsndsble and suggested
that it could be adopted in other
departments of the home as
well, but in this case it seemed like
making Several bites to a cherry"
Surely some of these clergymen must
get very small reward for their labOrs
If SIC month is to pay for il all, or
else your "plan" is a ridiculous, dis
graceful failure, and tins excuse for my
removal very thin.
Now, | have great sympathy for
these clergymen. especially for Rev.
Mr.. Crawford, ard | suggest that "the
nat be passed around" for their benefit.
| will gladly chip n as ! know how II is
myself.
Next comes a question Of the honor
of the Republican party. II has always
claimed TO be a soldier-lov NJ and law
abiding party. You are at ts head ID
this great State, and II especially de-
wolves on you to keep its honor invio-
late. The law of the State establish
fishing the Michigan Soldiers Home
provides that all of its officers shah lie
ex-soidIers. In this case a soldier has
been removed and man not a soldier
put IN his place, IN violation of law.
F You must know also that this thing has
been gong on ever since the
home was started. Was DR.. Stew.
was not. Why then have YOU allowed
him TO draw the money that belonged
TO a SOLDIER II is freely admitted he is
fully qualified, but can You for q mo,
ment affirm that there are no ex-
soldiers in the entire State Of Michigan
who are qualified TO fiji MS place,
These chickens you are Matching will
surely "come home 10 rOost' at the
next election IN this state, If the mat
ter is not nghted. What possible SUI.
iclent excuse can YOU make for tins
evasion, If not outright violation Oi
law2 II there IS an excuse for thi'
action on your part, the sold 9Ts OF the
State ought 10 know what 4 is.
Then again a. to the credit Of the
| Christian ministry. For over three
years the pulpit At the Soldiers Home
has consisted Of an old soap box covered
: with FIVE cont calico placed on 81 Old
ricketv table. aud all for economy
For several months | had 10 almost
drive ont a lot Of smokers and card
PLAYERS. remove their spittO0ns. and
clean I'D their filth before J could hold
public worship. Ny music mater a
contested Of seven i've cent gDspa
HYMNS. and got iess salary than shs
generals waiter. and over three times
lees thar his cook And thisls q STAT
institution And noN u is proposed by
YOU IN the same interes'
Of economy 70 even reduce
! this crpend turei In the name
of Christ ard the Christian ministry q
/ ths citv and vicinity. | protest aga MT
/ thfs kind Of economy az AT 0uirsgeou'
ins lt upou Our profession, and DIS
! grasl .o our cIvl. zatou.