Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-02-07
The National sanitariu,n.

OOAs Aluu, lOI01oE1y COulu4ouO0uV "a
the Soldiers Home at this place, who
is especially we'll qualified to pass
judgment upon this place rs q proper
location for the National %Sanitsrium,
has the following to say in his last
issue of the Canton Leader concerning
the proposed location of the National
Sanitarium at this place;
slot Springs, South Dakota, is the
best location for a national branch in
the United States. The climate isun-
surpassed and the medicinal qualities
of the waters surpass any other health
resort in the country. If congress de-
sires to make the closing years of the
old veterans comfortable and free from
the torture of rheumatismit will speed
lily provide for the erection of a nation
al branch at Hot Springs, where thous-
ands could find relief and a cure, and
where the climate is the finest in the
world. There is practically no winter
at Hot Springs, because the clear pure
water rolls along past the Evans in
winter as in summer, free from ice in
the coolest weather we ever expert
enced there.
"The writer speaks from acknowledge
of the Springs, after a four years resi-.
dence as commandment of the state
home. No one familiar with the stub
bern nature of rheumatism could be-
lieve the wonderful rheumatic cures
effected there unless from personal
knowledge. II congress is willing to
do justice to the thousands who are
suffering daily torture, resulting from
army life, it should act promptly, be.
cause in a few years the old boys will
have gone to their graves in sorrow
and in suffering. The writer, when
commandant of the home, had letters
from many veterans in state and
national homes and from many states
asking permission to enter the South
Dakota home for the purpose of gettine
relief from rheumatism. Being state
home. such a favor could not be grant
ed.
"Will the House, with an overflow
ing treasury, continue to ignore the
pitiful appeals of the old veterans who
saved the nation, or will it in a spirit o.
patriotism and in pride pass the senate
bill and provide for the immediat,
erection of a great branch s~anitariuu
where men from all homes and al
states can enter and find relief ane
comfort.
"The writer cannot believe that tn,
house of representatives will longe
refuse to grant this boon to the gallan
old veterans who are powerless to Sc
cure the relief that only congress cal
give. Lost to patriotism and to justic
must be the man who would refus
this last appeal of the remnant of tina
once powerful army of young me
who preserved the nation and made
great republic possible.
1.-THE South Dakota delegation ii
congress should ask-nay demand
that as a final act Of Justice to tn
heroic old veterans, the nation do it
full duty at this time. All the nation
al homes in the country are magnid
cent, costing millions of dollars. bu
not one of them has a cure for rheu
matism, and seven-tenths of the oil
soldiers suffer from this army curse
The writer could furnish congress wit
enough proof in favor of a home q
Hot Springs to brush aside every OF
lection Of a penurious statesman G
Indifferent patriot. Let congress d
its plain duty and thousands of oil
feeble suffering veterans will bless th
men who gave them a home and con
fort in the sunset of a glorious life, th
best part Of which was given to say
their country"
n-