Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-08-28
The Soldiers Homo.

We scarcely see the theme Soldiers
Home launched upon the ocean of
minds of our State before the small
minnows-the cheap demagoguery
politicians-have begun to nibble at
the large bait that has been cast upon
the waters for big fish. 1t is too
large for them to swallow this sub
jeot is one for broad, patriotic minds
and big, honest hearts.
One of these small minded men
would build the Soldiers Home by
cutting off some of the appropriations
to our colleges, while another would
have our public officers contribute
on fourth of their salaries and 30 on.
Now we think we speak the senti-
ments of every brave and true soldier
and noble citizen of our State when
we say that we do not want SOL
diers' home built out of the carcass
Of any other institution of our State
or the salaries that we have promised
our servants or any shoddy stuff
whatever.
We want it made out of solid,
good material, just as our Confede-
rate soldiers were made of, and they
were made of good clay, for they
stood the crucial test of seven times
through the fire, yea, many of them
stood the fire Of seven times seven
and they are with us yet, some OF
them decorated in tattered rags
before they will undergo the humili-
alton and disgrace of dwelling in
poor houses.
1t will be remembered that the
majority of our now indigent soldiers
were men of small means when they
joined the army-they owned nc
negroes, bank stock, cotton mills or
farms; they fought for their senti-
ments, principles, honor and duty to
their country while many men OF
means and influence found bomb
proof positions under a subterfuge OF
thousand forms. The sentiments
and principles that prompted these
brave men to leave their happy
homes and face the terrors of one OF
the greatest wars the world has ever
known now makes these grand old
heroes shudder at the thought of
spending their last days in poor
house.
Taxes-oh, that great bugbear-
how the cheap politicians do try to
dodge the straight issue and attempt
to pollute the minds of honest and
noble people with their prejudice.
We need no apologies to offer a
grateful and patriotic people when
we ask them for good, sound money
for good, sound obligation.
We have taxed these veterans to
stand up against powerful invading
enemy Of our common country for
four long years half fed, ragged, and
at times could be trailed through the
snow by the blood from their bare
feet and they paid it.
We have taxed them to stand
guard on picket when they could
hear the freezing trees burst and
crack like the sound of a rifle or Law
sweltering in the trenches for days
under the. broiling midsummer sun,
and they paid it.
We have taxed them to pay out
finger, toe, a foot, an arm or leg,
or from one to q dozen bullets
through their bodies, and they have
paid it.
We have taxed some Of them with
a broken constitution or disease, and
they have been paying these taxes of
suffering every day for nearly forty
long years.
Wo have taxed the poor wife the
life of her husband, or the daughter
the life of her father, or the mother
the life of her beloved son, and they
paid it.
1t behooves every well-to-do old
soldier (or his sony who has been
blessed with means above want to
look after his needy comrades, or the
patriotic and grateful citizens to look
after their INDECENT heroes, for a
country without heroism vii. surely
die the death it deserves and lose it's
prestige and honor as well as it's
treasure of dollars if left exposed to
thieves without lockers.
AS we need great iron safes to
lock in and protect our dollars, so do
we need heroism, the iron minds of
brave and noble men to throw around
and protect our people from the rob-
berry of other people, countries and
nations, who may at any time break
in and squander our fortunes and
fame, for until the days of the mil
lennium the british nature that is
still left in man may assert itself and
rise up out of its alternating re-
treats under favorable season like
the sleeping seveA-headcd monster,
and destroy the progress of our now
prosperous, patriotic and chivalrous
people. j. G. Stribling,
For Camp 1905, U. G. V.
ttrtS alI.II