The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-06
aDIsRUPTING THE GAR"

Boston, Baltimore and elsewhere have been
bristling with "scare-heads" like the above
for the past 10 days, and their editorials
have chuckled with "ghoulish glee" at the
prospect of such consummation.
The occasion was the withdrawal of Gen.
John NJ Palmer from the GAR. in fit of
pique, following his defeat for Governor of
Illinois, and sounding pronunciamento
from man named Koontz, whom the pa
pers assume to be high officer of the
GAR, but who really holds no position in
the Order, his title being derived from the
militia of Indiana. This was the telegram
he sent the papers:
About 200 Democratic veterans, members of
GAR. Posts scattered over the State, held in the
Capitol building Indianapolis last night secret
meeting, at which it resolved that every DEM
ocratic member of the GAR. should abandon the
Order, and all present pledged themselves to
Withdraw from their Posts. Adi'tGen Koontz
presided. name and constitution for the new
Order proposed by the Democratic veterans were
adopted.
The new Order is to be charitable and non-poiti-
cal in character. On Wednesday evening there
viii be a public massmeeting in the City Hall,
when the reasons for deserving the GAR. viii be
given and the principles and objects of the new
Order laid before the public. AdTt-Gen. Koontz
says similar meetings will be held all the State
within the next week
Gen. Koontz said that he had letters from men
in eight States, indicating that the movement is
national Among the letters received was one
from John A. NORMAN, Secretary of he HHcfsI0-
cratic Societies Of Pennsylvania, promising that
every Democratic soldier in Pennsylvania will
leave the Grand Army of the Republic. The Presi-
dent of the Societies, who against Beaver for
Governor is at the head of the movement in Penn
sylvania.
Thereupon all the papers inimical to the
Grand Army of the Republic set to work to
develop the detection and furnish evil
dence that it was so widespread and irrecon-
cilable as to insure the disruption and down.
! fall of the Order. Among them they COW
cred the country pretty thoroughly, and
about every Democrat of prominence in the
Grand Army was interviewed on the man
ner The New York and Boston papers had
from one to three columns day on the sub
ject. The result of the search brought them
very little comfort. The detection was
found to be almost wholly confined to Pal
mer and Koontz. Nearly every Demo
crat interviewed spoke most emphatically
against such nonsense, and some gave the
soldier-hating papers very hard rubs.
The New York San, which is none too
well disposed toward the veterans, summed
up its investigations as follows:
The movement for the withdrawal of the Demo
cratic members of the Grand Army of the Repub
lie on the ground that the organization is used tc
further the political ends of the Republican party
seems to meet with little sympathy outside of In
diana, where it began. The revolt has been organ
lied in indianapolis but in other State steps
in that direction yet reported, and interviews by
Sun correspondents with many prominent Demo
Gratis in the Grand Army show that they viii moi
join the revolt, and that they have no idea that il
will be important They distinctly contradict tho
assertion of Gen. Palmer that the Grand Army il
an adjunct of the Republican party, and deny thai
as an organization it has any partisan bias. They
also say there is not room for another successful
organization of veterans. In fact the interviews
given below seem to indicate that, as rule, the
results of the election have not shaken the fealty
of the Democratic veterans to the Grand Army
which, however its individual members may vote
was organized and is maintained, they believe, fo
! nOn-political purposes.
In Baltimore, Gen. John ". Horn, Pas
Department ComS1ander of Maryland, and
prominent Democratic politician, told TIT
interyiewers that there was not the slightes
fear of any split in that Department.
''There is a strict rule, in fact one of the mos
important of our organized laws, which absolutel.
forbids any introduction of politics into Grau
Army matters. You might as well accuse the Ma
sonic Order or the Protestant Episcopal Church G
being prosttuted to politics as the Grand Army c
the Republic. The latter is simply a charitable
and benefeent organization to look after the sick
the helpless the widows and orphans of old sol
diers. have been unanimously elected to tn
highest offices. and have always been known a
an ardent Democrat. l don't think the Indian
movement viii be far reaching"
No seeding Democrats could be foun
among the comrades in Philadelphia.
Col. Robert P Dechert, of Meade Post,
! Democrat, and City Controller, said:
81 do not think that the withdrawal of one ma
. from great body like the Grand Army can eaus
o any dssension in the ranks. No doubt Cen Palme
grieved over his defeat for Governor, resigne,
thinking that the soldiers were the means of elee
ing the Republican candidate. Politics never ent'
= into Grand Army of the Republic matters, and
think the General has no reason to believe the so
e diers were treacherous to him."
Is DR.. Kingston Goddard, of Post 2, and
IT prominent Democrat, said he was strongl
Y opposed to the formation of any new associ
> ton. It would be rank folly"
Col. Charles E. Tippett, Commander
a the Hancock Veterans Association, whit
made such fine display in the great Clev
land parade in New York, said to his officer
with reference to the report that his organ
&c cation was to head the new movement:
cit Is false in every particular, and want y
officers to say to your companies that every rum
10 they may hear about such an undertaking must
treated with the contempt it deserves. If Gre
ne Palmer has grievance with the Grand Army
~ the Republic, the affair is not ours. His is not
funeral. We have just buried our hero, have g,
m ten hack from Salt River and are feeln in nre