The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-20

Our growth in membership for the past year has
been but trifie above 10 per cent, while this in
crement in the number of deaths exceed 30 per
cent. The operation of this imperative law Of ac-
celebrating increase will be subject of melancholy
interest 10 all future Encampments The death
loss for the quarter ending June 30, 1855 is l53,
with one Department unrepOrted.
DEPARTMENT CHANGES.
The Territories of Idaho and Arizona were created
Provisional Departments by the Special Orders of
your predecessor, dated respectively Sept and 10,
1887 Encanpments were duly convened by youF
orders in each for the purpose of organizing per-
manent Departments. Idaho thus organized on
Jan. IL, 1888, and Arizona on Jan. IL. They each
reported to this Office Provisional Department ats
for the quarter ending Dec. 81 1857 and for suhse-
quent quarters as permanent Departments Both
are now in excellent working condition and have
made handsome gains in membership. These De-
partments are taken from the former jurisdictions
of California and Utah. That part of the Indian
Territory occupied by the Choetaw, Cherokee and
Chlckasaw nations has been detached from the
Department of Texas and annexed to that of Ar
kansas, and the name of the Department of the
Gulf changed to Louisiana and Mississippi
REPORTS.
have experienced (perhaps in diminished de-
gree the auuoyanceS arising from tardy and ir-
regular reports, upon which all my predecessors
have commented. But for an organization so large
in numbers and widely distributed, which ha-
bitually changes its entire executive and clerical
force once year, consider the results achieved
exceedingly creditable 1t may well be doubted
whether any other voluntary organization in any
land could do as well under similar conditions.
Certainly other body of soldiers ever existed
who could approach US in business accuracy and
selfimposed discipline. There is, however, room
for Improvement.
One main point which many comrades seem un-
able to apprehend Is obvious that to overlook it
argues almost total lack of clerical capacity. The
chief purpose of an Adjutants report is to show
the number of comrades in good standing in the
Post for the quarter to which the report relates.
Unless that prime fact is accurately represented
the report is not only worthless but false. The
instant that one quarter ends another begins.
There is absolutely lapse of time between the two
quarters, and therefore no room for any interyen-
ing change in the membership. 1t necessarily fol-
lows that the number in good standing at the end of
quarter is also the number III good standing at
the beginning of the next yet the Rbsurdity is fire.
quently committed of closing with one number and
opening with another. The confusion. expense
and annoyance oceasioned by this palpable blum
der are beyond computation. Starting with the
right number "ih good standing last report" it
should be very easy to add to it the total of gains
from the four sources indicated by the blanks and
from this aggregate" to deduct the total losses
from the six causes specified. The remainder is
the number remaining in good standing" which
in like manner forms the basis for the next report
Hardness is even less excusabe. It is generally
more convenient to make up Post returns at the
last meeting of the quarter than at any time later
If by any accident it is not DONE then the very next
opportunity should be embraced. AT the end of