Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-02-17
REPORT ON HOME
THE LEGISLATIVE PROBE Wv
M,rrEe FINDS MATTERS
BLACK AND WHITE
HOUSE MAY Want PAPERS
The Documentary Evidence :" "
of Committee May be Ca''eo
for in the Final C'ea"
Up of the Case


Up of the Case
pierre-The following is the con
clusions reached by the Hoine
eating committee:
While the resolution proviolns, tos
the appointment OF this coinml'' -
merely contemplated the hhalns
facts the committee feel that a star
ment of their conclusions anu re.on
mendations will not be out OF place.
therefore. we submit the following
: That the action of the command
ant and board of commissioners u s .n
soldiers Home in suspendlng anu ui
charging Frank Fassett. George IN
ertson ]. C. Horner, DR.. H. ). SMITH,
A. r Gould and A. H. Lathrop Wa
harsh. vindictive, unjustihaole ana no.
in keeping with the spirit and purpose
of the institution and recommend tna'
these members be reinstated 10 niehi-
bership in the Home.
9 That the action OF the COM
mandant and Board of Commissioner,
in discharging J. NJ. Plnkerton anu
H. A. Foster was, in the opinion VI
YOUR committee, warranted by tne
facts disclosed However. we deem
these men sufficiently punished anu
recommend their readmissiOn to the
Home.
3. Regarding the case OF DeCamp
wilmington. Edison Moore, Frederick
Beherns and Samuel Chapman, the
matter Of their admission was by the
rules. left to the discretion OF the
Commandment Your committee are OF
the opinion that the matter OF passing
upon the qualification of applicants as
to residence and property should De
left to some authority Of the county
in which the applicant has formerly
resided.
4. That the treatment accorded 10
VIM. H. Anderson. while he was
member OF the Home. was, CONSIDER
ing his condition. the best that couio
be given and afforded no just cause
for complaint.
5. That the action OF the Com
mandant in suspending James Barton
and James Randall was WARRANTED I'M
der existing rules providing for the
suspension OF habitual drunkards. but,
in the opinion OF your committee,
some other method Of treatment OF
unfortlmates of this class should be
devised.
G. That no blame should in any
way attach to any one connected with
the Home for the condition surround
ing the case OF Reuben Smith.
:. That the action of the Com
mandant in ordering J. A. Glass to
vacate the room occupied by him as
a barber shnn was without any just
cause. and wholly rnwarranted
s. That tie expeniitu OF the sim
Of $5,61o.4S Of the money appropriate
ed for the repairs to sewerage was
wholly unauthorized and Illegal
.. That the members OF the Home
generally have been well treated, are
comic. tably CHARTERED. ara furnished
with sufficient quantity and variety
Of wholesome focd. and all necessary
medical attendance. and appear TO be
satisfied with the Home.
TO- That many Improvements have
been made to the buildings ana
grounds by the present Conlman liant,
and he is entitled to the highest
commentator for the ability he has
displayed In the management of the
business affairs OF the Home
IL. That, in the opinion Of vcur
committee. the unpleasant conditions
which have heretofore existed at the
state soldiers home are due Largely
to a combination of circumstances
some of which are as follows:
Ffrst-The present law requires that
the members of the board of commits
sioners and the commandant Of the
Home shall be veterans OF the Civil
war. This requirement necessarily
confines the selection OF men for these
positions from a class which at pres
emit. has an average age of ~ years,
and prevents the appointment O:
younger and more active men.
Second-The fact that the member.
Of the Soldiers Home are cons iderec
residents and voters of the city O.
Hot Springs. and as such. are Kermit.
ted to participate in all municipal
elections has been. in the opinion o,
your committe, no small factor II
bringing about conditions detrimental
to the welfare of the Home.
Third-The present rule, promulgat
ed by the board OF commissioner fol
the government OF the Home. provide.
for the suspension OF members TO
periods ranging from thirty to ninet,
days, who frequently become publ,
charges on the city of Hot Springs
and upon Fall River county. gives tn.
citizens OF this ncishborhood JUS
cause for complaint.
Fourth-The local government O
the home is military in its charac.e-
the executive being denominated a
"Commandant." and all subord!nat
positions. being designated BIZ mil,
tary titles. Military rules and tacti.
prevail TO large extent In the opin
ion OF your committee, these cor6,
tons are apt to lead to the strict an
arbitrary enforcement Of dis2i,1iirc
and what was intended fer 4 HON
for the comfort of men in their do
Mel gfllfn-The rnstofica 1z-.