The daily enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1884, 1884-05-31

flag and the guns of the enemy. One
rule of the order furbids the raising
of any political issue OF discussion i'll
it's meetings, and no one who seeks
political office can expect anything
from the G.. A. r. The founders OF
the order wisely foresaw what parti
sanship might try to accomplish and
established this rule. The order is
made up OF men of AL creeds aid
parties One of the great objects OF
the G. a. r. is to peTpetuate the fra
ternity of feeling between soldier and
soldier. engendered kduring. years of
hardship when they stood shoulder to
shoulder during the greatest conflict
the world ever saw, shared each 9TH
ers rations and blankets, hardships
and blessings and passed through dan
gers and battles-men who have
passed through all this experience IL
fraternity of feeling that arises in no
other way. This explains the secret
of what binds them together. It Is
their purpose to perpetuate this feel
ing and this is one object of the exer-
cises in memory Of the fallen. This
memorial day brings back to the men
cries of survivors the incidents of the
march. of camp life, of the scout, Of
the SkirmiSh line, Of the battle field,
and cannot but draw the veterans of
those scenes toward each otner i'll
closer bonds. The second great OBJ
iect of the G.. A. r. is charity--to
provide for the wants OF comrades and
their widows and orphans not reached
in any other way. During the days Of
service, they had shared with each
other I'LL they had possessed and in
time of peace the seme feelings for
bade that they should see comrade
or those dependent upon him suffer.
When the call went forth for troops
the people of the north had promised
to provide for the wives and children
who were left behind. The nation
was saved. but the people had III great
measure forgotten their promises.
One of the great reasons for organlz-
ing the G. a. r. was to influence leg
islation SO us to secure pensions for
the survivors of the war OF their de-
pendent relatives. The govern ment
has been most liberal but there are
many deserving cases excluded from
the benefit of /. pension by the strin-
| gency of our laws. TO seek out and
reach such cases is the duty and aim
| of the order. All over our land may
be seen soldiers homes and orphans
homes built OF improved by the G. A.
r. In this work the ladies of Amer
ica have been largely interested. Dur
ing the war their comfort and aid was
an lncalculable benefit and form
ed one of the most glorious pages
in the history of that time.
| Now the ladies have formed auxiliary
societies to the G.. A. r. and have
nobly carried forward the work. The
third great object Of the G. A. r. is
loyalty. Every member of the order
is solemnly pledged in allegiance to
his ccuntry's government and none ale
admitted but those who bear truly
loyal spirit. Thus is the G. A. Il. one
of the safeguards of the nation. It's
members are Injured to hardship, dis
ciplined in war and experienced in
battle; it is now a time of peace but
let war menace our country and the
G. A. II. could promptly muster 100,
900 men, tried and true. who would be
! first to respond To the necessity for
defense. Tie three great objects of
the G. A. r. are Fraternity, Charity
aud Loyalty.
j Other musical exercises followed,
most noticeable among which was the
singing of the American Flag" by /.
i guartette of ladies and gentlemen.
The coTnet bard. at this its first al :
| pearance us ail organization, rendered
excellent music.
{, f. l.. Mintie then took the stand.
He said tile exercises of to day car
retl his memory back to the scenes of
% years ago. Listening TO the music
to which they had 50 often kept tim q
he could not lepress the memory of
/, the day when at sumter their flag was