Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-07-04

spending most Of the winter at Mad
ison for that purpose. The claim
that but for him the second call for
an appropriation would have failed
Is a safe one. Like the fearless man
that be has always showed himself
to be when working for his comrades,
he faced and drove back his own
party that was determined that the
appropriation should not be made
without a revolution in the manage
ment of the home-unless the home
was placed under the charge OF the
board of control. He said no. The
Grand Army Of the Republic estab-
lished that home, and so long as there
are living members of that order,
they shall control its affairs. He
risked his political reputation in the
fight, but won, and as q result Wis
consin has the finest soldiers home
in the land. While in the senate ii
was his pleasure 70 meet and defeat
an effort to virtually repeal the sol
diers' relief Commission law, something
that has been Of 50 much value to
needy soldiers and their families
that no patriotic man in the state
would, today, think for minute of
dispensing with it. He was for ten
years city superintendent Of schools,
and ten years chief Of the fire depart
ment. Though he lived in strong
republican county, he was repeatedly
elected to the office Of register Of
deeds. In 1880 he was elected, by a
large majority, to the senate from a
district that had before gone repub-.
lican After retiring from the state
senate, where for four years he had
been constant in looking after the
interests of the soldier element, he
was properly advanced to United
States pension agent, and with due
respect to his predecessors, it can be
said that the office was never admin
istered In a more business-like way
and to the greater satisfaction Of the
pensioners than 1t has been by ex-
Senator Woodnorth.p
Among the darts hurled at con- :
rade Woodnorth by his enemies was
an attempt to reflect upon his SER
vice as a soldier. This Is effectnally
parried by resolutions unanimously
adopted at IA large reunion of his
regiment, the 21st Wis, Infantry, at
Manitowoc, June 18th. After reciting
the calumnies, his immediate COM
rades of the war say: I'VE know
personally that his record as u sol
dier, from the time he enlisted as an
Is year-old boy in December, 1863, to
the time he left the service In 1855,
was without blemish; that he was
continually active and in dangerous
service during most OF that time, or
except about -four weeks, when he
was confined in hospital by disease
contracted at or near kenesaw
Mountain, Ga, and that no Drawer,
truer, or more gallant soldier or
courteous gentleman exists in the
2lst regiment, or in any other organ
ization in the state Of Wisconsin !;
that we are proud Of him as a soldier,
proud OF him as citizen, and CRATE
full to him for many arduous duties
that he has performed without pay
for Wisconsin Veterans Home, at
Waupaca, and for every worthy
soldier who has asked favor at his
hands; and there are many soldiers
who would gladly testify to his al
most unparalleled kindness of heart
and generosity. We desire here to
emphatically characterize the at
tack upon him rs infamous, cow
ardly, malicious and false, and with
out any color or shadow of truth
whatever"
WASHINGTON LETTER.