The Portland daily press., 1896-06-26
MAINE RELIEF CORPS.
Mrs. Ella Jordan Mason Replies to Her
Critics,
To the Editor of the Press:

To the Editor of the Press:
A copy Of your issue of June has
just been placed in my hands by COM
rade of the G. A. B., and the que stions
asked"i If those statements are true, II not
I desire you to correct them.' Will you
kindly allow mo space to do SOP II the
attack We're made only upon me person.
ally it would not matter. have endured
insult and representation SO long
from certain class that it passes un-
noticed, but when helpless persons and q
most worthy object are so grossly mis-
represented, to let Ii pass unnotiosd
would be to wrong all who havs in any
way assisted in this work.
Mr.Milliken says, ga national oorps is
to be organized with thirty one charter
members, and just four out of that
number are wives of comrades" aud it
all comes about because the State CORDS
wants to work for monument fund.-"
presume he refers to the corps at Old
town. The Post desired help for the liv-
ing, and when the State corps refused to
make wreaths and provide dinner
Memorial Day, some of the wives, with
large number of loyal ladies came and
did 1t for them. The result was the Post
almost unanimously voted to organize a
national corps, and Mrs. Palmer, De-
partment President, organized it June
18th, with thirty-une charter members.
They will not only help erect monuments
In memory Of the dead, but will see that
the living are made comfortable and hap
py, and create suoh a sentiment OF re-
speot for those who still suffer from the
effects of their patriotism that we shall
no longer hear The epithet pension bum
mer" heard even in the State House.
The corps at Bucksport is, and always
has been, q national corps, and the most
friendly relations exist between the Post
and its auxiliary. They meet the same
evening, that the comrades living at
distance can bring their wives to the.corps
while they go to the post and return
home together. The two halls are di-
yided by double doors but are always
thrown into one for social occasions
which goes to prove their friendly rela-
tions. The post at Bucksport still lives
and it's auxiliary is national corps.
quote from theEartlcle -
You have all heard of the so-called
Soldiers Home in this state, (laughter)
but did you ever hear of soldier or any
OF his family who ever stayed there over
six weeks that is any longer than he or
stayed because poor old woman
STE can't got away. She was
for seventeen years an inmate of the
poor house and no one suggested her
removal until she was granted state
pension and then she WINS taken to the
Home. "(Laughter) and as Nancy mas
| none of the money she must stayD there. y
fail to see any wit or humor or any
thing to cause laughter in the above,
even if it were true, and especially
among those who claim to be blood
and kim of the sufferers and also claim
| to be better fitted to look after the
needy soldiers and their families" than
any one else. It seems to me indigna-
| ton was the proper sentiment to be
aroused. But the statement is not true,
| Mrs. Glazier is the widow of soldier
who sleeps in an unknown grave on
southern battlefield. He left her with
their family of little children to fill the
quota of Maine and she never saw him
again. Her Oldest son soon followed his
| fathers example and marched away to
| the south. -Four years ago the son to
whom she looked for home in old age
died. Poor, grief-stricken mother, seven
| ty years old with no means, no inf1uen-
| tial friends to help her she went to the
poor house. She was there about ono
year when the comrades of Joseph W.
Lincoln Post heard of it and immediate
| ly took her away. They boarded her
| around among the members. The relief
corps( nationaO provided for all her needs
| and applied for her admission to the
| Home when it should beiready. Through
| theefforts of the comrades state aid WAS
secured. She came to us year ago this
month. Last Thanksgiving she went to
| Sidney visit to remain just as long as
| she desired. In less than two weeks she
wrote She wanted to come home" and
gladly came back to us. She is now
preparing to go again. She tells every
| one she is perfectly happy. She has
come to stay and said when she came II
| want to stay till God takes me home, /"
and she shall. The corps at Sidney
| furnished her room and she is very
proud of it and Keeps it spotlessly clean.
| She has eight dollars per month PEN
| sion, she has two dollars of it and gladly
turns the rest in toward her support
and we provide her everything. She is
| dear, kind christian woman with
wonderful faith in Gods goodness. This
Is not an isolated case. There are many
more just as sad, and you have not to
I
one assertion that a Home in our state is
just as necessary as in the twenty flour
states where they are SUCCESSFULLY al
ready established. The family" referred
to came to us when they had no other
refuge and only for temporary care. Pity
for a sick wife and little girl caused their
| admission. They were with US four
months. The wife wished to remain
but their sons had prepared home and
that was the reason for their gong. Thoy
both said they had no fault to find and
know they had no cause. We make no
claim to being perfect in any respect but
we do claim that we are doing everything
in cur power with the means we have.
1t is not our fault that our means are
limited and we lack many necessary ar
ticlss for tho success we desire: but we
have very pretty cosey, comfortable
establishment, although very small.
Mr. A. M. Sawyer has been there. He
was invited by Camp Benson Association
@. A. r. Day. He arrived before he
was expected. No one took notice O.. his
presence. 1t was Woman's Relief Corps
Day. Corporal James Tanner and wife,
of Washington, Mrs. Barker and Mrs.
Turner, past and present national Pres
idents, with Department officers and
II ONE Board were just taking supper