The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1905-03-09
Soldiers Home Notes.


say q word in correction of the editorial
in the Knoxville Journal and Tribune
of February gath, in which Col. John
Bell Brownlow is made sponsor for an
attack on the Mountain Branch and
lands the East Tennessean as soldier
who dislikes to be bossed. In the in
itial paragraph he claims there are only
three Tennesseans in the Home, and
that the buildings and ground upon
which they stand, with the necessary
improvements, cost the government
"over million of dollars" The sup
position in Col. Brownlow's mind seems
to be that this expenditure by the ma
tional government was solely for the
benefit of those men who enlisted in
the Union army during the war from
Ease Tennessee. Perhaps it was an
oversight with the Colonel, but he
seems to forget that Branch of the
National Home for disabled volunteer
soldiers, is, and always has been, con-
strued by the act of Congress that
created it, is at all times open to all in
digent ex.soldiers who left the service
with an honorable discharge, without
discrimination as to what State Of the
Union he resided in. The fallacy that
only three Tennesseans are members
of the Mountain Branch is apparent as
it can be clearly shown, that instead
of three, there are numerous score of
three. At the same time, with few
exceptions all the members, citizens of
Tennessee, hold remunerative place,
are we'll cared for and respected by
their comrades, even if the latter are
smirched with being northern men.
Again, the men who enlisted from this
state, present members of the Home,
have not openly complained Of the
treatment meted out to them. It is all
rot to howl about northern men seek
ing the Mountain Branch in order to
extend their lives. Most people be-
lieve ones time is allotted, and the
many of us come here for change
nothing else. Whether the soldier be
an East Tennessean or from the North
Pole, when admitted as o member of
this, or any other Branch, he is in duty
bound to obey orders, and he must
have been poor soldier, indeed, who
complains of being bossed, especially
in the line of duty that he is obligated
to conform to. Col. Brawnlow should
understand that Branch of the Sol
diers' Home is a governmental institu-
tion, under the rules of the war depart
ment and military discipline, lack as it
may be, Must be lived up to. If Mr..
Tennessean or any other soldier was
permitted to do as he pleased and fail
ed to obey orders under the plea that
he was being bossed, the Branch would
soon go to the "Demonition Bowvows," "
and utter chaos would reign supreme.
Oh, no, my dear Colonel, the true SOL
dier is not built that way. In his youth
he was instructed to be subservient
and obey orders and he is not remis
now. If the mountain air" is respon-
sible for Tennessean's disobedience
and adherence to ''bossism," as the
Colonel terms it, the further they re-
main away from this, or any other Ma
tional Home Branch, the better for
them. "Dumps" are not pleasant, but
this would be their portion if they re-
fused to obey orders here. How utter
ly silly is the absurdity of "drills, taps,
reveille, formations, etc." This utter
ance simply proves that the Colonel
does not know what he is stating.
There are not, and never have been,
any drills at the Home; and for his in
formation the reveille gun simply an
nounces the time to be astir, and taps
that the hour has arrived to retire. AS
for formations, we have two each
month, i. Q. to turn out to salute the
flag, but of course the Colonel would
not object to so laudable an abject
The Colonel again vaunts his spleer
by styling us Climates. Does hi
know the trne definition of such term
1t is an insult to so class these dear olt
grey headed and bent with age veter
ans. The word is harsh, and is neve
used only to slander. The Nationa
Board, nor even any person connecte'
with the National Home even apple
it. We are members, and let it b
known, we are proud even if We do com
from the north to be classed as men
bers of The Mountain Branch. Their
is not man within the enclosure {
the Mountain Branch but who wi
gladly testify that he has all the libel
ty, and far more of it, than he ever Ell
joyed in any other Home. 1t is a
bosh to frate about restrictions, etc
because there are none, and so far &
"post graduate" are concerned, ever
man under Governor Smiths skilfl
care can claim that distinction. ]
conclusion, if the East Tennessee
thinks there is "too much bossing,"
I have got to learn CT single one s
complaining, and in toto the TRADE
n
d A Destructive Fire.
To draw the fire out of burn,
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