The National tribune., 1890-09-04


INSPECTION.
The work of inspection has been moro thorough
and systematic this year than ever before, and the
reports will be found complete and satisfactory.
am indebted to my Inspector, Clara f. Nichols for
this result. She has labored untringly throughout
the year 20 accomplish this great work.
SPECIAL RELIEF WORK.
The relief work has been unusually large this
year. Beside the regular work ia connection with
the local Corps, the Pension aud Relief Committees
have paid out to needy Army Nurses over S31O0 In
addition 10 this, have been appealed to from every
! quarter and beside the small amounts was able TO
dole out have detailed strong Corps in the differ
| ent Departments 10 labor for destitute comrades
and their families where there were no Corps md
along the frontier where there great desttu-
ton and suffering during last Winter and Spring.
| Many an old soldier md his family received with
glad hearts the we'll boxes of supplies that
/ came from these generous Corps to meet their
pressing needs.
| On an appeal from the Department Of Dakota, n
soldiers widow, Whose daughter was IN danger OF
losing her life unless she had the benefit Of surg
/ cal operation. $50 was appropriated. The Depart
| mcnt OF Dakota contributed a like sum.
ARMY NURSES PENSION BILL.
/ vast amount Of hard work has been done dur
Ing tie year by officers and local Corps TO secure
! the passage of an Army Nurses pension bill.
There were over 10000 signatures to our petition
| asking for the passage Of law giving SD per
| month toindigent Army Nurses who, on account Of
disease or age. unable TO support themselves
| And the Iowa Legislature passed joint resolution
| unanimously praying Congress 10 pass such law.
la the beginning OF the session our bill seemed
| 60 have fair prospects of being passed by "A large
majority. But unfortunately, there was a division
81 sentiment among the friends of the measure ~
! TO the amount that should be demanded; some in
sstiug that SIS instead Of sl2 per month should he
the rate fixed. This lack Of unity resulted in con
fusion and delay. After many Ruthless attempts
] 10 push the bill forward, In which sarah y. Fuller
Past National President, and Secretary of the PEN
| sion Committee, was aided by Clara Barton and
4 Mary a. Logan, the measure was abandoned, aud
/ a special hlll prepared. asking pensions for the
Army Nurses tho Homnn's Relief Corps has been
! aiding. This bill Is on the calendar and may yet
pass.
THE NATIONAL woMAN's RELIEF CORPS HOME
With the consent OF my council after thorough
| examination of the property near Madison, o.
offered TO the Woman's Relief Corps for National
! Home, / accepted the gift on condition that the
grounds be increased to 10 acres aud that the Sem
| mary building be rcmodclcd after plans submit
! ted, and put ia complete repair
This agreed 10 by the generous citizens OF
! Madison. Geneva. aud the surrounding country.
| This agreement has becR kept in every paricu-
lar, ana every little detail has been carried To
my entire satisfaction, Al cost of 5000 $4,000
repaired thc frame building nj cost of $50 and
used the balance II The building fund in the treas
ury, less than 81 8g0, To add convenienccs and pur
! chase caTpetlng and furniture.
The two houses stand compleie-repaTcd, pa
pcred, painted, and we'll carpeled throughout. and
furnished in ant que oak without one cent of debt
The furniture bought ut the Largest factories,
aud the most rigid economy was pracliced ia every
/ transaction.
The citizens OF Madison and Geneva have given
with lavish generosity and toiled with unselfish
zeal 10 III up this Home for use. IL Is IA magni-
hccnt present from patriotic, whole-soulcd com
muuity 10 the Noman's Relief Corps for sacred
/ purpose.
The property was legally transferred by The
local committee Of citizens 20 the Womnns Relief
Corps On The 18th Of July 1890 with suitable oere-
monies, Ia the presence OF nearly 1000 people
hold abstracts of titles deeds, and all the legal
documents IN my possession and will be ready to
turn them over To- my successor la Office soon
she j. installed. have ordered 500 from the
! lief fund 10 be set aside 10 meet the running
peuses Of tic present quarter.
ia addition 10 the valuable help Of Belle T. Bag
ley, Abbie Lynch. and Armilla A. Cheney, the
committee who assisted ia furnishing the Home.
um under very special obligations 10 Puma l..
C"wles and her local committee, who rendered
most CON petent help.
As could not Incorporate the institution with
out putting Its management largely into the hands
Of persons Of one state, put all the legal points
embraced in articles Of incorporation in tie deed.
will, al the proper time, supplement this stale
meni, as it viii be the duty Of this body TO elect
board Of directors.
OFFICIAL VISITS.
have long believed that a closer supervision Of
the work ia the several Departments would bc Of
great advantage 10 our Order, and would strength
the ties that bind the Womau's Relief Corps and
the Grand Army Of the Republic together. have
therefore visited all the Department Conventions
that IL was possible for me TO reach, often visiting
two In week
] had the honor Of visiting II Department Con-
ycniions Ia the following order: Vermont, New
Hampshire Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania
New Jersey, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois Wiscon.
Sin, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri. Colo
RADIO, Kentucky. and Ohio.
i was most cordially welcomed to every Depart
meut Convention by my sister workers. and was
received with great enthusiasm by the Grand Army
Of the Republic Encampmcuts.
had the privilege OF presenting work In the
business meetings ofevery EucanI pnent but one |
Maine aud at all The great CRnphres but two
Maine and Ohio.
IN every Encampment visited. / was accorded n
most enthusiastic hearing, and cur plans and work
a. presented theuI. were appauded aud received
the most hearty aud emphatic Endorsement. As ]
stood before those grand brave men, aud revealed
our generous purposes toward them. felt that /
Was gathering up many "a tangled and broken
strand. and linking their hearts 10 Us by a
threeiold cord that could not be easily broken.
wish especially TO express publicly my high APP
probation 81 the kindly coureses Of Gen ger the
COmmaHder-n-Chcf Of the Grand Army OF the Re
public. lie missed opportunity 10 ndOrse IN The
most hearty terms Of approval, The work Of the
NOman's Relief Corps and to publicly recognize
and honor your representative am also under
great obligations to the leading officers OF s STAFF
One Of the great advantages Of these official visits
was tie settlement Of pending difficulties, old and
new. Some Of these had been dragging on for
yearE 10 the hurt Of our cause.
have thoroughly clnvazscd every case that has
come within my jurisdiction, aud every difficulty
bas been settled. and can report that the docket
l. clear
There are two cases 10 the hands Of the Com
nittee on Appeals. left over from last year. which
will come before you.
! regard IL "A burning shame and disgrace thAt
women, from undue ambition Tor Office or from
personal malice will descend 10 the of arbitrary
power or indulge in uuh0ly tempcrs. II there are
troubles tie sooner they settled the better for
all parties.
When our Oiiioefs and members made TO feel
that there s. open way for speedy redress, and
that the right will TOR sustained and the wrong will
be punished, We shall have peace aud harmony Ia
the Woman e Relief Corps.
THE WELLS CASE.
The appeal 81 NiTs. JensIe Wells Of Arkansas
whose husband, IL believed by many was
sentenced TO be hung insufficient testimony
came 10 me. A her husband u Union soldier,
took the trouble 30 investigate the case and find
7 INK. on good evidence that her statements were
true, issued a call FOR money to aid her TO secure
asa appeal 10 the Supreme Court Of the State. She
! was thereby enabled to carry the case up and TO
employ counsel, and when IL reached on the
docket the Supreme Court aside the verdict of
the lower court aud remandcd the case back for "a
new trial. II IL hoped that lie will secure a
l fair trial, aud be acquitted.
The report Of the Treasurer will show the amount
received aud expended, aud. there II more that
Will be needed 10 carry the Wells case through 1
advise that 500 be donated 20 the Department OF
Arkansas % aid them Ia the defense Of one OF their
comrades, for whom they have made public appeal
who has been, it IL believed falsely charged with
murder and cast into prison.
| DELINQUENT MEMBERs
| As Corps very dcrelict ia collecting quarterly
dues aud thousands are allowed 10 drop out of the
Order who with proper fidelity duty on the part
81 the officers, might be retained aud become yau
4 able members. issued an RrTeaTnge blank for the
use 81 Secretaries and have had IL put the list Of
| suppiicsi over 5000 have already gone out.
IL you can devise any business method by which
this delinquency can be Temcdied you will do
much for the growth Of our Order.
INSTRUCTIONS TO CORPS PREsIDENTg.
! j have prepared " Instructions 10 Corns pr.si-