The sun., 1893-08-07
TIE GRAND <nMr Ar IT'S cI1MAx.
Points OF Interest In It's Fortheou,ipg Cath
erinr nt Irdtnn poltr.

| sftnE NJ hnutnnerohr.
WASHINGTON. Aug. O.-The approachinI
twenty-sevcnth national encampment OF tn
Grand Army OF the Republic will be note
worthy In several ways. To begin with. IL II
likely to be very large meeting, as gooc
many veterans may be able to combine It will
n trip to tho Chicago Fair. Then It is to tax,
place ut Indianapolis. whore tho first nationa
encampmeDt was held: and this fact will brinf
up many "reminiscences Of tho founding OF the
society In 1885, and furnish the basis for Q
comparison between it's humble beginning
| ana It's wonderful growth and strength OF to-
day. There will also be- q pathetic element In
the comparison. Even in 1881. when the
Grand Army went back to Indianapolis for its
encampment. the lapse OF fifteen years showed
ravages among its early members. Then,
however. 1t was still growing at q remarkable
rate. so that attention was fixed moro on the
number OF comrades that had come In than on
tho number that had dropped out.
But another dozen years tells n different
story. Now IL is probable that the Grand
Army has reached Its maximum in member
ship. and that in fact 1t has already begun to
decline. Last year the gain was only 1900
names. and even that was secured only by tho
correction OF an error mado by q previous ad-
dition OF about 1900 names without authority
10 the roll. Save for this explanation tho re-
suit for that year would have shown for the
hrst time In the history OF tho organization. an
actual loss In membership. amounting to more
than l.7O0 names.
hence. one OF tho points OF interest in tho
indianapolis meeting will be to SEQ whether
the statistics will disclose renl and well
marked falling of. Even last year tho Official
report Acknowledged that practically It may
be said that tho membership Of the Grand
n re haa Inf Ttpn J,u ,rill
remain at about tho above numbers for few
years to come. when necessarily 1t must de-
crease, and the decrease will be rapid." This
Is the hrst confession ever made that tho
organization had reached It's climax.
Inc numbers thus referred to. however.
formed splendid proof of the great vitality and
power Of the Grand Army They showed an ag-
gregats OF 4077S1 members In good standing
And what is also remarkable. is the lively in
terest taken In the organization. as indicated
ecntiye Board at Indianapolis thinks that the
attendance at the coming meeting will be the
res IN Jr
Isar 1t has fund Of $4,000 t9 work with Last
Of oher 81 1na tho
Government made the occasion one OF tho
most enthusiastic in the annals Of the society
Of thousands; surprising ing ever known
In the city; But at indianapolis there is ex-
%d sFSe s.ss W6rsSe%p S% the S.
campment is held 1t brinCs out IN enormous
gnthering OF the veterans and their families
and friends. and the occasion becomes "a gala
week for the neig hborhood.
II we look at the places OF the national en-
campments we lind them to have been. sue
cessively. indianapolis. Philadelphia Cincin-
hati. h washington. Boston, Cleveland, New
Providence. Springfield. Mass. Albany Day.
ton Ind Annapolis. Baltimore. Denver. Minne-
apolis. Portland. Me-: San Francisco. st. Louis,
columbus. milwaukee,. Boston. Detroit. WASH
the third time, Phlladelphia. Washington, and
Boston are the only cities. beside Indiannpo-
lis. that have hal more than one encampment,
eafh o. them having held two of ths early
lor two years: Gen Logan. three: GEN Burn
side. two: Gen. Deyens. Gen. Hartranft. and
Zen Zen, tho6inSSn each two years. Then with
cessors came In the system OF one-term com
manders. which has since prevailed
among the interesting matters to he re-
porteu 1pon at tho coming meeting Is that OF
Also Expect that the pension system will be q
lruitfni subject Of discussion. especially In |
few tse Ht tine recent re- & &deyelo.msn,s IN that mat
ad0pted making known the principles on
which the Grand Army was founded. and |
among them was mentioned that OF procuring
of Union soldiers.
II the Grand Army is destined hen ceforth to
lwindle in numbers: there Is no ground for |
that it will suffer any diminution |
among Its members. Nor is it likely to expert |
snce any falling oif in popular interest In
leed. tho lesseninE OF its numbers and Of its |
nnuenc9 ms Political factor will perhaps
'asting the time when the last Of the veterans |
shall have disappeared.