The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-19
The Command r-in-chicf.

The Command erin Chief.
Commander-in-Chief Van Deryoort's ad-
ministration is fast drawing to close. The
next National Encampment of the Grand
Army Of the Republic viii be held at Den
yer, Colo, between the oath and 23th of July,
the exact day has not yet been announced,
and but three months, therefore, remain
in which to complete the work of the year.
So far as the Commander-in-C Chief is con-
cerned, the time viii be well employed. In
afraternal letter from National Headquarters,
he writes US that, accompanied by Surgeon
General Ames, of Massachusetts, he expects
TO leave Omaha on the goth inst. tomorrow
on final tour of inspection, during which he
intends TO visit the Departments of Utah,
California, Oregon, Washington Territory,
Arizona, and New Mexico. He will then
have inspected every Department of the
Order from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
discharged literally duty which the Com
mander-in-C Chief hitherto has only been sup
posed to theoretically perform. No one save
the Commandments himself is in a
position to fully appreciate the magnitude
of this undertaking, but some idea of the
amount of personal exeItion, fatigue, and
discomfort which it has involved may be
derived from the statement that In the
carrying out of his purpose he has already
travelled thirty thousand miles, and by the
expiration of his term of Office viii have
added fifteen thousand miles more to that
splendid record of work well done He might
well be pardoned for indulging in little self
Qualification over the fact. But Comrade Van
Dervoort is not that sort of man. His sole
ambition from the first has been TO build up
the Order, and we know thaehis chief anx-
iety to-day is that.his efforts in that direc-
ton may realize the expectations that have
been based upon them. In undertaking
to double the membership of the Grand
Army in single year, he has essayed a
herculean task, and it is on the exc
cution of that task, at whatever cost
TO himself, that his heart is set. Nat
urally his ardu0us labors have severely
taxed his physical strength, and month
ago he was apprehensiye that his health
would fail him, but we are glad to know
4 y,s-
there is no longer any doubt but that he
viii be able TO carry out his plans. As yet
it is impossible to state with accuracy the
total gain in the membership of the Grand
Army since the beginning of his administers
ton, but this much is known, namely, that
nine Western Departments show an increase
of 500 Posts and nine Eastern Departments
an increase Of 237 Posts, gain Of 936 Posts
in eighteen out of total of thirty -three
Departments and up to March LIST 1928
badges had been issued from National head
quarters 81 think of nothing night and
day" writes Comrade Van Deryoort, " but
this addition of one hundred thousand
members to the ranks of the Grand Army,
and want all the chaplains to pray for il
and all the comrades to work for it"
We viii answer for THE TRIBUNE and itt
readers, Commander! In less than three
months we have together planted more thar
seventy TRIBUNE Posts at places where pre-
yiously the badge of the Grand Army wa:
an unknown emblem, and mustered thou
sands Of worthy veterans into the Order
who, but for the appeals of THE TRIBUNE
and its allies, might have long remained il
ignorance Of the blessings and privileges
awaiting them. The good work shall g
on, and meanwhile, Commander, may goot
fortune attend you on your Westward jour
ney and success crown your labors!
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