Library Collections: Document: Full Text


Report To The U.S. Sanitary Commission. On A System For The Economical Relief Of Disabled Soldiers, And On Certain Proposed Amendments To Our Present Pension Laws

Creator: John Ordronauz (author)
Date: 1864
Publisher: Sanford, Harroun & Co., New York
Source: Available at selected libraries

Previous Page   Next Page   All Pages 


Page 33:

421  

The next and most important want is, that means of communication by post-roads should be provided by Government as early as practicable, both for the convenience of the local population, as well as for the transportation of troops in cases of necessity. In fact, the time has come when military roads should be constructed all along our frontiers, and wherever there is a possibility of invasion. But particularly so in the south-west, because that, beyond all others, seems the quarter from which we are now, and may continue to be menaced. A military frontier has become, therefore, almost a necessity. We have the proper men with which to organize it -- men combining experience with indomitable energy -- thinking heads with working hands; and it will, consequently, be our own fault if we do not turn these advantages to the strengthening and development of our national grandeur. Along the whole line of our south-western frontier we could easily establish military posts, the garrisons of which could be furnished by the local militia. Efficiency and economy would thus be secured. Men having a home near by would perform their duties with more alacrity and devotion than if strangers and merely commorant in that locality. They would be interested in plans looking to the good of posterity, knowing that their own would share in whatever benefits were likely to accrue from a due employment of their present opportunities. Instead of being mere garrison soldiers with nothing to do, when off duty they would be stimulated to labor in their own fields and for their own gain, by the reflection that great and lasting advantages were within their reach; that they were objects of special regard to the nation, and were honored by her with the mission of keeping watch and ward at the gateways of her territory. With such incentives to industry and good conduct as these, American military colonists could not fail to exhibit to the world a spectacle of successful enterprise beyond that of any similar character in either ancient or modern times.

422  

PROPOSITION FIFTH.

423  

In the construction and service of the Pacific Railroad, what parts could there be assigned to invalid soldiers, e. g., overseers, switchmen, flagmen, telegraph operators, station and freight agents, clerks, conductors, engineers, firemen, etc., etc.?

424  

As the greatest of all public works yet undertaken by the nation -- the construction of the Pacific Railroad presents us with one of the best possible opportunities of giving employment to a large class of disabled soldiers. The length of time which will be required to build it, and the immense number of employees necessary to discharge the various duties of so extensive an undertaking, point to this as a source of very just and profitable occupation for invalids. It is not to be assumed by this, however, that they could perform such heavy or laborious duties as necessitate a full enjoyment of all our physical powers; but there are numerous occupations connected with the administration of the road, and involving more of intelligence than manual strength, which they might easily and successfully undertake. These occupations, a few of which are enumerated above, are all within the capacity of the generality of invalids, and the salaries which can be paid them in such places could not fail to secure the services of all that would be needed.

425  

But, pending the construction of the road it would certainly be desirable, at the outset, to bring the region through which it is to pass under some degree of settlement and cultivation. It should, at the very least, be made to feed those who are about living there. The laborers on the great work itself will be wanted for purposes exclusively connected with it. They cannot, at the same time, be agriculturists, and in that sense will be consumers alone of the products of the soil, and not producers. Food of all kinds, in consequence, will have to be imported, and the enormous cost of transportation, most of it being by land-carriage, will raise the price of provisions to a rate beyond the economical reach of the laborer; thus deterring him from going there by the bitter prospects of consuming all his daily gains in the support of his family. Every motive of economy and concern for the future will, therefore, lead him to remain in the more thickly settled regions of the East, and his services will be lost to those who most need them. In order to obviate this, the Government should, at an early day, make provision for opening the Pacific Railroad district, and rendering it self-supporting. Settlers must be induced to go out and reclaim the wilderness by the offer of peculiar advantages. Natural resources of every kind must be improved, and communities planted for the purpose of opening markets and furnishing products to non-producing inhabitants. Food will thus be made to keep pace with population, and ordinary day-laborers being assured that they may, by the competition of open markets, not only be enabled to live within their income, but even to lay up something against the coming of old age, will be induced to go out into this new country with the ultimate hope of becoming freeholders.

Previous Page   Next Page

Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50  51    All Pages