The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-03-02
THE NEWTON ENCAMPMENT.


The 18th Annual Encampment G..
A. r., Department of Kansas, met in
Ragsdale Opera House, city of New
ton at . p. M, IN open meeting and
grand reception. Opera House seats
1900. Seats full, aisles full, stage full,
house full. At the close of the recep-
tion the Department Commander
opened the 18th annual encampment
in form and in accordance with GUS
tom presented his address which re-
vealed the wonderful activity of his
administration, he having visited 40
counties and some of them the second
and third time and made AZ address
es. / submit the following extract of
the Department Commanders report
and deem them worthy OF the most
careful study and painstaking inves-
tigation:
We, as Grand Army men, would repudiate in
the most emphatic way. by voice ana by vote,
the indiscriminato charges of universal fraud
and should resent the imputation that because
some one who is unworthy of a pension secures
pension roll are peTjurers and loOters of the
treasury We have no doubt of the correctness
of the position taken by President Lincoln,
when he said that il was the duty of those now
living and enjoying the benefit of national uni
~, not only To bind up the Hatiou's wounds but
10 care for him who has borne the battle and
and for his widow and orphans five are true
10 ourselves and the principles for which we
fought the day is not far distant when a PEN
sion certificate based upon an honorable dis
charge from the army, will be the highest badge
OF honor possible to the Union soldier.
The Department in this connection
endorsed resolution allowing the
largest liberty TO those who are loud
est in crying fraud and refused by an
almost unanimous vote to endorse a
resolution demanding that ali infor-
nation of fraud be in the form of affi-
daVit.
Early in the beginning Of my administration.
in looking for the reasons for the attitude of so
many OF the young men of the country toward
the soldiers was led 10 examine the histories
that are being used in the public schools 1t
will perhaps surprise you not little when say
that none Of these are SO written as TO cultivate
love for the men Who saved the country or TO
dcyelope patriotism. These histories are writ
ten 10 sell in all sections OF the country. and
any questions that would render this impossi-
bic have been studiously avoided; hence the
young people in the last generation have been
educated wrong so far as the ISSUES of the last
war were concerned and the principles involved
in it, ! believe the time has come when the
Grand Army of the Republic ought To appoint
judicious committee who will give this matter
careful attention and secure the writing. or re-
writing of a school history that Will DO justice
to the soldiers of the North and defend the
principles for which they fought
TO carry out these suggestions this
encampment created a permanent
committee with power to bring the
matter before the people; to watch
with care and vigilance the character
of the books introduced and the char
acter of the teachers employed. The
committee selected by the encamp-
ment for the ensuing year consisting
of Bernard Kelley, A. B. Campbell
and r. S. Sparks.
In pursuance of a resolution unani-
mously adopted a committee of three
was ordered TO be appointed an
nually residing at Lawrence, Manhat
tan and Emporia who are instructed
to request the regents and professors
of the State University, Agricultural
College and State Normal School to
raise the American flag over their re-
spective buildings between sunrise
and sunset every day their schools
are open for the reception of students,
said committee to report to encamp-
ment how far the request has been re-
spected. The Department Command
er has not yet named this committee
but will do so at early date.
Another extract:
The attention of the Comrades is called TO the
necessity of Strengthening ourselves in the state