The National tribune., 1883-10-11
day, and we shall doubtless be able to an
nounce its character in our next issue.
Let the Grand Army Fulfm Its Mission,
The Brown county (O1 Democrat saws:

d
this was TO catch votes We have been told that the
Society Of the Grand Army of the Republic not
political institution. The comrades should re-
bulSe this effort TO subrer their order by promptly
voting against the man who abused it.
Asubscriber to THE TRIBUNE writes from
Looking Glass, Oregon, as follows
To the Editor NATIoyAI TRIBUNE:
II viii require al the power Of THE TRIBUNE 10
keep the Grand Army together and prevent a sor-
did unnanly sFirit-indiflerenee 10 everything but
the crackers and cheese and the convivality Of the
Post room-from creeping into its ranks. That
seems 20 be the present tendency OF the Order and
uGless its members are aroused TO an appreciation
Of its real purposes and objects this spirit win
surely be destructive of its usefulness. You have
it in your power to check this tendency, and ]
would willingly lie one of a number to defray the
cost Of sending copies Of that faithful journal THE
TRIBUSEl regularly 10 our various officials in order
that they may realize the mistake that they are
making. Very truly, yours. VETERAN.
Another subscriber at West Haven, Conn,
writes:
In your paper you constantly urge the members
OF the G. A. r. TO take united action in regard to
men selected for ofliee-that IS as understand it,
TO vote for who friendly to the interests of
the ex-soldier. But how that united action be
brought about when Article TX Of the Constitution
expressly prohibits politics? There is great need
Of change somewhere. Truly, yours.
WEST HAVEN, CoHN. DANIEL NJ WHITE.
In Philadelphia, on the 29th ult, the Union
Veteran Army held its second annual con-
vention Ga report of which. viii be found
elsewhere in our columnsl, at which reso-
luton was adopted instructing its ex-com-
mander to interrogate the Presidential
nominees of the several parties, Bpon the
choice of the nominating conventions of 1884
being made known, as to whether Or not they
would be favorable to the proposition con-
tanned in the Union Veteran army bill
which provides, among other things, for the
granting of q land warrant of 100 acres of
Government land to every ex-soldier, his
widow, minor child or children; for the pen
sioning Of surviving ex-prisoners; for ex-
tending the provisions of section 1854, so as
TO give preference in appointments to civil
Office to ali honorably discharged ex-soldiers,
whether discharged by reason of disability
or the expiration of their term of enlist
ment and, finally, for the equalization of
bounties in this manner, to wit: the payment
to every honorably discharged ex-soldier,
sailor, and marine, or their widows, children,
or parents, s. dollars per month for every
month of actual service between April 8, 1861,
and May 6. 1866, less only the bounties already
paid to them. And it was further ordered
that report should be made at the next
annual convention, so that such action might
be taken thereon as the convention might
deem necessary.
We group these facts and opinions to-
gether thus, in order that our readers may
the more clearly comprehend the question
at issue between those who hold that be-
cause the Grand Army is not political or
ganization, it should not take any organized
action concerning the recognition of soldiers
rights by Congress, and the enforcement of
sction 1754 in appointments to Office and
those who maintain that under section 2
Of article II, chapter I, of the Rules and Reg
ulations of the Grand Army, which specifies
as one Of the objects to be accomplished by
the Order, the following, to wit:
To assist such former comrades in arms as need
help and protection, and 10 extend needful aid to
the widows and orphans Of those who have fallen
it is the paramount duty of the Order to
exercise its united influence for the protec-
lion Of comrades in their rights, individu-
ally or collectively, in Congress or out
of it, In civil or private trusts, and
without regard to party affiliations. In
the early days Of the Order, as our
readers know, it was degraded to purely po-
litical uses, and, as a natural consequence.
it fell into disrepute; but it was not because
Of any concert of action to secure the recog-
milton of soldiers rights that it lost caste,
but because its influence was exerted to pro-
mote the selfish interests of mere politicians
and political parties, as such. Had it con-
fined its efforts to the work of arousing the
country from the Iethargy into which it
had fallen in regard to the treatment
bestowed by Congress upon our ex-sol-
diers, and Of impressing upon the minds
Of these ex-soldiers themselves the para
mount necessity of withholding their votes
from all candidates who were known not to
be in sympathy with their interests, its po-
sition could not have been shaken, and it
would some years ago have attained the
dignity and power which it now possesses.
As often happens, however, the reorganizers
Of the order-rendered timid by the storm
Of public criticism which had overwhelmed
the Grand Army at the time when IFS polit-
ical tendency was exposed-went to the
other extreme, and were at such pains to
caution comrades as 10 the necessity of hold
ing aloof from politics, that the effect has
been TO cripple the power of the Order to
be Of real practical benefit to the men for
whose care and protection it was originally
created. There is good deal of truth in
o.ty