Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-09-04

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GENERAL ALGErs
John F. Lovett, of New Jersey. was chosen
Junior Vice. Commander by vote OF 1879
to l27 for H. E. Taintor, Of Connecticut.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 2S-Between 100 and
SO delegates were present on the ground
floor Of the West Side Turner Hall yester-
day morning when the first session of
the Twenry-thlrd National encampment
was called to order by Commander
ln-ch1ef Warner. The usual formal
ceremonies took but q little while.
1t took only short time for the
committee on credentials to report that all
present We're entitled to seats. Then the
Commander in Chief presented a lengthy
report reviewing the progress of the
order during the past year and comparing
it with previous administrations He said
among other things:
'T'he Grand Army OF the Republic Is the
grandest CIV organ cation the world has ever
seen. It's list OF membership is the Nations
roll OF honor, contain ,ng the most illustrious
names n story-the names OF the Grave men
WSo in the darkest days Of the rebellion, fol-
lowed the stars and stripes as an emblem, not
IA confederacy OF States bound together by
ropes OF sand, but as the emblem OF an ind.s-
soluble Union OF understandable States.
'They followed that flag whether In sun
shine or in Storm victory or defeat, with more
confidence and reverence than did the chill
dren of Israel the pillar Of cloud by day and
OF fire by night. The men who compose this
organization are those who, when others
faltered, Laid their lives, their FORTY nes and
their sacred honors'' upon the altar OF liberty
and Union, that a government of the people,
by the people and for the people should not
per sh from the earth
"As the war recedes the men who shared to-
gether the privat.ons OF the frozen camp, the
harcships OF the forced march, the dangers of
the battlefield, the suffer ngs OF the field hos
pital and the untold ayon es OF the prison pen
long for the touch OF comrades elbow as of
old, and seek the post room, where the parti-
san and sectarian are not heard. The teach
ings OF the Grand Army OF the Republic are so
conservative, Its practices so patriotic, its COM
radeship so universal, that all honorably d s.
charged Union soldiers and sailors OF 81 and
Is who have done nothing in evil life to cast u
stain upon Their honorable record in lib
erty's cause, teel that they are at home
when in the post-room, in the house OF their
friends. 1t is there that the General and the
private, the merchant prince and the clerk, the
millionaire and the laborer, sit side by side as
comrades, bound TO each other by ties the ten
derest yet the most endear ng Of any in this
world, outside the family circle.
THE membership OF the Grand Army OF the
Republic constitutes the great conservative
cement Of the Nation, the champions of civil
and religious liberty recogn ENG the dignity
OF labor but having no sympathy with anarchy
or commun sm, recognizing no flag but the
stars and stripes, believing that loyalty is
virtue and that treason is a crime It was
this sp rit OF loyalty, love Of liberty, rever-
ence for the constitution and an Unborn re-
SDoCt for the law that made
soldier and sailor f'6l and IS the thinking
mach ne-the model soldier and sailor Of all
tines: OF these to-day there are enrolled under
the banner ef fraternity, charity and loyalty
41O.6S6 These comrades are found In
6,711 posts in forty-two departments. We
have carr. ed our banner into every State and
Territory The growth Of our organ cation
has been steady and healthy. Strong IS it is
it has never been, and trust never VII be-
used for part san purposes or to crafty the
personal amb ,tions of any man or set of men,
THE greatest gain during the year has
been in the Department Of M ssouri. Eight
departments show gain in membership in
good standing of 1884, distributed as follows:
Illinois, 1898; Iowa, 1913; Nebraska, 1,7O9;
Pennsylvan a, l,74s; New York, 1895; Ohio,
1908; Wisconsin, 2,o23; Missouri, 1862"
The Commander went on to vay that in
1879 the Grand Army membership in good
standing was 35.96l, while to day it is 3S2,-
598--a net gain in single decade of 324, O2O
General Warner announced with pleasure
the completion by ex-Commander Beath
OF full and complete history OF the Grand
Army of the Republic. He commended to
each department the patriotic practice of
the posts In the Department of New York
OF presenting on the 22d of Febru-
airy, the birthday of the Father of
his Country, the American flag to such
public schools as are not yet in possession
OF one. He advocated the passage of ap-
propriate resolutions, thanking the heirs of
Mr.. Drexel for carrying out his wish regard
ing the cottage in which General Grant
died
General Warner congratulated his COM
rades on the faithful observance of Deco
ration Day, and said on the subject of
deaths that in the year ending June last,
brigade OF old soldiers and sailors number
ing ,696 marched across the invisible and
shadowy line separating time from eterni-
ty and pitched their tents on tie other side
The work OF the Woman's Relief Corps
was warmly eulogized and the establish
men of closer relations with the Sons of
Veterans recommended. AS TO pensions
General Warner said:
1.-THE Grand Army of the Republic has never
exercised its full influence IN pension legisla-
ton, because OF division In It's ranks The
measures recommended by the National En-
campment should not be antagonized by con-
ficting measures urged by departments or
posts. Unity of action will secure satisfactory
results: divided council will contribute to de-
feat. Our demands should be reasonable and
consistent.
'"The last encampment after much discus
sion, by a practically unanimous vote recon-
mended to Congress service pension bill
and what is known as the Disability Pen
sion bill; the latter having received the re-
peated approval OF previous encampments.
This action was the result of compro-
mise, and In my Judgment was as wise
as 1t was just and conservative. My expert
ence in Congress leads me to believe that you
will greatly strengthen the hands of our
friends in that body by demanding at Mil
dsukee the pension legislation asked for
at Columbus. Let the Committee on Pensions
take your recommendations to Congress,
backed by united Grand Army OF the Re-
public and there will be no failure. II we are
true to ourselves before the next encampment
every comrade disabled by age, sickness or
acc dent and the widows and orphans
OF veterans will be borne on the pension roll