The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-19

instances to call in vain.
NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT.
The National Encampment was holden in
Boston on the second week in August. The
business transacted at the encampment need
not be treated Of here as the printed record
thereof, if not already in the possession Of the
posts, will be in very short time. One act
alone is referred to here-an action hailed with
delight by the comrades in this and every other
department Our old, loved ritual taken from
US against our wishes was given back to us by
a nearly unanimous vote Of the encampment.
Of our reception, the parade, the days and
nights of reunion and greeting you know.
The State municipalities, posts and individuals
all We'd in the cordiality and unbounded hos
pltality of their entertainment. II was literally
time when there was "nothing too good for
the boys" Your department was represented
by every member from headquarters with one
exception, by every past department COM
mander save one, and by more than four thou
sand of the comrades. You have every reason
to feel proud Of the demonstration made by
your department on that occasion, for while in
numbers you stood second, in all those quail
ties and qualifications priced in American ciu-
zenship aud as honored veterans il was the
universal judgment that you were excelled by
none.
While the department was so generously
and courteously cared for and enter tanned by
| all it may seem inyidious to designate any one
to whom we are under especial obligation.
| And yet to the thoughtful consideration, the
| untiring energy and unceasing effort of one Of
our former comrades very much of the enjoy
ment and comfort was due -Comrade Harrison
Hume-and l suggest the appointment Of a
committee of three to draft suitable resolutions
expressive Of our obligations to him.
The Council of Administration have had
two meetings during the year, called at
Augusta. At that meeting called December
9th, it was voted that hereafter the banquet,
such a source of annoyance and so heavy
tax upon the local posts, inviting the depart
ment TO hold its encampment with them,
should be abolished, and that like any other
body or organization of such numbers and
strength il would hereafter defray its own
expenses.
Iwould suggest that our department has
now arrived at that age and condition that the
advisability of its having some permanent
abiding place should be taken into eonsidsra-
tion. Nearly eleven hundred members are
entitled to seats in our meetings. Let one half
Of this number ever be present and how many
towns are there in Maine that can accommo-
date them without the utmost discomfort on
the part of the delegates. 1t seems to me it
would be better to relieve the department OF
its migratory character and give il a home
somewhere.
Such my comrades is hasty and imperfect
view Of the more important interests Of our
Department. 1t has been year of prosperity,
not SO marked perhaps as in some other years
but there has been perceptble and gratifying
advance along the whole line. And the ques-
tions for the future comfort us. Has our be
loved organization in this department reached
the zenith of ifa and pfarnharoS Nttaf -
now commence to retrogrades The department
is scattered over an immense territory as COM
pared with sister departments of New England.
Much of this territory is sparsely settled, the
veterans OF the late war are each year more and
more enfeebled and the comforts and
pleasures of the hearth at home
have still stronger attractions. The
harvest has been gathered but by effort worthy
of ourselves, by action such as our department
is deserving Of at our hands; the fields may
| be cleaned and those, or many of them, not
outside of the q. A. X. may be brought in.
Commander Anderson also, speaking of
the Bath Orphan Asylum, said: "rhe
board OF management of the Bath Soldiers
| and sailors Orphan Asylum ask an appropri-
alton from the state Of 5000 for the proper
maintenance Of the home, aud $1,000 addi.
| tional Tor repairs for each OF the years 1891
and 1892. There have been cared for during
the year Just closed: Admitted during the
year, 81; provided with homes. %. A glance
at these figures demonstrates the economy
and frugality of the expenditures. All that
is asked for Is needed, and the State can GER
tainly make no more judicious investment
| than that made to save the youth of the land
from lives OF Ignorance and poverty"
Mrs. o. r. Legrow. president Of the Wom-
ans State Relief Corps of Maine, furnishes
the following:
| Number Of subordinate corps. .......... so
| Number OF members in good standing 3,1s1
Receipts for the year r................sl2.l7 Y! s5
EApenultuIes. .................... 6616.OO
| Expended for charity ........... 1874
| Five hundred dollars was presented by
Bosworth Relief Corps to Bosworth Post
toward furnishing the new and elegant home
for this post, and $1,000 was expended by the
same corps in the furnishing and fitting up
OF the ladies' parl0rs and dining hall In the
same building. Cash on hand In subordL
nate corps, 81, 1885; cash on hand In State
Corps treasury, $500.
J. w. Phlpney, Adiutant of Maine Divis
| ION, sons OF veterans, has furnished this de-
partment with the following information in
| regard to the order:
Number Of camps In good standing Septem-
per 30 issO. sO.:;..::';;.......;.:..:;;. "a
tember 80. 1890. O............................ $50
Number Of camps In good standing Decem-
Number Of members in good standing De. %
cember 81, $780,. ,O06
This shows gain Of 10 camps during the
Ia last stS quarter and a net gain in membership
The Quartermaster Sergeants report
shows most OF the camps TO be on good
financial basis. Many Of them have good
amount in the treasury. and nearly every
camp Is out of debt. Two camps have dis
banded, No. 26 at Biddeford and No. 81 at
Oron0.
Adlutant General MilIIken's Report
The condition Of the department, which 4
given in detail by Adjutant General Milliker
is generally set forth in Commander Ander
sons report. In addition, speaking Of sus
pended comrades, General Milllken says II
they won't pay when they can they shoulC
not share the advantages OF those who do
Mr.. Milliken goes on to state that rs post
have net gain Of 594; &C posts have a ne
loss Of 2S2; net gain for the year. 3l2. Sew
eDteen posts have the same number as
year ago. Five posts have no change.
The largest net gain for the year, exclu
sive of the new posts organized, was BY
OF the new posts organized, Knox Pos
has the largest number-H.
| The largest net loss for the year was by
Post 121, Of Oldtown, 16 members.
| Seventy-seven posts expended S4510.06, a
decrease Of Sl3S1Sl from last year. The
other "a posts do not report any relief far.
nished; $40 comrades or their families were
assisted; 153 non-members were assisted
| ~ OeuCk pOoto iCpOib udNtuB
relief, but do not state to whom 1t wa
given.
Quartermaster General BeaI's Re
part.
Assistant Quartermaster General 2. +
Beal submitted the following report for tn
year:
| Receipts.
Cash on hand January ], 1889. 81 06s. .7(
1
safes OF supplies. SOa1'zS
| Interest Observation-Disclosures. l0.74
Postage on new rituals.................. 22.ls
s7,503. "a
| Expenditures.
Dedartment expenses. .s2,912.57
Supplies during the year,. 2,47l.07
Cash on hand Dec. 81, 1890. 2,12o.02
| --S7,bO .04
mo campfire tonight; the Great Com
mander lies dead in his New York home
and we cannot have any jOlli6cation." Sc