The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-05-24

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splendid organizations to which nsY$
many of the officers and men who $SSS5Sza
fought in the Civil War belong,
while the veteran association of the W9txSsSS
SpanishAmerican War holds the W8
membership of many who went NxN$a
through that struggle. WSSs
In the national cemeteries here
and there, and in other burial
grounds, stones that mark the -
spots where lie the remains of 49,
those who participated in the con- Gwe
f1icts and each succeeding Decora- ZSz
ton Day their memory is kept alive
by the floral offerings strewn upon their graves.
But what about the veterans who returned
from the front, torn by shot and shell, unable to
resume their places in the ranks of the work
ers without means of selfsupport and unwilling
to thrust themselves upon their kith and kin?
AT the close of the Civil War, when more than
half million men laid down their arms of war
and in few months were transformed from
soldiers to citizens, the question of what to do
with those who incapacitated
Pensions are well enough in their way, but
pensions are not sufficient declared Congress.
1--WE must do more" continued the members Of
both House and Senate. 1--WE must establish a
home for those who have homes and this
sentiment crystallized into what Is of
the most important features with which the
ton deals.
The National Home for disabled volunteer sol
diers is located in the District of Columbia.
There are branches of the National Home at Day
ton O.; Milwaukee, Wis; Togus, Me; Hampton,
Va; Leavenworth, Kan: Santa Monica, CAL;
Marion Ind; Danville H.; Johnson City, Tenn,
and Hot Springs, S. D.
There are state homes for disabled volunteer
soldiers provided by the states of California,
Colorado Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa. Kansas Massachusetts, Michigan, Mime
sofa Missouri Montana, Nebraska, New Hamp-
shire New Jersey. New York, North Dakota,
Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Dakota Vermont Washington, Wisconsin and
Wyoming.
Some idea of the extent of the properties sup
ported by the Federal government may be had
from the last report of the board Of managers, IN
which the acreage of the homes is set down as
1863 valued at S5,474S5 On this land are
buildings aggregating a value Of s10,5l3, 64S.42.
To acquire this property, to maintain it and to
care for the thousands of soldiers the total out
lay up to the close of 1911 has been In the neigh
borhood of 100000 900.
When the first home established, within
The wear there were go veterans cared for.
,rben each succeeding year increased at the rate
of almost 1000 per year until, in 1905 the great
ast number "a SAG, taken care Of. At the
same time the death rate among the veterans
Increased year by year and from 1895 per 1000.
IN 1867 it has advanced to $3.50 per 1000.
Yet when one takes into consideration the
nhvscal condition of soldiers when admitted to
the homes and that 1t has been Al years since
The Civil War, the death rate is really low, for
the average life of the old soldiers has been
triie more than 20 years-a ripe age for the ma
iority of men Indeed. this alone is a most not
able tribute to the government for its excellent
of its wards.
To visit one of these national homes is to have
q treat for nowhere will one find more happy
contentsd set of men Except for the differ
ence in location and style of architecture of the