The National tribune., 1883-08-09
The Work Before Us.


the membership OF the Grand Army to at
least 100000 before the close of his admins
tration He does well to set the mark high.
The field is large, and it has never been
thoroughly TILED Vast as was the work
accomplished during the last year. We are
satisfied that the progress then made can be
duplicated and perhaps surpassed during the
next twelve-month. The fact is that up to
the present time the work of recruiting the
membership Of the Order and propagating
its principles has been conducted in a some
what desultory way, and there is good rea-
son TO believe that if properly systematized
it would lead to still more splendid results
At present the organization of new Posts is
10 certain extent matter of accident !;
that is to say, there are few Departments, if
any, in which the unoccupied territory is
carefully marked out, and places in which
there is sufficient material for the establish
ment of new Posts personally visited aud
the objects and benefits of the Order properly
explained TO the veterans resident there.
o. course, every application that comes
properly authenticated and that fal6l!s the
conditions precedent to granting charter
for the muster Of new Post receives atten-
tion, but it often happens in communities
where the soldier element is largely repre-
scented that no one is disposed to take the
lead in organizing the movement for the
establishment Of Post 1t is in just such
cases that the need Of missionary work on the
part Of comrades Of the Grand Army is mani
fest. ItwouId he a wise thing for the Depart
ment authorities TO ascertain in just what
counties and what towns where the Order
has not yet secured foothold, material
enough exists for the organization of a new
Post, and TO then delegate TO discreet and
jealous comrades the duty of canvassing the
ground in person and aseertaining whether
it would be for the interest of the Order to
occupy that ground It would b. possible
in many cases even to secure in advance a
list of ex-soldiers residing in such ter
ritory and sufficient idea of their
character 10 determine whether they
would make desirable comrades. This
IS particularly true Of the Department of
Kansas, where tie recent census of survivors
o. the war has made it possible for the
Department authorities to gauge The extent
Of tie field TO a nicely.
Not few of the 10 applications for
Post charters which TIE TRIBuxE re-
ceiyed during the past year, came from
sections OF the country where one would
naturally suppose Posts would have been
established long ago, by reason at once
Of the numerous soldier population and
the proximity Of Aourishing Posts in neigh
boring towns and counties, and it has
excited our wonder sometimes to find that
no previous attempt had been made there
to extend the Order.
It's notdesirable, of course, that merely for
the sake of showing a large increase Of mem
bers in a single year, new Posts should be es-
tablisbed in places where the soldier element
is neither strong enough nor jealous enough
to properly sustain them, bnt, unquestion-
ably, there is not a single Department in
which the territory can be said to have been
thoroughly canvassed, and in which there is
not abundant room for substantial and
rapid Development This is as true Of The
4 Department Of New York as well as o.
Kansas, for instance. Between the frat Of
February and The first Of July last there was
a gain IN the Department Of New York O
over 6lty-fve Posts, three Of them number.
ing over one hundred charter members
which abandAntly proves that, although
there Ere now not far from 400 Posts in til,
Department, the limit Of lis growth is still
FAR from being reached.
Enthusiasm is splendid quality il
any work Of this description, and ii.
value shouId not be moderated bat en-
thusissm is never so effective as wheI
II is coupled with systematic effort, ant
the Ieyaote Of the new years campaign
Should he Thoroughness. 1t is not well t,
multiply Posts il cities where the Order il
{ already vel established. except for reasons
Of convenience accessibility to Post-rooms
6ae.,--but our comrades should see to it thai
no territory which is now entirely unoccu
pied, although capable Of sustaining stron,
and healthy Posts, remains so at TIE close o
the year They should take the trouble t.
make inquiries either by letter or by aetna
visit rs TO the character Of the field sill
untitled, and, instesd of waiting for theiI
iell9w-soldiers to organize of their owl
. accord, they should put the movement OF
foos themselves, and give them tie beuefit
J Of their counsel. We are confident that
Commander-in-chief Beath viii prove Z
!, ssgacioce as well as Jealous leader of the