Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-05-22

=, diSSat istied ana unhappy. EltHti 'he
system is wrong or 1t is being abused
The statement can be made without
} anv fear whatsoever OF contradiction
that 80 per cent. of the members oil
1.-The soldiers homes are heartily in ac-
lcord with the recommendation MADE
bv President Roosevelt in one OF MS
messages to Congress, that the home
he turned over directly TO the War
DEPARTMENT for control and supervis-
ion. 4 despOtic rule has sprung up
within the bureaucracy at New YORK
HEADQUARTERS. Whether the board II
lsalf Is aware of il, or whether II mas
developed through the neglect OF the
Hoard. Congress must be the judge.
This great legislative body has the
mower 10 correct conditions and being
mindful OF the wholesomeness or con
itressional ventilation a sense OF Of
iicial duty impels the voice OF protest.
| Congress and the country must have
| the facts.
Specific Charges.
] In submitting some observations on
| the conduct of these institutions. |
| want it understood that every state
ment is grounded i'm fact and confirm
ed by record. official and otherwise.
They are not based upon the com
plants of the men in the soldiers
homes. because the impression OBJ
tains that criticism Of superiors IS
sometimes an institutional tendency.
desire, however, to file with TINS
Congress these definite. specihc
| charges against the administration OF
the soldiers homes.
|. An apparent wasteful and ex-
| travagant use OF public funds.
2. An inadequate provision for the
men, particularly IN ioOd.
). An inhumane, II not a brutal and
despotic rule.
4. An excess of authority in direct
conflict with the regulations of the
hoard, the Federal statutes, and the
Constitution of the United States.
). An apparent policy Of deceit and
concealment in its relations with Con-
gress, and an insolent disregard OF
the rights and dignity of this great
body.
want to supplement these charges
with the statement that this board il
handling large sums of money in the
post fund, over which Congress has
no control whatsoever, and some ex-
penditures have been improper.
MIR. Cox. of Indiana. Mr.. Chairman,
will the gentleman yield?
Mr.. Cox, of Ohio. With pleasure.
Mr.. Cox. of Indiana. Before the
gentleman gets away from that | de-
sire TO ask him a question. l have
heard that term post fund" used on
more than one occasion. Just what
is 1t composed of and how is 1t made
up?
Mr.. Cox, of Ohio. / was going to
give the history of the post fund later.
Briefly il is this: Where men with
cut heirs die in the homes, the ac-
crued pension left goes into the post
fund. | viii go thoroughly into that,
and not only give the history of the
fund. but the provisions of the law
and the regulations of the board itself
which this organization has violated.
In the ten years elapsing between
1898 and 1903, the cost of maintaining
| the homes, as shown by the last re-
port OF the board of managers, has
doubled. For the year ending June
| 30, 1898, the cost was S2.621 las; for
| the year ending June 80, 1908, the cost
was S5,26S.96S. While the official re-
port OF the board showing these fig
Ures does not state that they cover
also the federal appropriation 10 the
state homes, that is the case. But the
state expense. relatively, was about the
same in the years named. so that the
comparisons made are not affected to
any extent. IN the year 1898 the av-
crage number of men present in the
4 4 h..
| her present in 1905, ten years later,
was 1879, an increase of only : per
cent. in the membership of the homes.
Yet the expense was multiplied by
| TWO. | question whether any other
| department OF the government can ex-
| fibi, such a radical and disproportion-
ate increase in cost. and submit that
the board of managers, in the face OF
| those figures. will find il difficult
matter 20 convince the American peo-
pie that public funds have not been
wasted either willfully or through
neglect and official incompetency.
Since 1897 three additional branches
or homes-have been established
at Danviile. H.; Johnson City, Tenn,
and Hot Springs. ). OAK The useless
| expenditure OF the vast sums OF mon
| sy Necessary 10 erect and maintain
these three additional homes is ap-
paren: when Il is shown that the
membership has made very little IL
crease since the year 1897.
At the johnson City home there has
,been spent for buildings and perma-
uent Improvements the sum OF 81 $40
2S3. The total membership az John
son City during the last year was
| ..1s3. the total membership al the
Dayton tObi0) home Was 5.s92. Il
viii be seen that three times as many
men are cared for. approximately. a.
DAYTON as a. Johnson City. The Day
ton home has been in existence forty
ihree years; the johnson City home
less than seven years; and yet more
money has been expended az Johnson
i City Tor buildings and permanent i'm