St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-09-06

ton of three hundred dollars for in
cidentaI expenses, when that same
legislature in the printed form is
sued to US makes its labor look like
the acts of geological society for the
preservation of wild animals and
general raid upon the state treasury
in the form of bounties to the faith
full and the organization of few
dozen more committees to govern
this state.
This ungrateful act seems all the
more brutal when we look back at
the great public men of the war time
going up and down this state en-
treating and pursuading men to en-
list, and telling them that "they or
their families would never suffer
want so long as Vermont remained
state" Vermont is still a state, but
the promises have long since been
forgotten. 1t is our duty to remind
these politicians that Vermont's
promises must be kept
1t is a fact we'll known that the
average pension in this state and
paid by the United States is less than
twenty dollars, and has been esti-
mated at fifteen dollars monthly;
think how that pittance in these
days of high prices supports an hon
est brave old veteran and his wife,
when the veteran is physically unfit
to do manual or most any kind OF
labor, and his old helpmate is in
many cases in the same condition.
The old veteran must keep ON work
ing when physically disabled or go
to the Soldiers Home, and in many
cases separate from his lifelong
helpmate- girl of fifty years ago
from his family and friends.
IA do oh RI q 1E-
sue of the Soldiers Home, as it is
a splendid and noble institution,
well kept and managed, and home
for the friendless and homeless In
every sense of the word; and the
management has done a vast amount
of good in the care and protection
of those who have come within its
portals; but we do demand that the
family life of the old veteran of the
civil war be maintained ii it takes
the last dollar in our state treasury,
and that the promises of the Old
Green Mountain State to her soldiers
shall be kept, for had it not been
for the soldiers of fifty years ago
those that now refuse to listen to
our demand for state aid and PEN
sions would be in different condi-
lions and not in position to say
that these promises would not be
kept.
We, as the sons of our fathers,
have duty to perform, and that is
to see that the promises made by
the great state of Vermont fifty
years ago to her soldiers shall be
kept, and it is our business and we
must work and act to see that the
movement we are now starting in
behalf of the grandest lot of old
tho Of I'D
earth, the men who fought and sus-
tanned the greatest country in the
world, who sustained the honor and
glory of the Green Mountain State,
shall come into their own. We owe
it them as Sons of Veterans, and
as Sons of Veterans we ask you all
to join us in this noble work of car
ing for them. The time has come
for these brave men to come into
their own, and as Commander of
the Vermont Division, Sons of Vet
Grams, extend to you all cordial
invitation to aid and support and
care for them, and to join as one
man in protecting their homes and
caring for them and theirs in their
declining years. The time is short;
a few years and the last of the most
illustrious lot of brave men who
ever assembled will be laid to rest
The time is short; take off your
coats, brothers, and get to work.
We wish to give them this aid in
1912. Are you with us? Extend to
your neighbors this appeal. Let the
old boys live in peace and plenty for
the few remaining Lays OF their
lives, and let them live with the
knowledge that their brave acts and
deeds have been appreciated by
grateful people.
Fraternally yours,
A J. GRIFFIN.