Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-01
Nj ON THEIR HONOR
Col. Horton Tells How He Main.
tains Discipline al the
Soldiers Home.
Says TO a Chicago Correspond.
ent That Absence Of Can
teen Helps.
Chicago Paper Highly compli.
ments the Iowa Home
and MANAGEMENT.

0AAO GA0A kO1uOuts
The Iowa Soldiers Home and its man.
agemnet have been given prominence in
illinois and adjoining states by com
plimentary newspaper article that ap-
peared in the Chicago Record Herald of
recent issue. The Chicago paper has
been waging war on the canteen sys-
tenn in general and particularly where it
is fixture Of the various state and ma
tional soldiers homes. A special COR
respondent has been sent to the various
institutions and was recently in Mar
shalltown. While the conclusions drawn
by this correspondent are undoubtedly
colored somewhat to suit the ideas Of
the paper he represents, some of his ref
erences to the Marshalltown Institution,
coming from nonresident of the state.
are worthy OF reproduction in these COL
umns. The Record-Herald's article In
part was as follows:
The Iowa State Soldiers Home,
founded in 1887. has never had a canteen
within Its borders. Its grounds have
never for fourteen years been disgraced
by brawl or a disturbance of any char
acter. Tho fully so per cent of its in
mates are men who are not total alb
stainers and nave every opportunity to
indulge in outside saloons, barely per
| cent of all the members of the Home
have ever been before the commanding
officer on charges Of drunkenness.
Carved on the foundation stone Of
the largest Of the many beautiful build
( ings are the words Iowa forgets not the
defenders Of the union 1t is plea sing
thing to record that the state has kept
this pledge nobly and generously. That
her generosity has only been matched
by good Judgment and constant care Is
proved In many ways. more than In any
other way by the fact that the veterans
OF the. Marshalltown institution. over 700
in number, have secured and continue
to hold the warm affection and respect
OF the citizens Of this place and of the
state at large. cs
1T Is remarkable circumstance
that while in come OF the homes guards,
lpickets and iron fences are in evidence
at every turn, in the vain attempt to
counteract the presence OF the canteen,
Col. C. c. Horton, governor of the Mar
necessary to use these restraining fac
tors.
HE struck at the root OF. the whole
matter today in these sentences. brief to
the point of brusqueness. hut covering
| the whole matter at issue forcefully and
Thoroughly: 81.
If ever any attempt were made to
foist canteen onto this Home, after
1.-THE splendid manner in which II has vim
dicated the honor of the Grand Army
veteran and his natural love for good
citizenship, I would walk out the next
1 day and every inmate of the place would
follow me. But our board of control and
| the people of the state of Iowa would
never consent to such change.
1 My old comrades i1ave-ail my SYM
patty: those of them who have unfor-
ltunately succumbed to the drink habit
have my pity as we'll, but these feelings
are overbalanced by what lowe as COM
mandant of this Home to the vast ma
jority of self-respecting, noble, patient
old men. II man here falls once l do
everything to reclaim him. II I find
that 1t is impossible to restrain him.
then he is discharged.
".Discipline has put the Home where
1T is today. I have brought my old
army experience into play and never try
4 to surround the old soldiers with any
show of physical force. simply put
them on their honor and leave the bars
down. The system has worked Won
ders The men are not watched.. They
are free to go ana come as they please
within the regulation hours. Ny obser-
4 walton has been that there is only one
way to act with them. Bars and penal
! ties will not cure. But put them on
their honor as soldiers and they respond
eagerly and with tears in their eyes
i - No officer of this Home. in my
knowledge. has ever. spoken a harsh
WORD to an inmate. consider that the
siabsence OF a canteen means the remov-
|al OF constant termination. to men weak
\ physically and mentally, a temptation
i that few outsiders can understand.
In my opinion, based not only on
my experience in the civil war. but dur
ling the last twenty-five years spent
more or less among my comrades OF
those campaigns, the canteen il the
curse Of the veterans homes Of this
country. Take it away. appeal to the
honor Of the men and at one blow you
demolish the source of all the crimes
4 all the disturbances. all the scandals
Il ana all the shame mat nave over
whelmed more than one institution.
That's what think abot the can
4 teen. II am not q straight-laced abstain
u er. and fully 50 per cent Of the men here
take a drink when they care to. But
they go dom into the town for 1t. Nc
|drunkards are made hers. and no car
ouse is finished up by indulgence on
these grounds.
n 1t is claimed that men will gel
drunk. canteen or no canteen, but the
truth Of the matter is. and none know
\ II better than old army men. that with
the temptation removed from unde,
their noses. nine- tenths OF those who
would otherwise drink to excess do no,
drink at all.
II col. Horton realizes that there is
need for special means to care for the
habitual drunkards among the pension
ers thru the country. He claims thai
the only way to check and remedy the
evil II to place these men in institutions
I by themselves, giving them special med.
ical treatment and every posi- ble com.
fort, but keeping them and their con.
Eliminating influence away from the
great proportion Of veterans who art
seeking to live decent. clearly lives.
d THE absence OF the canteen from thi.
Il Marshalltown Home 10 responsible FOL
: