The National tribune., 1893-03-30

| THE 25IH NATIONAL ENCAMPMEN7
There has been even more pickering abou
the appropriation in aid of the GAR. Ma
tiOnal Encampment at Indianapolis thai
there was over that for the Ercampment a
Washington. The Legislature of Indian
was generally petitioned to vote $4,000 {
assist the City of indianapolis to properl.
entertain the great crowds Of veterans AMI
their families who would attend. The op
position to this was strong coming from tw'
sources: the inveterate soldier-haters, VIII,
form large part of Indiana's population
| and the other cities in the State, who ar,
competitors and rivals of indianapolis
These latter complained that indianapolis
had already been too much favored by tht
State Government, and had thriven at the
expense of the taxpayers and that as she
was to reap great pecuniary benefit from
the Encampment, she should pay all the
bills
We have already, in the case of Washing
ton and other cities, pointed out how narrow
and unjust such view is. The National
Encampment is not local affair, and cannot
be made SO. 1t is great National Congress
of the Veterans of the War of the Rebellion,
and it is a matter of State pride that when
they assemble within its boundaries the
State should join in extending hospitality
to them. This was the view taken of it by
the Legislatures of Colorado, California,
Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts,,
and several other States, and no other is
ereditable to the patriotism and public spirit
of State
The Legislature of Indiana finally refused
to vote the aid, and Indianapolis was left
as Washington was last year, to bear the
burden alone Her citizens are rousing to the
work nobly. They have based their caleula-
tons upon expanding an amount equal to
that of Washington last year-that is, $780,
000 he Commercial Club had already
pledged $4,000 when the invitation was ex-
tended to the National Encampment The
City Council of indianapolis has voted TO
appropriate $4,000, and the Commercial
Club now pledges itself to raise $4,000
more, which will complete the $4,000 re-
quired.
There should be no trouble in doing this
There is pecuniary phase to this, quite in
dependent OF The sentimental and patriotic
side. The veterans spend immense amounts
OF money in the cities where Encampments
are held. 1t was calculated that they spent
nearly s.. 000, 900 in st. Louis, and So, 100000
in Detroit At least as much as the latter
amount was spent in Boston and Milwaukee.
AT Washington the amount was over $1,000
BOO. This did not all 90 to the hotels, board
and street-cars, by any means. The
exI erience Of the Washington merchants
was that the veterans were liberal buyers
Of the best kind of goods. A great many
who laid in supplies of cheap knick-nacks
were disappointed. The veterans knew what
good goods were, and they wanted the best
On hand, and were willing to pay for them.
Nobody in Washington was better pleased
,ver the National Encampment than the
and if there was a chance of the
Encampment being held here again twice as
much money as was formerly subscribed
could be raised without the least trouble
Every business man IN the city received
lirect and substantial benefit from the great
gathering, and it was a grateful surprise to
hem, for they had not understood that the |
irand Army of the Republic is made up of |
Is substantial and thrifty citizens as there
re in the country.
a similar pleasant surprise is in store for |
he indianapolis people. They will find that |
he gathering in their city next September |
viii be superior in every respect to any
Meeting in their experience. There will not |
My be vastly more people there, but the
'eople viii be of higher order-taken al
ogether. They will have more money to
pend, and they will spend it for the best
Kings. The saloons and bars will make
comparatively little money, while the stores
gill make good deal.
After it is all over they will be like the
eople Of Washington-anxiou to have the
National Encampment come again.