The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-23
CARE FOR THE LIVING.

The Davis law authorizes county
| commissioners to pay the expenses Oh
turyinq honorably discharged soldiers,
| sailors and marines, when 1t would de-
| prive the families of immediate sup
mort TO pay the same. To this the sem
ate has passed an amendment author
| izinQ the expenses of burial, under the
same conditions in the cases oil soldiers
widows. We'll and good. Ohio does
we'll to lay the bones of the poor old
soldiers faithful wife beside the body
of her dead husband. She will rest all
the easier in a decent grave, and they
will both feel better on the resur-
rection morn, than IL one rose from un.
der the flag in the soldiers honored
plat In the village cemetery, to gaze
with wistful eyes upon the other shak-
ing off her tatters in the potters field,
to which she was carried from the
county poor house.
Ohio does well to care for the soldier
and his dead; but what of the living
soldier and his poor old wife?
Ohio has built the most mag
nihcent Soldiers Home in the
whole world. Its cottages are grand
villas of undressed stone, flushed
with natural woods, and fitted up
with every comfort-giving appliances
of modern civilization. Nearly half a
million dollars has been put into that
Home with its clustering villas, beauti-
ful ball, extensive hospital and artistic
officers quarters. But inside that
sumptuous and palatial Home no sold
ier's wife may dare to enter, save when
she is summoned to say last goodbye
to the husband of her youth and age, or
bear away his body to the burial.
Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas and
other Western states have made pro-
vision, in founding their Homes, for
the old soldier and his wife. These
Homes are not palaces, but they are
homes in deed AS in name. Their in
mates are content; for what God has
Joined together man has not put asun-
der.
Now, the soldier constituency of
Ohio, through their acknowledged
representatives, the Grand Army and
the Relief Corps, have asked the State
of Ohio to open a cottage for veterans
and their wives. Governor Campbell
recommended it in his annual message.
The bill has been pending in the House
since early winter, when II was intro
duced by McMakin, of Butler county.
Why is 1t not taken up and passed?
This bill provides only for the dis
abled wives of soldiers admitted to the
Home, who would otherwise be depend
ent upon PUBLIC or private charity. The
census of the Home having been taken,
thirty four old soldier inmates there,
i'll health and failing strength to
avail themselves of the Home, while
their wives are turned adrift upon the
cold charities of the world. The rene
dy should be app lied and now, so that
those old women can spend their few
last days with their husbands. The
Grand Army, the Relief Corps, the
Governor of Ohio, the loyal citizens of
the great Buckeye state, demand this,
and will be satisfied by nothing less.
1t has been said that Ohio could not
afford the outlay involved. 1t is mere
bagatelle. A few hundred dollars ap-
piled on one of the now unfinished cot
tages would convert ward cottage in
to a single room dwelling And ii Ohio
could not board the thirty.fO old
ladies we are certain the Woman'5 Re
lief Corps would undertake the pleasant |
duty, until the States finances are
out. Then what is the |
matter with the direct tax, returned |
from the Federal government?
Again, while this emlnently just and
reasonable measure has been hanging
fire, measure petitioned for by the |
bodies named. bill has |
been worked through the Legislature, |
which no soldier body asked for, giving |
the stupendOus sum of $4,000 to build
and furnish cottage at Madison, Ohio,
for the wives, mothers and widows of
soldiers, nobody stopping to enquire |
how these women are to be provided
for when this house is built.
If Ohio can afford this lavish outlay,
all right; but let it not be at the ex.
pense of the old soldiers wives who are |
waiting for u sight of their |
before they are consigned to |
'the low green tents" to wait the eter-
nity'S slow reyeille,