The National tribune., 1883-01-04
that each can do is to obtain one new recruit
How soon shall the 100000 be mustered in
An unexnected Honor.

An Unexpected Honor.
In our Grand Army columns this week
will be found General Orders, No. z" in
which Commander in Chief Van Dervoort
announces the appointment of the publisher
and proprietor Of TIE TRIBUNE as one of
his Aides-de-Camp, and declares that ne
gratefully confers" that honor upon him
"on account of the valuable services rem
dered the Grand Army of the Republic by
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE" and -" in order
to show his great appreciation of the work
performed This graceful recognition of
the interest which THE TRL3UNE has taken
in the work of building up the membership
of the Order is characteristic of Comrade
Van DervO0rt, whose observant eye nothing
seems TO escape, aud being entirely uLsolic-
tied and unexpected it is compliment Of
which anyone might be proud. We are dis
posed, however, to regard it as something
more than compliment. Comrade Van
Dervoort is q s0gacious and far-sighted
leader, and we take it that this appointment
is as much an expression Of his desire to
have the aid of THE TRIBUNE in the work
that still remains to be done as q token Of
his appreciation Of what has already been
accomplished. Such being the case it win
be the endeavor of The TRIBUNE to prove
itself worthy of the distinction which has
been conferred upon it and realize to the
full any hopes that may have built upon its
past record as q worker in the ranks. 1t
gives this pledge the more cheerfully, mas
much as it has held from the first shat it is to
the interest OF every ex-soldier and sailor 10
become a member of the Grand Army, and
has only been solicitous as to the most effect
ual way of supplementing the efforts Of the
Order itself in that direction. The plan
which it has hitherto pursued and which
gives promise Of the best results, has con-
sisted in appealing to It's own subscribers
many of whom reside at places where no
attempt has ever been made to establish Posts
to take the initiative in the work of can
vassing among their fellow soldiers for re-
cruits, and if successful in obtaining the
number-ten or mcre-necessary for the
organization of Post to forward an appli-
cation for charter directly TO this office
for the double purpose of insuriRg Il speedy
muster and encouraging others to follow
their example. AS an evidence of the sue
cess which has attended this plan, it is sufi-
cient to refer to Commander-in-Chief Van
Dervoort's recent statement that THE TRIB-
UNE has been instrumental in establishing
some fifty new Posts, and the letter from
Adjutant General Brown, published else
where in this issue, acknowledging the re-
ceipt through The TRIBUNE Of eight addi-
tional applications for charters. The extent
/ of the service which THE TRIBUNE may be
able to render hereafter in this direction
will depend, of course, upon the earnestness
and spirit with which its subscribers enter
I
into the work, and it is chiefly with view
to stimulating their enthusiasm and arous-
ing their ambition that we have invited
their attention to the Commander-in-Chief's
order.
In designating the proprietor of THE
TRIBUNE as one of his Aides-de-Camp he
has indirectly paid n substantial compH-
ment to THE TRIBUNE's subscribers, for it is
to them, after all, that the success which has
attended its efforts to build up the Grand
Army is mainly due By virtue Of this
order, they thus become, one and all, aides
de-camp to the Commander-in- Chief, and we
look to them to demonstrate in a practical
way that they are deserving Of the honor.
Devoid as the Grand army now is Of all
political significance, on the alert as it al
ways is to succOr the sick and needy, and
affording as it does a happy mode of per
petuating the. comradeship of other days, it
realizes to the full the purpose of its crea-
ton, and no veteran with any regard for his
own interests can now afford to remain
outside its ranks.