The herald., 1898-09-09
D . . . . . . . . o
. The National Soldiers
. Home In Politics
By ABBOT KINNEY

The criticisms brought to my attention
on the action commenced to eliminate the
home from local politics are ON two lines.
Denunciation and an appeal to sympa athies
growing out Of the American civil war.
In none Of them Is there a discussion Of
the merits Of the case, nor is there a de-
| mand for Justice or an observance of law.
The first of my points is the we'll known
principle of common law that a person
while attending an educational institution.
| while kept at an institution at public ex-
pense, while confined in prison, while in
the military service or while navigating
the high seas. can neither gain nor lose a
| voting residence.
This is a common law principle eminently
fair and just and enforced in all Anglo
| Saxon communities. In this state, as in
many others. this principle was formulated
and adopted in the first state constitution
and readopted in her present constitution.
No denial Is made to the justice of this
law.
The pension system Of this country is the
most generous in the history of the world
This is intended to provide for the military
services Of those who receive pensions. The
soldiers homes are bounty in addition to
this. Those In the Santa Monica home re-
ceive their pensions In full The home is
not for all old soldiers, but for those who
declare themselves incapable of self-sup-
port. The veterans who enter these homes
declare themselves out Of the worlds fight.
They cannot justly impose burdens or con-
troll local affairs at an institution free from
taxation or local control.
There is no question but that the veterans
In the homes are supported at public ex-
pense. No one denies 1t.
The second point is discussed in only one
criticism. This point Is that the National
Soldiers home Is Federal reservation and
not within the Jurisdiction Of California
Residents of such a reservation are not
residents Of the state for the purpose Of yot-
Ing, nor residents OF the state at all.
The solitary answer to this Is that the
National Soldiers home is not a national
home or Federal reservation because 1t
is held by trustees.
The trustees are the president, chief jus-
tice and secretary Of war of the United
States and eight others selected by con-
gress. They are in fact the United States
and are trustees to repreSent and enforce
the Federal laws.
But II not what then? II the home is not
the lawful property of the United States,
but the property Of trustees, then 1t must
be taxed under the constitution of this
state. The land. the buildings, the personal
property OF the occupants. everything must
be taxed. Not only taxed this year, but
all the back taxes must be paid. The pub
lie money expended at the home for build
,ngs. etc. has all been Illegally spent II
this Is not United States property. Section
355, Revised Statutes. prohibits the expendl-
ture Of the public money for the erection Of
buildings unless the state has consented
to the transfer of land to the United States
In this state all the Federal property has
been placed under Federal jurisdiction by
a general state law already quoted.
But there are other complications that
arise II this Is not a Federal reservation.
need not allude to but one of these In con-
nection with the government of the home.
AS a Federal reservation and under act
Of congress the articles of war and the mill
tary laws Of the United States govern the
home. Court is held at the home every
morning at $50. The governor is Judge.
He has police under his pay and control.
There is Jail on the reservation to which
are committed those adjudged guilty Of
breaches of law within the reservation. The
governor is not authorized by any state law
to be Judge or administer Justice; the
police is not a state police and the jail is
not a county Jail. If the home is Federal
reservation all this is lawful If the home
is not Federal reservation none of It Is
lawful and damages are due for each and
every arrest and commitment at the home
The confusion that will follow any at
tempt to evade the Federal reservation Of
the home has endless ramifications.
The statement in one of my articles that
the canteen at the home was used by polti-
clans to offer liquid reasons to the soldiers
for political support is denied by one per-
son on the ground that outsiders cannot
there purchase liquor. This is true, but the
canteen is thus used. The waythe canteen
is used in politics Is simple enough. A can
didate or political worker hands money to
one of the soldiers, who then invites other
soldiers to drink for the candidate. A good
deal Of money has been spent in this way
at the home canteen for political purposes.
At times the results have been scandalous.
In the last shrievality contest in this county
the Los Angeles Times. a Republican pa
per, charged one OI Tic CdHulusl les with get
ting the soldiers so drunk al the home that
number lost their standing and special ad-
vantages This was under date of Novem-
ber 4, 1896, page 12, column Z, item 3.
am in a position to prove that the can
teen has been used by politicians and to
give the names of candidates and the
amounts spent.
There are other political abuses practiced
at the home at every convention and at
every election. These are far more demor-
alizing, both to the hons and to county
politics than the canteen. If any one feels
curiosity about this he can visit the pres
ent county officers and ask them. Some of
these have personal knowledge of such pol
itical crimes and will doubtless tell what
they know Such doings as those consum-
mated at the Nadeau and United States
hotels are an injury to all concerned. When
the home vote is peddled about or used in
a Santa Monica school election to drive
out a woman teacher for religious reasons,
IL must be evident that politics is injuring
both the county and the home.
No real friend of this Soldiers home and
familiar with the facts can be in favor of
its use in local politics. believe that a
secret vote in the home, excluding those
who have been committed to the Jail, would
give large majority against the political
use of the home in local politics. The
abuses are so notorious and so constant