Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-02-23
FOR THE SANITARIUNl.
Past Commander palmer's Address before
the House Committee ON Mill
tary Affairs.
AN uNExcELLED LOCATION.

Inc OTAR ChkeS pleasure Ill PUBLISH.
ing the following abstract of the argu-
ment made by Past Department Com
mander II. T.. Palmer before the house
committee on military affairs at Wash
ington, ON Thursday of last week in
favor of sanitarium for disabled SOL
diers at Hot Springs, S. d.:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee: l am here as chairman of
the committee of seven past depart
ment commanders of the Grand Army
of the Republic, appointed by the COM
mander- in chief, under resolution
adopted at Cincinnati, in September,
1893, and continued in service by res
olution adopted at the National en-
at Philadelphia, September,
1899, in the interest and for the loca-
tion of national sanitarium for dis
abled soldiers of the war of the rebel
lion, of our Indian wars, of the Span
ish American war, now in homes, or for
soldiers needing treatment not in
homes, and for ourselves as Grand
Army men, we would bind up the
wounds of our foes, and make it lawful
to admit disabled veterans of confed.
crate homes; said sanitarium to be To-
Gated at Hot Springs, s. d., very near
the geographical center of the United
States.
We assume that there is no division
of opinion as to the positive necessity
of adding to the capacity of the hos,
pital service of our already overcrowd
ed national homes. The only question
that confronts you as legislators is one
of duty as guardians of the public
treasury, and duty to the men who
were soldiers and sailors in time of
war, and who are now aged, poor, and
in destitute circumstances, and de-
pendent upon the gratitude and gen
erosity of patriotic and great nation.
PUBLIC APPROVES IT.
AT no time in our history have the
people complained about or criticised
the expenditure of public money for
the care and comfort OF dependent
veterans of the union army. Public
sentiment favors the kindliest treat
ment of these men, and believes it but
just that they shall be cared for in age
and infirmity.
1t is a settled proposition that no
honorably discharged soldier who vol
unteered to fight for the flag and the
perpetuity of this union shall, of nee
essity, look out of almshouse windows
of the country he helped to save. Tt is
not necessary for any member of the
Grand Army of the Republic to waste
his time or breath to picture the debt
of gratitude due to the survivors of the
rebellion or of the late war with
Spain.
Republics are not ungrateful when
merit and kinship weave ties that can
not be severed or forgotten. We are
one people, one country, one flag
'Tis only business proposition. do
we need an auxiliary soldiers home OF
sanitarium, where rheumatic old sold
iers now members of soldiers homes
can be sent for successful treatment
and by so doing relieve the crowded
conditions of the home and bring
great relief and comfort to the pair
racked heroes left to our care? Anc
further, are the Hot Springs of South
Dakota the proper location for thi:
sanitarium? These are the points OF
which you need light. and which,
satisfactorily answered, will secure
from you favorable report for thi
bill, and ultimately its passage.
NEED OF THE SANITARIUM.
AS to the need of the home or sani
tarium, and to the particular location
we ask to be considered, we beg t.
quote from letter to the honorabl
secretary of war by Gen. w. b. Frank
lin, late president of the board of man
ayers Of the National Soldiers Homes
under date of April 81, 1896, in whicl
he says:
''There is no question in my MIN
that another branch of the nationa
home for disabled volunteer soldier
should be established in the territor
between the Mississippi and the sun
nit of the Rocky Mountains; that th
one existing is being constantly over
crowded and unable to meet the require
ments. The location at Hot Spring
is an eligible one, and with an apprt
priation "a hospital could be erecte
which would relieve the hos pitals {
the other branches at once.'
The location we offer is midway
the territ ory mentioned by Gel
Franklin, and at the place recommend
ed by him. Itisaccessible by two of tt
s great railroad systems of the mort
viz: Northwestern and B urlingto