The National tribune., 1882-08-19
The National Tribune and the G. Ar.


| Why not one hundred thousand? 1t is a
question simply of the willingness of our
comrades of the Grand Army to take off their
coats and 20 to work 1t is not as if the Order
were obscure or its objects unknown. 1t is
not as if every one were eligible to MEM
bership, and it were necessary to make
canvass of the whole population to secure
recruits Only those who served IN the
Union army or navy during the late war,
and were honOrably discharged, are entitled
to join it, and it is therefore only among our
ex-sOldiers and sailors that it is necessary to
canvass. The field of work is, consequently,
clearly defined and distinct. Besides, there
is not veteran in the country who is not
acquainted with the general character and
mission of the Order, nor any, we are sure,
who does not wish it well. This being the
fact why is it that of the million and half
survivors of the war, only one hundred
thousand or less are members of the Grand
Amy vi tLC ltSpuDuC. W Gy, lNtctiI, III
less they have not been properly urged to
join it? 1t is one thing to make a general
meet themselves with the Order, and another
to ask them individually to become mem
bers, and it is upon personal solicitation that
we must mainly rely for the building up of
the organization. Our comrades of the va
rious Posts must make it their business to
search out every ey-soldier in their vicinity
and use their utmost powers of persuasion
to induce him to join. In the majority OF
cases it Will be found that but little entreaty
is necessary, and where decided objections
do exist, based in all probability on a mis-
taken idea of the duties and obligations Of
membership, an intelligent examination into
their character Will be likely to lead to their
removal As for the establishment of new
Posts, that is also a work that should be
systematically engaged in. Instead of trust
ing to chance, our comrades should take pains
to ascertain the material available at each
point of new or unOccupied Territory for
the formation of Posts, and secure the ser
/ vices of some capable and jealous soldier to
canvass for members. The only way to reach
the thousands of Union soldiers who are still
outside of the Order is by means of direct
and personal appeal, and if a proper method
or system of canvassing is resOrted to- there
dred thousand instead of fifty thousand new
members should not be secured during the
coming year. The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, we
need hardly say, will be glad to cooperate
! in this work by giving publicity to the pro-
ceedings of the various Posts and the gen.
eral objects and benefits of the Order, and we
cordially invite our comrades to make free
use of its columns whenever the occasion
requies. Nothing is so likely 20 keep up
the interest of members IN the work of re-
cruiting as the knowledge of what others
are doing in this direction, and the record of
Grand Army progress which THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE prints from week to week cannot
fail to be productive of a wholesome rivalry
between the various Posts and Departments
That Commander-in-C Chief Vandervoort is
of the same opinion, is evident from his dec
Iaration that he depends greatly on the
labors of the editorial corps of the papers
devoted to the cause" As he says, "the
National Headquarters has no organ" and
"no paper specially represents the Com
mander-in-Chief," but all papers published
in the interest of the soldiers have his thanks
for their enthusiasm in behalf of the Grand
Army, and are earnestly entreated to con-
tinue in the good work. THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE is well content to be of that num-
Der, and it desires no higher endorsement
than the written opinion Of the present and
past Commander in Chiefs of the Grand
Army that it is the "ablest paper devoted to
the interests of the soldier published in the
country" 1t does not aspire to be the 'or-
gan" of any organization, in the sense of
being under obligations to advocate its opin-
ions right or wrong, but it does aspire to be
regarded as the "ablest paper devoted to the
interests of the soldier" and is determined to
preserve its reputation as such untarnished
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has now the
largest circulation of any distinctively SOL
diers' journal in the country. 1t has sub
scribers in every portion of the Union, and
at more than 5000 post-Oflices, and its circle
of readers is steadily and rapidly expanding
The secret of its success is its able and per-
sistent advocacy of the rights of the soldier
and its deep and unselfiSh concern for his
welfare 1t has champiOned his cause in
Congress because it believed that cause to
be Just, and it has us earnestly supported
the Grand Army because it regarded that
Order as calculated to promote the comfort
and happiness of every soldier who Joined
it. That its lab0rs have been appreciated Is
sufficiently attested by the remarkable in
crease which has taken place in its clrcula-
ton since the first of the year, and the