The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-08-02
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPU0
some Interesting FastA About Its Growth
ana ObJects-KansAs the Banner

ana ObjectD-Kansas the Banner
Department
We clip from the annual report Of l
Paul Van Dervoort, commander in chief |
OF the Grand Army Of the Republic, por.
tons of his address at Denver last week,
as published in the Denver Tribune,
which will undoubtedly be read with
Interest by the general public. The
growth Of the organization for the past
two or three years IS surprising, and the |
objects It aims at can but meet the ap-
probation of every loyal citizen:
THE GROWTH OF THE ORDER.
In his report he said he had Wis ted
ali the departments, which include thir-
ty-seven states and territories, leaving
only twelve, including Alaska, unvisit-
ed. He has attended nine department
encampments and two semi ANIMAL en-.
campments and the organization OF one
permanent department. II have" said /
he, delivered At reunions, camp fires,
bAnQuets, receptions, annual and semi
annual encampments, 143 addresses;
have visited 150 posts; ! have travelled
Al, 4O3 miles; have been absent from
home over 265 days. When at home I
daily devoted many hours 10 the duties
Of the Office. ] have written over one
thousand letters ami can truly say that
cheeTfullY and gladly have given ont
year OF my life 10 the work.
"KAnsas has come nobly 10 the front
again this year. and is again the banner
department. The gain up to March 81
Is 424A per cent, o, 796 members and 127
posts. Missouri comes next, with a
gain OF 351 per cent, 81 posts and 2,1O5
members. This in former slave state,
and one desolated by the ravages Of war,
Il surprising and II due to the energy,
zeal and devotion OF q large number Of
enterprising workers; Iowa, 220 per
cent, 3.03S members and - posts; Mich
igan, $50 per cent. 81 posts and 3.4G0
posts, 1851 members, Indiana, 100 per
cent, 4,171 members and 100 posts; Col
orado, 273 per cent. 1893 members,
with New Mevico and Dakota separated
from them; Illinois. 81 per cent,
1857 members and 90 posts I;
Vermont, 90A per cent, S47
members, and 10 posts; Ohio, 79N
per cent, $40 members and o. posts ;
New York, "a per cent 1880 members
and IS posts; Pennsylvania, 231S per
cent, 1884 members and 20 posts; Ne
and 90 posts; Minnesota, .S2I< per cent.
gain; Maine, 461< per cent. /, 4a4 men,
bers and IL posts; Massachusetts, 174
per cent, 1871 members and posts.
These gains are up to and including
March 81, 1888. All departments show
gain, and In the supplemental report
showing the increase during the June
quarter you will note the grandest in.
crease In the history OF the order, ILL
n0is alone gaining IN the June quarter
103 posts and 3,703 members. This
work must not cease, IL must and will
go on with undated vigor and increas-
ing enthusiasm until all who wore the
blue who are worthy TO become men,
bers are enrolled. Up 20 and including
March 81 we gained 971 posts and 55,-
760 members; per cent OF gain, COZ
Comrades, we have trelY occupied the
land"
MORMON INIQUITY.
ain company with the surgeon-gene
raj visited the provisional department
OF Utah on April 81 and 90. We were
cordially received by as gallant band
OF comrades as ever wore our badge.
The posts at Ogden and Salt Lake are
lively and enthusiastic. have added
Idaho and Montana 70 the department
which gives them sufficient posts TO
form permanent department. The
organization in Utah has had many diff
ticulties TO contend with. They are up
nOAuiuB VIC Dnuucr Vi tue 0EAuu ARMY
In what Is practically foreign and hos.
tile community. They are
in the front of an enemy, treacheEous
and defiant, and who are trampling
daily under foot the laws of the land
with perfect impunity. The Grand
Army In Utah are the natural protectors
Of the glory and honor of the flag. They
here, In the presence of q crime as hid
eous as treason and as damnable as s;a-
very, grandly illustrate the shining glo-
ries of our order. They witness this
Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming,
New Mexico and Colorado, and
grasping with greedy hands the balance
OF power in the very center of the
continent. They are entitled 10 our sym
pathhy and solid support. 1t Is right
that we should send greetings TO them,
for the evil they are massed in solid
lines against Is one that will cause the
next great struggle for Republican gov
ernment unless II Is speedily checked.
The question there Is not In any sense
political; all men drop party lines there
and are simply anti Mormon. There
Jews are Gentiles by name and all stand
. In solid column though vastly outnum.
bered by the wicked host.
THIS QUESTION rs A MORAL ONE,
and We have a right to add our testi-
mony in favor Of honor and purity. The
slums OF Europe with matted hair, blood
ahot eyes, unholy thoughts and beastly,
tdiotic ignorance and fanaticism impell-
ing them are being massed behind the
solid walls of the gigantic mountains;
the nag Is hated, the laws which we
willingly obey, and the authority of the
nation we saved are spurned and spit
upon. The school taxas paid by our com.
az and Il a.
are used IN sustaining Mormon schools,
and In every way the spirit OF disioyalty
and hate is exhibited. We crushed
slavery and purified the flag, We made
one country and one flag a living reali-
~, and Il IL our duty TO say to the polyg
amous wretches who have erected a
structure as unholy and damning AS
slavery that the men who wear the blue
demand that these wicked, unhoiy ef-
forts 10 establish on our soil the sdper-
stitIon, crime and hideousness of the
dark ages must cease before we are mus.
tered out.
"Let us demand through a strong
committee that band or earnest, true
men, who know and have faced the evil
and sin day and night, shall be desfg-
mated TO codify the laws heretofore pass.
ed through the dictates OF the leaders of
this unholy church. That Ii shall be
written and declared that no Mormon
shall vote or hold any Office whatever
That all holding government
Offices shall be renewed, that this COM
mission shall ask congress to approve
the codiflcation of the laws, and that all
officers Of every grade shall be appoint
ed by the Governor and confirmed by
the council, and that the emigration of
recruits to build up this damning crime
shall be stopped at once and forever.
POLITICS IN THE GRAND ARMY.
mo case Of the violation of the rules
and regulations OF our order in refer
ence To politics has come before me dur
ing my term of Office. The case brought
before the encampment at Baltimore has
been settled harmonIously by the action
of the department of Indiana.
"The early builders of our organiza-
ton wisely foresaw the insidious in
fiuence of partisanshlp. The grand
comrades who have preceded me in
command, each referred in strong, wig.
orous terms to the fact that the order, Ii
IL would be lasting. must be non partisan
mo principle Is more firmly estab-
llshed. We have IN our ranks men OF
parties and creeds. Honorable service
In tue war for the Union is the only test,
and We care not for the political faith of
any member of our noble order. Faith
ful service in the war for the Union
gives an old soldier the right to believe
and vote as he deems best"
THE Grand Army letters the con-
science of no member. IL gives the
largest liberty to all. II stands aloof
from the strife and clash of parties. II
will stand by the comrade though the
world assail him, in sickness, in distress,
when old wounds reopen, when the wife
and children are destitute. II
will take old veterans from the
almshouse. II will remove their dust
Ind bones from a pauper's grave and
bury them In holy ground. II will