The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-08
GRAND ARMY soYs.
Opening of the Annual Encampment
In lewiston.

LEWISTON, Feb. THE annual session oil
the Maine Department of the Grand Army
opened at O'Clock this afternoon. Depart.
ment Commander 81. FL. Burbank made the
opening address, in the course Of which he
spoke as follows:
COMMANDER BuRBANK's ADDRESS.
Comrades Of the Ttcenty-second annual En-.
cdmpment Of Maine Grand Army of the
Republic.
Time with rapid stride. whose march
knows no halting, and tolerates no delay,
again brings us together In annual encamp-
ment, where we may rekindle our camp fires,
exchange fraternal greetings, renew our
vows and deliberate for the veal of the or
der in this department. To this annual feast
l cordially welcome you one and ALL
And while we pause for consultation and
counsel, one question, and the supreme ques-
tion in this work, confronts us, namely
Have we given the ready hand to our needy
and deserving comrades and their loved ones,
and to the veterans not yet within our gates
Hast thou considered the cause of the poor?
Ii not, then useless. indeed, is this our or
ganization, and barren the ritual we teach.
The distribution of the sum of S4,6S5. .05 from
the relief fund of the posts In the depart
we have not ignored cardinal principle of
our union.
GThe unusual number of suspensions during
the year (578) demands wise suggestions and
action. The department commander holds
that posts and post officers can best apply
the remedy or prevention. To remove the
cause OF this depletion may be impossible !;
to reduce this number to minimum should
engage our constant study and effort. BY no
means let poverty or misfortu ne contribute
cnQh Efdoltfxy 20
tions will largely aid in attaining the de-
sired result.
While we have gained many recruits, the
ever busy hand OF death-from whose icy
touch none VIII be exempt-has mustered out
some OF the weaker and some of the stron-
ger, 1t remains for the survivors to close
the Dreaches in our ranks unmindful of fresh
future work.
As pertinent to the subject of pensians,
nOte with pleasure the cordial approval by
the Governor of the State of the desire that
the amount of appropriations for State pen
slons be increased and that the legislature
now IN session has taken initial steps to-
wards an increase from $4,000. to $4,000
Ior the ensuing two years. The department
committee on pensions has also submitted to
our legislators, a bill which shall close the
doors. OF almhouses to veterans and their
families, and are confident that such bill
VIII become law during this winter. This
w hi6hiJ w SouAauCo
and will be responsive to the impulses of
our people whose loyalty has known no
dlminution In days of peace and whose finan-
cial prosperity will make light the gift of
grateful hearts.
The Bath Orphan Asylum, Sons of Veter-
ans and Women's Relief Corps are all COM
mended. and the members are congratulated
on the fact that the fraternity has not been
touched by any taint of political ma
ture during the past campaign.
The Reports.
Chaplain Q. H. Shinn of Deering, made
the reports on Memorial Day and neurology.
He has the records of the death of 65 men,
bers OF the Grand Army during the year
The total expenditures of Memorial Day
were $7,49697.
The inspectors report shows the relief
fund Of 48 posts to be $10,050.52; the expen-
dltures OF the posts for the year S5,65S. .13.
de reports the prospects of 130 posts good,
~ ialr ana Two very poor.
Assistant Quartermaster General Beal's re
port shows total receipts of $5,216.27; expen-
ditures $4952.25.
The following Is a summary of the report
Oh Assistant Adjutant General K. c. Milli-
ken, of Portland:
Jan. 1, 1888, there were In good standing in
TINS department 40 posts. -Four posts have been
organized during the last year:
Ihomas A. Roberts Post 40, Oxford.
farker P0St 161, Lowell Centre.