The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-20
INDIANAPOLIS AND THE ENCAMPMENT

in the interest of the capital. The most
charitable construction that can be put or
these structures is that the writers do not
know what they are talking about. Many
of them, doubtless, are the result of an
inconsiderate haste to champion the old
soldier. The spirit is commendable, but the
manner and occasion are such that the de
Tense" does intellectually more harm than
good. The spokesman for any cause should
first advise himself of the facts. An ignorant
and hot-headed TRADE is a boomerang, GER
tain to hurt him who hurls it more than
those toward whom it is cast. Without an
swering seriatim, and taking advantage of
certain disappointments that have come to a
few who are bitterest in their abuse of the
~encampment and its managers, it will suffice
to recount the facts.
As the leading fact, let it be understood
that not one OF the men active in originating
and encouraging the enterprise expected to
make one dollar out of it in any manner.
With them it was a purely disinterested
matter, so far as they were personally con-
cerned. Themselves old soldiers, almost to
a man, it is but fair to presume they would
deal honorably with their former comrades
in-arms. That they did so in every particu-
lar needs but the statement OF a few indis-
| putable truths. The sentiment of Indiana
is undoubtedly in favor of the form
ing and maintenance of q State militia.
During the past few years con-
siderable progress has been made in this
direction, and the recent improvement was
made very plain by the superiority of this
years over last years e~ncampment. The
old organizations have become more prof.
cient, and a great many new ones have been
formed. 1t was urged upon the last Legisla-
ture that an appropriation be made to defray
the expense of these annual encampments as
is done by other States, in order to encour-
age the formation of military companies and
to excite an honorable competition between
them. No action was taken, and but for the
enterprise of Indianapolis there would have
been no e~ncampment.
Seeing that the State would do nothing in
the matter, the people of Indianapolis took
it upon themselves to announce an encamp-
ment and guarantee its success. In other
words, they pledged so many thousand dol
lars as a guarantee that the expense incurred
should be honorably paid. This done, it
was clearly the duty of the managers of the
enterprise to do their utmost to make it a
success in every particular, which the same
it was without question. In laying the plan it
was decided that Wednesday, Aug. Is, should
be known as "old soldiers day." when all
members of Grand Army posts should be ad-
United free Of charge. This announcement
was made 70 all the posts throughout the
State in a circular, and the plan was carried
out as promised. But the managers, backed
by the citizens of indianapolis, did more
than this. Besides admitting about 1000
persons free they fed them all and many of
their families without asking a cent in re-
turn. AS a result of this testimonial
to the veterans of Indiana the
management were shor nearly or
quite $4,000, and a total deficit of
about $4,000 seemed inevitable unless the
weather should continue favorable and the
interest undated. Foul weather on Friday,
which seemed imminent, would have left
that amount to come out of the pockets of
the merchants and citizens of indianapolis.
Had this been the case, there is no proba-
bility that any fault would have been found.
Luckily, the crowd on the last day was large
enough to make up for the loss on Wednes-
day, and a little more, and the guarantors
escaped a heavy assessment, To resume: In
d~ianapolis, in order to accomplish
what the State had failed to
provide for, guaranteed to feed and
shelter free OF charge every soldier entered
in the competitive drills. They provided
$3.50 as premiums. They admitted free
about 900 veterans, and fed them and many
of their families. They decorated their
places OF business and got up a monster in
dustrial parade, all at a heavy expense.
Money was forthcoming without stint and
without question. Everything that could
be done was done for the comfort and en-
joyment OF all who honored the city with a
visit, and it is gra tifying to
be able to say that, so far
as Is known, not one out of the
tens of thousands who were in Indianapolis
last week suffered injury of any nature.
The encampment was one of the most graft
flying successes Of the kind ever attempted,
and would have been creditable to any city
IN the country.
In conclusion, IL ought to be repeated that