The morning times., 1896-01-26
CARING FOR the MANNED
Looking After Disabled Soldiers
at the National Home.
RESULT OF ONE YEARS WORK
Number of Inmates Increasing at a
Rapid Rate-Great Necessity of Ad-
ditionaI Quarters for the Veterans
Who Can No Longer Fight Life's
Battle-Some Interesting Figures.

| for Disabled Soldiers has Just been published.
II was sent to Speaker Reed before the
| holidays and by him presented To the House
| IL was sent TO The Government Printing
| Ofriceandhas justreached the CapitoIag gain.
1t shows that since the Organiza ton OF the
! home up to June 80, 1895, as ,s55 soldiers
had been cared for. The board OF ma M gers
say they have held quarterly sessions, vested
| the various branches and tine twenty-lour
State homes. The United Staues has SUBJ
sidized these homes at the rate OF SIOO
per man per year, less half the amounts
| retained from pensions OF their members.
They found these homes, with two excep-
| tions, in good shape :,
INMATES INCREASING. Z
1t is found that the cost per member
was, IN the year ending June 80, 1895.
Sl15.SO. The average number present for
the year was l6 $50, an increase of S79.
The average increase for the previous seven
years. from 1889 to 1895. Inclusive, was
s2S, so the increase for the past year was
fifty-one above the average increase. On
this subject the report says:
NO one can tell what will be the in
crease for the next few years. At this
time November, 1S95l, the number in the
home is S29 greater than il was t thesa
date In 1894, and it is kept down to that
number only by extreme stringency in re-
straining admissions. The influence of the
pension law OF 500, which in 1892 aud
1898 kept down the pressure for admissions,
has now been entirely eliminated, and the
applications for admission have been more
numerous than they have been before"
The number of deaths in the year 1895
was 1,O60. The average age of the number
cared fer was 60.54 years. The average
age of those who died was 65.62 years.
ffFtrr
of those who died was 7.30 years.
The number of pensioners at the home
increased 500, and the amount paid in
pensinns increased S24s, 1c2. 90, being
S139.76 per ma n. against 81 50. 33 in 1S94.
The average number or members OF the
State homes kept one year was 4 T,121-an
increase of T03 above 1894.
The aggregate average number kept one
year in the National and State homes was
in the last fiscal year 23.6O1 ard the whole
number cared for during the year was, in
the National and State homes. 1882.
The bra nches of the home are in good con-
diiion. but the increase OF membership has
caused a Congestion in all Of The branches,
which. tn some extent. will be relieved by
the completion OF barracks authorized by
Congress at its last session. The relief will
only he temporary, however, for the IN
crease Of membership will continually
keep the branches filled la their utmost
capacity for an indefinite time
MUST BE ENLARGED.
on the necessity of enlarg;ng the home,
the report says; 1T will be noticed that the
average age OF men care; for by the home
is 6o.54 years Considering the fact that
the enlisted men OF the army during the
war here, in n very large degree. taken
from farmers and laborers and other
men who made their living by outside
work, and the conditions of such men at
the age of sixty who have never served
In the army, it must be granted that men
of about that age are necessarily out of
competition fer outdoor work, and, in
general, must depend for support on their
friends when they have them. or on char
ity. So it seems proper that when old soi-
diers who are no longer ablc-5cdied can
demonstrate that they cannot make their
living. on account OF the competition OF
younger men, they should be admitted to
the home, and that, therefore. the home
In the future may he considerably enlarged.
should this premise be admitted"
During he fiscal year ended June 50
last. the losses of membership by dis
charges and deaths was 3.1i5. The gains
In tie same time were. by admissions. re-
admissions aEd appointments. 4.9Sf. There
~ no reason fer supposing that these fig
urrs viii vary mnrh In the near future.
Tr~ statistics for the cure of intemper-
snf-e ans fhr marphinc habit show total
ef 6c9 curs-i-