Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-15
SATURDAY.....JANUARY -, 1898.
DIR OLD SOLDIERS.

The debate in the House of Delegate:
on the bill TO authorize the counties anc
cities Of the State to levy a special tax
Of cents on the 500. to make provision
for the care of its INDECENT veterans. has
disclosed the sad fact that many of our
old soldiers are undoubtedly in want. TO
send them 10 the poor-houses would be TO
shock the sense of a grateful people, but
that must be done in many cases, unless
other arrangements be made to give
them food and shelter
The small pension that Virginia allows
is for men disabled by wounds received
in the army. and does not provide for
the hundreds Of others who are now
poor and infirm. and the Soldiers Home
here is always crowded to the limit Of its
financial resources.
The home is not merely a free hotel
Tor its inmates, but it is a hospital where
those who need medical or surgical at
tendance can alweys have the best OBJ
tainable here.
The general voice is that those who
took up arms for us and risked all at
duty's call must not appeal for help in
vain now that they are old, WORKOUT,
and stricken with poverty.
But how can this help be extended? SO
far as we can see, it can be only done in
one Of two ways-by passing the pending
bill known as the Stubs 5ilD, or by
payments out Of the State Treasury. No
matter which of the two courses is adopt
ed. we believe the laying of some addi-
tional tax viii be necessary. We think
II unlikely that the Legislature will be
able 10 retrench expenses sufficiently TO
make room for the appropriations on this
account that Will be necessary for some
years to come. But we also believe that
If the Legislature could show the peo-
pie it had done all it was possible to
do TO cut down expenses, and it was then
found that there was insufficient money
In the Treasury for the INDECENT soldiers,
u small special tax would be agreed TO.
We have too much confidence in the
gratefulness Of Virginians to believe they
would sooner see these veterans starye
than bear a small extra tax.
The special advantage of the plan of
the Stubs bill is that it would secure
an economical expenditure Of the money
:aised for this purpose. Each city and
each county would be much more careful
10 see that applicants for assistance
were worthy in case 1t had TO pay the bills
than in case the bills were to be
charged TO State account. Every dollar
Df expenditure would then be carefully
scrutinized. Not 50 il the State assumed
this responsibility.
1t may be said, of course, that the SER
vice our soldiers rendered was to Vir-
ginia. not TO the counties and cities. but
after all, what is Virginia but an aggre
cation Of counties and cities? And if
Virginia be unable TO do for the INDECENT
veterans what their condition requires
why should not the members OF our Vir-
ginia family separately do for them what
the Commonwealth would do If she could? !
IL was not the duty Of the counties and
cities to furnish clothes for their soldiers
during the war. but they did 50 in many |
instances.
The simple inquiry now should be. Are !
any Of our old soldiers in actual want;
II so, is It more practicable for the coun- |
ties and cities, than for the State, to re-
lievo themg
They must be relieved, and the quickest
way TO do It is the best way. If the
pending proposition be not the best that
can be devised, why let the House vote II
down! But we feel quite sure the main
question VIII rise and rise again until
our duty TO the old soldiers is done-until
no worthy veteran IS found in an aims
house and none is forced to beg his bread