The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-13
VETERANS ATWAR.
A Scrap at a Soldiers
Home Meeting.
DIRECTORS ON THE DEFENSE.
Reply to the Charges Filed by the
Committee of lnvestigation-Sin.
lister nOtives Ascribed.


Home Association of California. CON-
mlttee Of investigation made some serious
charges and criticisms against the manage
ment of the home by the board of directors.
| Now come the criticized directors, with
long answer. intended 70 Gear their skirts
of the unpleasant charges aud place the
blame Of acknowledgement upon other
shoulders.
The report of the committee of investi-
CATION had attributed the defacation Of
the late treasurer, c. E. K Royce. in part
to the neglect OF the board to hold
quarterly meetings, as required by the by
laws, and in part TO the neglect of the
auditing committee to personally examine
the accounts OF the treasurer prior to each
quarterly meeting and report there n at
such meeting. The directors. in refutalion
OF this charge, show that they have held
pa meetings. or nearly seven times as
many as the bylaws required
One OF the pungent things of the answer
is tits sentence: Instead of the plaudit,
We'll done. good aud faith tut servants.
we are met by coarse and brutal taunt>.
which. freely Interpreted, may be read,
Damn you. why don't you apologize for
not having done less?'"
1.-THE treasurer's duties were considered
to be nominal; he was serving without
pay; he had been an honorable officer Of
that army which, during the war. disbursed
nearly $4,000, 100000. mostly through off
GERS who acted without bonds, and ne had
also been for twenty years last past
member OF the legal fraternity t San
Francisco" say the directors. 1--WE did
iepose confidence in Royce. We trusted
him implicitly. We were deceived and
deeply regret the result. But we submit
that the mis- axe Is not an unnatural Que,
nor does ii merit the condemnation so
freely INDUCED in by your committee"
Ihe directors IN their answer deny hat
there is Any fou da ion for the charge of
either waste or extravaganza growing out
of the supplies. aud aver that they had
been bought pursuant to contract as far as
practca Bile.
The committee of investigation is scored
for referring to the soldiers in the home
as "inmat-S" instead If as 'members."
the tenn inmates being applied prop
erly only to the unfortunates who are
cared for In the prisons ami insane asy-
lums.
From statistical statement contained
in the report il appears that out Of twenty
State Soldiers Homes IT, ere are only eight
that were able IT, maintain their members
at less cost than did that Of California
during the year Of 1892.
Supplies were purchased pursuant to
contracts as far rs pOssiblr, says the re-
port. "The committee differs in its opinion
as o the utility of the cantren, but agrees
that there should not be anything stronger
than beer sold therein. We SUPP osed the
utility of the canteen was no longer an
open question. 1t has certainly passed
the eXperim" ntal stages in other Soldiers
Homes, State and national. Wherever
tiled it has been found beneficial in lessen
ing drunkenness and restraining the men
by keeping them more constantly under
the eyes and contro! If the officers.
Many nI he other h mrs have ex-
permented with the Kelley cure, and with
satisfactory results. We hope soon 10 find
some relief IN this way for our unfortunate
mrad9s, and we shall c rtainly NOT
abandon the canteen until something better
Is presented, nor shall We furnish drink,
without profits"
On the pension question the report says:
AT present the only remedy is to dis
charge the pensioner il he refuses to sur
render his money. The result is. he goes
out uron the street, spends his pension
money for drink, and soon drifts again
into the almshOuse. Even the national
homes have not been able to do mucn bet
ter, though the law Of Congress gives
them power over the pensions"
The directors ridicue the recommended
ton Of the committee that the commandment
men from the home without power in the
board to readmt them. Relevant to this
point the directors say:
"Dlscipllne is imrortanf. but it should
be tempered with mercy, and it is better
to forgive seven times-yea. even seventy
times sevsu-lhan 10 asst an un fortunate
Old soldier out upon the streets to beg or
st rye. 1t NAV sometimes be II tie un.
pleasant for c0mmandant, jea Gus of his
prerogatives or inclined to be- martinez
The home IS established for higher pur-
poses than TO crafty the pleasure or pride
OF any man.
''rhe committee wisely suggests that the
men be required to perform work upon
the farm, so they may produce something
and the home no longer remain the most
uncu tivaled spot in Napa County. This
criticism is so palpa bly, the result of igno-
rance that it scarcely requires attention."
A god many o her matters are touched
upon by the directors and their report con-
cludes with this dig at the Investigation
Committee:
''Finally, we wish to notice the modest
recommendation of the committee that the
Governor should remove the board OF
directors. The law requires that in case
of removal the successor OF the board of
directors removed shall be appoint ted
from the association. and OF course the
members of the committee We're aware OF
that fact. The number OF members in the
association is only twenty-five, and there
are eleven directors. 1t would be inn
ossiDle for the Governor TO make new
appointments without including part, If
not all, of the committee of investiga-
ton. Hence it is a fair inference that the |
gentlemen who make this recommendation |
are thus modestly requesting the Governor
to appoint then directors. Having failed |
of an election in the way aud at the time |
provided by the regulations III the assocla-
ton. they now seek to force themselves
into Office by getting the G vernon to act
upon charges which we have shown are |
carelessly and ignorantly made.
The answer, formidable document, |
was read by Director Waymlre. formerly |
president of the board, at special meet
inc OF the association Yesterday afternoon. |
which nearly ,culminatedan a scrappng
match between two IF the members. The |
veterans who fought and bed in old DAYS
on fields of gore we're again on the peril
Gus edge of battle, in which the Dlood OF
comrades was to be she'd
w. Fl. Fl Hart wanted that portion OF
the answer stricken out beginning with the
word .hen,e." which drew the inference |
that the mem bers of the committee were
seeking to have themselves appointed as
directors. General Hart said he had no
reason to doubt that all the members of |
the committee had been Influenced by |
bnnorohi. natives The document read |