Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-01

= sScs ~ ~ kUHiy eleven days since
the Quarterly pension day, but the mer,
nave the greater part OF their money
left. In Marsh lltown there are several
saloons; the gates Of the Home are wide
open, ana the veterans can come and go
.t sthey please. Possibly 5 per cent OF the
inmates have patronized 1e down town
places. or the 200 men m the Home one
was brought back drunk.
There Is only one sentiment among
the old soldiers here about the canteen.
It can best be spoken OF by telling what
they have done rather Tran what they
say The statutes Of Iowa contain a
law to the effect that II any member Of
the Home Is twice found guilty OF
drunkenness by the governor his pen
sion money shall be tied up and placed
In the custody of that official. Hall Of
the money shall be regularly sent to the
mans family, and no orders on the fund
snail be recognized. This law was put
thru the legislature thru the work Of
a committee Of members OF the Home,
appointed by the main body OF the men
for the purpose.
"A year ago there was an epidemic of
smallpox in Marshalltown. Governor
horton drew the men up on the rarade
ground and told them he would have to
establish a quarantine for twN weeks,
and that for that length Of time he
wanted every man to keep away from
the town. putting them all on their hon
or to comply with his request. Not one
of the zoo went outside the gates. tho
every guard had been. withdrawn. L
would not insult the men, said the gov
ernor yesterday, by placing guards at
\ 10 on troy IL 5~,
ting their word that they would do what
II wanted
This spirit OF mutual trustfulness is
apparent everywhere at the Home. The
inmates are Jealous and watchful OF the
questions that have froxl time to time
disturbed the peace Of the institution
their determined stand for law and order
has always been apparent. Take case
IN point that has occurred only during
the past week.
"A transportation company, owing to
some error. advertised in the local pa
pers Sunday excursion. with brass
band, from Centerville and surround
Ing points to the grounds of the Home.
me ofncials Of the company, wrongly
informed by one Of their agents, be-
iieved that the governor had given his
consent to the use of the grounds. when.
as matter OF fact. he had refused II
emphatica1ly. Weekday picnics are well
coined at the Home. as they take to
the place superior lot of people with
their families. but long ago the soldiers
petitioned the goevrnor to put stop to
Sunday picnics on the grounds for the
reason that a large percentage of the
m q ~ IL.
classes. Governor Horton at once acuui-
eseed In the wishes OF the men, and no
Sunday picnic has been held since shat
time.
Now the old soldiers have got 1t into
their heads that the picnickers will at
tempt to enter the grounds Sunday.
If they do said one Of the veterans
this morning. they will find few hun
dred lined up at the gates an they'll
have to kill US before they get in And
a crowd of his comrades shouted ap-
prevail
THE remarkable health enjoyed by
the inmates Of the Home is. in the opin-
ion of DIR. n. p. DufIield. surgeon Of the
instltution, an old Grand Army man and
a well-known authority on senile dis
eases. attributable almost entirely to the
absence Of the canteen. In homes OF
this character he states. where we
get only people more than two-t thirds
dilsa bled, by one cause or another, from
active work, most Of the diseases that
attack old folks can be looked for, and
indeed exist in many other homes where
men are as carefully looked after as
| they are here. Our statistics show that
out of IT'S men and eighty women In
| mates of this home aeyenty-one men
and six women are in the hospital. This
record is remarkable and the small per-
centaEe OF sickness is, 1 am CONVINCED
brought about because drunkenness has
been reduced to a minimum. Liquor is
the curse of the old soldier. It has
been proved here not only that he can
do without it, but that he gladly seizes
the opportunity.