Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-06-01
No. 1OS
grow to manhood and we will always
have such ? generation of heroes in
the South as those who wore tae
GRAY.
A CRISIS IN THE GRAND ARMY.

A CRISIS IN THE GRAND ARMY.
The Grand Army of the Republic
has reached critical period in. It's
history when its members must
choose between patriotic indepen-
dence and abject submission to tine
pension spectators who have brought
discred; ~on - eir order.
Many members and many posts of
the grand army have raised their
voices, from time to time, against
the abuses of the pension system, and
it was evidently to suppress such ex-
pressions that a resolution was
adopted at the National encamp-
ment in 1884 requiring that "all
petitions, resolutions and memorials
by post in regard to pension legisla-
ton be required to be forwarded to
National Headquarters through De-
partment Headquarters" and for
bidding all independent discus
sion Of the subject.
Nothing of Importance followed
from this gag law until the present
year, when Farnham Post, of New
York, adopted and promulgated a
preamble and resolutions declaring
that "the only veterans entitled to
pensions are those who by wounds
or disabilities incurred in the SER
vice of their country are prevented
from earning a Lying in their re-
spective call1ngs, as they might have
done had such wounds or disabilities
not been incurred, and whose cir
cunAstances are such as to Justify
them in calling on the country for
aid and support" and that those
seeking or accepting pensions under
any other conditions are ''guilty of
conduct calculated to injure the
good men who were and are willing
to give their lives for their country
without any reward save the app
proYal of their own console. ce and
that honorable fame that is due to
every patriot
This manly declaration, which ex-
cited favorable comment everywhere,
was followed Immediately by a re.
buke from Department Headquarters
and threat to suspend Farnham
Post for contempt Of the laws of
the order" and for "criticising the
legislative power of the country in
passing laws'' and "condemning the
sworn officers Of the government
whose duty it is to execute these
laws" The commander of the pos
promptly replied that s'lf it is the de
sire of the Grand Army of the Re-
public to pay pensions to people who
have not incurred their disabilities in
the service of the country and to
those who do not need them, then this
post does not desire to remain in the
GrandArmy of the Republic.
| This was bold challenge. The
answer to it was an order suspend
| ing Farnham Post, but giving it an
opportunity to "purge itself of the
offense" by asking leave to withdraw
its declaration upon pensions. The
post replied with renewal of its
declaration against unearned pens
sions and against the influence of
pension agents in the Grand Army
!, and demand that the questions
raised by it's resolutions be submit
ted to every post in the department
for it's opinion, SO that Con gress and
the people might ''fornI correct
idea Of the attitude of the Grand
Army of the Republic toward this
interesting question"
The next step in this controversy
was recorded in an order annulling
the charter of Farnham Post. This
order is issued by the Department
Commander and approved by the
Commander-in- Chief, who says:"Th-
: action Of Farnham Post in passing
; and parading those resolutions bee
fore the public and disseminating
them among the posts in contraven-
tion of the order was plainly for
purpose hostile to the principles of
the G. A. r.
This clearly means two things:
that there can be no independent
discussion of pensions legislation OF
administration in the Grand Army
and that the purpose of confining
e pensions to the deserving is 'shostile
/ to the principles of that organiza-
, ton. Are the veterans of the Grand
Army prepared to accept this decla-
ration Of their Commander-in-C Chief
The expulsion of Farnham Post
: for the offense Of delivering an hon
, est opinion, that is shared by honest
soldiers everywhere, has forced di-
rect issue in the Grand Army that
cannot be evaded. "We thought"
s says the commander of Farnham
: Post, s'that it was time for some one
r to get up and say that there were
some members of the. Grand Army OF
the Republic who were not in it for
revenue only" and for this they have
: been put out of it. Is it not time
J; for other members and other posts to
q rise up in their defense and assert
q their right to free discussion? Or
will they keep quiet and allow the
: authority of the Grand Army to be
prostituted to the support of the
t gross abuses that have dishonored
the generosity of the nation! The
3 issue has been clearly madc and
every soldier must declare himself on
one side or the other.
. GOOD SENSE
L ~