The National tribune., 1904-07-14
SOLDIERS HOMES.
Grand Work Done by the General
Government and the States.
BY N. J. ANDERSON.

the survival OF the Stone Age, the Ameri-
can Indian. as hnnfer and warrior. The
segregations of civiliza ton have made the
bread-winners independent, so now the
soldier is in a class apart. He has no
longer the leading part in the drama of
life.
When war is rife and danger nigh,
God and the soldier is all the cry.
When battle is DER and danger secuted
God is forgotten and the soldier houted.'
1t is not quite so bad as this. The
world is still under the glamor of military
achievement. With us the soldier has still
his ,meed Of praise and generous recog-
| milton. Industry has adopted his titles
and organizations. Even religion appro-
PIRATES military nomenclature, and we
have soldiers of the cross, religious
knights, and Salvation Armies with fe-
male Generals, Colonies and Captains.
This only shows the force of tradition,
for with us unquestionably the victories
Of peace are more renowned than those of
war. Yet, in the words of our political
platforms, we can point with pride to our
pension laws and our Soldiers Homes as
proof that the American Republic is
not ungrateful.
FIRST SUGGESTION.
Nearly all countries bestOw pensions on
their aged and disa bled veterans, and
many have hospitals, like the Invalides
in Paris and the Chelsea Hospital in Eng
land. Our Government has given pensions
since the adoption Of the Constitution, but
the first proposition to provide an Army
Asylum fund was made by Gen. Robert
l.AndersOn, of Sumter fame, in a memorial
to Congress in 1910. He was then q Cap
tain of Artillery and an Assistant Adju-
tant-General. His suggestion was favor
ably reported by one or both of the Mill
tary Committees in Congress. But the
project did not materaliZe until Gen. Win
field Scott at the close of the Mexican
War, transferred to the Treasury $11S.GO0
he had collected by assessments on the
City of Mexico. This money he recon-
mendcd should be used for the establish
ment Of Home for discharged soldiers.
Congress enacted the necessary legislation
to carry out this proposition in 1S49.
This Home. home for the Regular
Army. was established near Washington
in 1851. Upon the suggestion of Gen. An
derson, another Home was located on a
farm near Harrodsburg Ky. The bene-
| ficiaries admitted to this establishment
| were to be given small plots Of land to
| cultivate for themselves. 1t was soon dis
covered. however. that the veterans had
no desire to do any kind of work. And
| after an experiment of five years the farm
was sold and additional land was bought
for the Washington Home with the pro-
ceeds. The first building i'm that Home
was named after Gen. Anderson. in recog
milton Of his early advocacy Of it's estab-
lishmcnt.
ESTABLISHMENT OF VOLUNTEER HOME.
BY an act of Congress, approved March
3. 1860. an organization was Incorporated
in the District OF Columbia for the pur-
pose of establishing Military Asylums for
the benefit Of volunteer officers. soldiers
and seamen who had been or might there
after be totally disabled by wounds re-
ceived or, sickness contracted in the line
| Of duty during the rebellion. 1t will be OBJ
served from the date that the civil war
was still i'm progress. The law. of course,
was passed only for those who were mus
tered into the service of the National
Government. n..r5.s.I +.
For tIra purpose of carrying ont the OBJ
ject of this, incorpora tiOn there was appro-
priated all stoppages. fines, and forfei-
lures against officers. soldiers. and sea-
men of the volunteer forces of the United
States in the civil war.
Under the first organization Asylmms
were established in Maine. Ohio, WiscOn-
sin and Virginia. but in 1873 the designa-
ton of these establishments was changed
to Homes. In 1873 a law was enacted
which provided that thereafter the cost
of construction and Of the maintenance Of
all National Homes should be provided
for by direct appropriation of Congress
Since then over 10 laws have been
passed for the regulation Of National and
State Homes. Even new legislation af-
| fecting them has been introduced into ap-
preparation bills under the guise of limi-
tations. This affords confirmation of
John Stewart Mills's assertion that it is
impossible accurately to forecast the re-
suit of laws until they are put in opera
ton.
National Homes are under the admins
| tration of Board of nine members, of
which the President and Chief Justice are
,ex-efficio members. The nine other mem
| bers are divided into sections selected
successfully by Joint resolution of the
Senate and the House of the National
Congress.
STATE AND TERRITORIAL HOMES
were authorized in 1883. They receive
500 a year for each eligible member or
a propOrtiOnate part for the time he il
actually present. This is received through
the managers of the National Homes, but
they exercise no other supervision than
sending Inspectors to verify the numbers
present.
Excepting States which have Boards of
Control. their benevolent and penal insti-
tutions are under the supervision OF Trus-
tees. who are required to audit accounts
and to make general rules for their govern
ment. Their management and control is
under Snperintendents or Governors an
pointed by the Trustees, subject to such
supervision as they may choose to exer-
else.
The officers Of National Homes are a
Governor. Secretary, Treasurer, Quarter
master. Commissary, and Surgeons and
Chaplains. The officers of a State Home
are Governor or COmmandant, Adiu-
tant. Quartermaster, and Surgeons.
The Governors or Commandants are au-
tocrats or fgureheads. as the Trustees
may delegate to them more or less author
ity.
Until recently all State institutions, ed
ncational. benevolent or penal. were under
the administrative control Of unpaid Boards
Of Trustees. They are generally required
to visit their institutions once a month.
and are reimbursed for their travelling and
incidental expenses.
Iowa has lately set the example Of dis
continuing all local boards and placing its
State institutions under a central Board
of Control. Several States have followed
its example. 1t 10 certainly proving to he
an economical method. Whether it will
prove satisfactoryain all other particulars
remains to be seem With the same method
Of selection the mathematical chances ire
in favor of getting few able men rather
than a great number out Of given popu-