The National tribune., 1889-08-29

II IL egi. .ss2 "a more than was expended for like
purpose in the previous year. aud proves con.
oiasively that our burden In not being lighienod
with advancing years.
For the quarter ending June %. 1850. s5l,e9o 90
were expended.
NEW DEPARTMENTS.
Two new Departments have sprung Into exist
enes: Tho Department OF Georgia and the De-
tpartInant Of Alabama.
The Department Of Georgia. with sig Posts rep
resented, was permanently organized at Atlanta,
Ga. the 18th day Of January. 1889. Comrado J.
X Lewis was elected Department Commander and
appointed ComrAtIe q. A. d. Browne Assistant Adj
julnai-tien1rai. Headquarters are Mt Atlanta. Ga.
The Department nf Alabama, with 10 Posts rep
resented, wnA permanently organized ut BiFming-
hatn. Ala, on March 10. 1855 comrade +. q.
Sheppard was elected Department Commander,
nad appointed Comrada w. J. Pcnder Assistant
AdJutant- General. Headquarters at Birming-
ham, Ala.
DEPARTMENT CHANGES.
The opening up To settlement OF a part Of the In
dian Territory caused large influx Of old soldiers
many Of them Conrades-into this new country.
To facilitate tho organization OF new Posts there,
The commandeE.in-thirfHR SAW fii In General Orders
No attach all that portion Of the Indian Terri.
tory lying north OF tie Canadian River 10 the De-
partment OF Kansas. and all that portion south Of
said river TO the Department OF Texas.
Alaska having been attRcled 10 Washington Ter
ritory for the purpose of facilitating Grand Army
organizations, Is now known as the Department OF
Washington and Alaska.
The State of south Carolina was. on the 10th day
Of August, attached to tho Department Of Georgia
Tor aFhlu army phrposcB
DEPARTMENT CHARTERS.
The charters Of several of tho Older Departments
have been lost destroy yed and duplicates can nov
be furnished from plato the ncocs-
sary data required to fill out tho blank spaces
secured New York aud Wisconsin have already
flied their applications To this effect bat without,
$50 far furnishing the information required for the
completion Of the duplicate.
DEPARTMENT EscAMPMENTs.
II would grsatly facilitate tho max ing OF the con-
ted frat s.f
and the transaction Of the business Of this office
generally, To limit the time OF holding the Depart
ment Eneampment 10 the months of january and
February. instead Of permitting IL TO stretch out
over period Of four month";. AS In now the case.
The outgoing Department officers should inn
nedintely certify the result of the election of De-
| patment officers for the ensuing year to National
Headquarters together with tho list OF representa-
tives and alternacs elected. etc In many instances
| the incoming officers were obliged 10 certify 10
| their own election.
| There is the same old complaint OF tardy reports
| that has been touched upon by nearly every Adl,l.
tant- General since the esislenee of our organiza-
| tion. and IL seems To he altnbst iucurablc Many
OF the reports incorrect in the additions
| make their return neDessRny--frequently several
times before they sLraightened out. This evil ID
largely due to the practice exchanging the Assistant
AdJuianls- q eneral annually. IL u good rule for
| the guidance Of Postshnd Departments to keep n
| good Adlaant or Assistant Adjutant-G General as
| long ns ie will serve. g1
10 have semi annual eonsoifdated reports instead
of quarterly, as the latter oaly enhance the labor
of the Post aud Department. officers without
ing any purpose that tYould, not be covered by q
| semi.annnal report.
NATIONAL RECORDS, ETC.
| The records of the Office were very incomplete
and many important documents aud papers are
still wanting. This is rikutable chiefly To the
| destruction OF the records by fire about the year
1870, but is partly duo 10 thefpernicous practice
| moving National Headquarters around from one
| place To another each year which, besides. causes
| u suspension Of the activity of the Adjuiant Gen
erals office for period of three or four weeks after
| the election of each Commander In Chief.
This matter was already presented To the 22d
| National Encampnent by my predecessor Com,
rads Daniel Fish, and the oommttee, to which the
report Of the Adjutant- General was referred made
the following thereon, which was adopted by tht
Eneampmeht:
''The committee desire to emphasize what Ii said
concerning Headquarters furniture aud records
The practice of allowing the property aud records
OF our Order TO follow the Commander -n-C Chic
around the country IL wastefui, unbusinesslke and
| should cease
The best interests of our large and still growing
| Order would unquestionably be subseFved by ea
| tablishing National Headquarters for term o
years at some centrally located point.
TO supply long felt want have eased record
book to be prepared giving the names, location ant
date OF election appointment of all new Hationa
| officers, Department Commanders and Assistan
Aduanis- General, as we'll rs Eicnbers of Standing
Committees. since the date OF the organization