The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-16
THE GRAND ARMY's CHIEF.
What General Robert b. Beath Has to Say
of the Growth of the Order, and
Its Operations.

General Robert B. Beath, OF Philadelphia,
commanders chief Of the Grand Army of the
Republic, was in the city yesterday. He was
elected TO the position he holds at Denver, Col,
in July where his chief competitor was General
j. r. Carnahdn. The term of office is one year.
"1here are grand army posts in every State and
Territory in the United States" said the General,
In answer to an inquiry as to the strength and
spread of this order, except North and South
Carolina and Georgia. There was a post in
Georgia, but it went down. II will probably be
reorganjzed, however, this winter. The depart
ment of the Gulf, as Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Florida and Texas are called, has
headquarters Mt New Orleans, and is under
charge of General Charles A. Thiel. More posts
will he organized i'll that department., which is
in a h0urishiug condition., before spring. We
have applications for a charter from Canada and
one from Manitoba. 1t is not generally known
that there is an active @. A. R, post in the Sand
wich Islands. They celebrated memorial day
this year, had a parade, and decorated the few
graves of soldiers that are there. The Union
soldier has been dispersed over a great extent
OF territory since the war. The order is grow
ing rapidly in Kentucky, which is under charge
OF Courade James @. Mitchie.
what is the number of posts now in the or
der, their membership, and what will be its
growth in the fuUure2" was the next inquiry.
'On the 31st of last December there were
5,6i8 posts, with a membership of 134,701. On
the 3Oth of June OF this year the number of
membership to 165, 900. AS the order has been
very active since June the membership has in
creased i'll the same or a greater ratio, and there
are now at least 200, 600 members. We think
by the time of the next meeting there will not
be less than 100000. l am here now visiting
the department commander and staff, ana at
another time 1 will visit the posts about the
State.
'"The G. A. r. was organized in the summer of
12RR- at napatnP M and its frat national
gathering was held in indianapolis in the fall of
1866. There was then no meeting until Janua-
ry, 1868, but since that time annual meetings
have been held. Our next meeting will be in
June or July, 1884-the exact time is not yet
fixed-at Minneapolis. This is not a political
organization, nor the tail TO anybody's kite.
Their ~symPathies as soldiers will probably hold
them together-on many things political, but it
must be a matter of high principle. Men of all
shades of political belief are active members,
which could not be the case If it were not who'll
ly non political.
ST can see,' said the reporter, that a quarter
OF 81 million men held together as in your organ
izatiOn would he a mighty political force if it
could be manipulated. What is the feeling re-
garding the dismissal of the late commander,
Paul Vandervoort, from his government posi-
tion?"
81 have said the Grand Army is not a political
organization. Let us suppose a member has
been removed from a government position and
a citizen put INTO his place; that when the soldier
had been In every way efficient, capable and de-
serving. In sucn a case IL would be our duty TO
stand by such a eOmrade. On the other hand If
u iAAAh 10 VIM Oo " O@i0O Va Ndbl . AhSaPdOlNJ
or drunkenness the Grand Army will not defend
such "A eOnrade. A while ago there were work
ing in a government office the widow of a Union
soldier and the daughter of a rebel officer. 1t
became necessary to cut down the force of the
office, and there vas room for but one of these
ladies'. Through vai1ous social Influences the
daughter of the rebel officer was retained and
the widow of the Union soldier turned out. The
G. A. R. stepped in and made such a stir that the
widow was reinstated, and we would have been
a set OF dastards had we not done So"
"What ia the financial condition of the order?'
ar &c .van1Ianf IA nnnon fhfa 1aan ha-o
been less than for several years. Our money is
invested, and increasing. Pension Commission
er Dudley has made a calculation that the aver
age age OF the survivors of tue wal is now forty
eight years. ] think he has got it TOO high, and
forty.three or fOrty-fOur years is probably nearer
the mark. The great majority OF those who en-
listed were young men from eighteen to twenty
five. For fifteen years to come this organization
should be- very ssrong, and the places of those
who die will he filled by new members coming
in. Bnt afterthat the members will decline,
and it cannot be any great number OF years be-
fore death Will gather in most of us and our
numbers will rapidly diminish"
''There is no insurance feature connected with
the OrganiZatiOnP
"a scheme of insurance was discussed in 1869
and 1870, and abandoned as impractioable. 1t
could not be otherwise when it is taken into ac-
count that SO many of cur members are crippled
and diseased. Any medical examination would
keep out these men who form so large and so
good a part of the membership. The reorganiza-
tinn or the u, A, X. practically dates from
1S70.y Before that time there was a sy stem of
degrees-three degrees, recruit, soldier and vet
eran' accorulns TO TERMS OF service IN the organ
izatiOn. That attempt to ape secret societies
cost us thousands OF members. We have now a
simple form of initiation, but admitted by ali,
even those familiar with other orders, to be
very impressive. The object OF the order is to
preserve those fraterpal feelings which bind to-
gether those who united to suppress the re-
bellioD, and to perpetuaJe the memory of the
dead; TO assist comrades who need help, and to
aid The widows and orphans of those who have
fallen, and TO maintain true allegiance to the
United States of America, and -discOuntenance
whatever tends to weaken loyalty or impairs
the permanency and efficiency Of our free insti-
tutions."
Last night Beath held an informal reception
at the Denison House, which was attended by a
lapUan nunhar Of old enidiara