The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-15
NO POLITICS IN Il"
The Soldiers Home Investigation as
Described by Mr.. Owen.
A LITTLE LIGHT is LET IN.
What the Words May be Construed TO
Mean-The Investigation just Fin
ished, and what IL Provss-Anythins
for q Political Issue.
anything for a political issue.

Anything for political issue
The thought Of the Democrats night
and day is occupied In this consuming
occupation.
Democratic legislators for three weeks
past have sought some means of getting
the Republicans into hole aud viii en-
for the next two weeks
Thus far the results are scanty. and
nothing has appeared to be a more eyre
glous failure than the attempt to make
political capital out Of the Soldiers home
Investigation.
or course there wasn't any politics In
II. Mr. Owen who introduced the resolu
tion said there wasn't any politics in it,
because the investigat RS are To serve
without pay. But the guileessness of the
chairman of the Democratic state central
committee. In making such "a statement,
was altogether too suspicious. The old
war horses OF the state house scented
danger from afar. They thought they
saw through the mask at first. and sui
sequent developments proved the truth
OF their suspicious.
The Democratic mind OF Rhode Island
Is prone to investigate every hing. They
want TO investigate everything in the
state. They tried 1t at tue state prison,
they tried IL at the state home, and now
they are consumed with a love for the
old soldier that will grow more aud more
ferveut until the day after the election.
IL is quite probable that had the Soldiers
home been managed by the Democrats
they would not have cared for an inves-
tigation.
mo politics In it." and yet the inves-
tlgation IS nov ordered on identically
the same petitions aud charges that
were brought before the board Of sol
diers relief some months ago. Upon
nm N vas 4 fi.r. Ia,
ordered 1ne state boar I sat at inter
walls from the middle of December until
Jan. 10 That examination covered every
point now inyo we'd. The report OF the
Investigation is not yet made public,
simply because there mas not been time
10 print it.
Why Order n Second
investigation on the same charges until
the results OF the first investig CATION are
published! or course there Is no poll
tics in such n demand.
Chairman Oven in introducing the bill |
said IT was never the intention of those |
VINO, established the Soldiers home to |
make IL home, the en- rance to which |
could be secured only by declaring that
the applicant was not able TO support |
himself. In other words IL was not in- /
T. ndeI as home for poor soldiers. III Mr.. |
Owen will read the act passed April 23
1853, he will find in the first section the
stai ement that the home is for soldiers
who are "u able TO earn their living and |
have no adequate means OF support
Mr.. owen was membe of the general
assembly at the time. IL is impossible to
conceive that be did not understand tue
act that he voted for. III SO, why is he so
forgetfulf OF course there is no politics
In his forgetfulness.
The complaints claim that permission
was refused TO the soldiers to 90 down to
Bristol. but the records show that such
permission was never refused, except in
one case, unless the applicant had preyi-
ously violated some rule aud was serving
some penalty that limited his freedom.
Ihat one case was when The state board
or soldiers relief was expected at the
home to Investigate the charges brought
against the management. The chairman
oil the Democratic state central commit.
tee must have known that fact when he
said there was no politics in tHe inyes IL
CATION which he wanted.
Mr.. Owen was very anxious for the
welfare OF the old soldier. lie simply
wanted the matter looked into and AN
Impartial committee appointed. He had
oher cd the resolutions not from any per-
sonai motive but BY request. IL that
MeIe no. nteraliy true IL was not neces-
sary that he should he appointed on the
COMMITTEES of investig gati0n. But when
Speaker Capron appointed
Three Old soldiers
to investigate the alleged wrongs against
their comrades there was a universal
protest. 1t became yery. an
parent that though MIR. Owen had only
introduced the resolutions by request IL !
seemed to be . part of an unconscious
plan tha, be should be on the commit
tee. or course there was "no politics.
In that.
Then when the proposition was made
10 allow the committee TO hire a lawyer
II necessary, IL appeared that the chair
man OF the Democratic state central
had gratuitously offered to be
present at the sittings or the investigat- ,
ng committee aud assist In the exami. ,
nation. III the committee wanted pros
,cutiug attorney he would be OH hand.
II the defendants wanted an attorney he
lad mo objection To their hiring one"
He thought tney would need one" OF
course there was mo politics ia tina
But to return to the charges: Mr.. Owen
'aid that che great objection to TIE Home !
,rose from the fact that the members
must, according TO the rules, surrender +
heir pension papers on entering the
tome. lie forgot To mention that all ,
equests OF veterans TO have their pen
ions paid to their needy families are
eadily complied with by the board, aud
urther that - is returned to every SOL
lier each monJh-a sum larger than is
to the Inmates of any home i'm |
Ne country with one or two exceptions.
me total number of pensions received by
he soldiers last year WAS IS 453 IA. OF
his sum S3.2S4 62 was paid TO the pen ,
toner's themselves; S265. So was paid to
heir dedenGent fanlles, aud &, ,o02 GO
vas credited Co the Home fund. Half of I
hat was paid back to the United States I
government. I
strong argument was made as to the
ntent o. the pension law that ali OF the
ension money should be paid to the pen
toner's themselves. aud that IL was prob
bly, uncons stitutional for the state TO
axe portion OF tue pension money from ,
he soluiers who are nc the Home Ii il
we're unconstitutional Tor tie state to !,
axe the money is it probable that the
United States government would REQUIRE
alf OF that uncoustitutionally oh aimed
money To be re urned to the Unite
tatesf Mr.. Owen is a lawyer ana o.
curse there Is mo politics" ia such a
lea as he made.
IL is scarcely necessary to go further =
iiSh Mr.. Owen, the chairman of the IL
,emocratic state central com nittee, and -p
Is pleas that there is 10 DOlitic,p ia 4.