The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-23
AGAINST A SCHEME
COMMANDER CAMPBELL SITS DOWN
ON EVIL PRACTICES.
Politicians Taking Peculiar Means to
Get Up a Grand Army Sentiment
Regular Bureau Organized to Get
ReadyMade Indorsements-Lea
enWorth Also Has a Scheme.

Hon. W. P. Campbell, department
commander of the Grand Army of the
Republic, is out with a general order
sitting squarely down on the cheap
methods used by politicians in drag
ging the fair name and stainless repu-
tation of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie through the mire Of selfish personal
political work.
Facts have come to the personal
knowledge Of Commander Campbell
that there is actually a full fiedged
bureau in operation which makes a
business of trading post endorsements
to political candidates for office. They
have blank endorsements made to Or
der and with machine system send
them out to posts already filed in for
action upon it. Judge Campbell re-
CARDS this as disreputable conduct and
in his lengthy order he says:
The department commander has TAX
en- notice that certain persons are at
tempting to use this organization for
the purpose of procuring recommended
lions Tor themselves for appointment
to office. Circular letters are printed
and sent to postofficeS with a request
that petitions and letters be forwarded
by members Of the post to be used for
this purpose.
This is contrary to the rules and reg
ulations Of our order and il allowed to
go unchallenged would endanger it's
peace and prosperity, if not its exist
ence. The department commander is
aware of the practice so general of cir
culating petitions mad soliciting let
tiers of recommendation for appoint
ment to office, and no comrades of the
Grand Army in their eagerneSS for sue
cess are driven to adopt practices and
resort to methods which to them must
be distasteful. To the mind of the
mind Of the department commander.
a would-be statesman begging hat in
hand OF comparative strangers, a GER
uficate Of character and fitness for Of
fee is no inspiring sight.
Be 1t known, there is no attempt to
underrate the claims of old soldiers for
recognition adm employment in the SER
vice of state. On the contrary the
Grand Army stands and should staond
as menace to whomsoever shall ig-
more or deny them.
1t is all right for any citizen of
known character and fitness to as
pire to an office. Such a man who has
also an honorable soldiers record, and
whose work and zeal for the Grand Ar
my has been conspicuous and disinter-
ested, ought to be his own letter of rec
saith unto you, "Comradei Comrader'
is entitled TO your endorsement. II
comrades shall permit themselves to en-
dorse the application of men, about
whose character, ability and patriot
SIN they know but little if anything,
simply because they appeal to you as
comrades, you Will do great injustice
TO the appointing power and are liable
to bring shame and discredit upon the
Grand Army Of the Replhljc Won will
soon find yourselves the dupeS of sell
fish schemers who are never so con-
spicuous as Grand Army men as when
chasing an Office. Give your voluntary
endorsement to the brave and gener-
Gus the competent and faithful work.
er in the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie if you know him to be so. If any
comrade has so far forgotten himself
as to step beyond the line of his OBJ
legations, and infringe the laws of this
order, as he values his success, let him
desist at once. The Grand Army of the
Republic cannot anG must not be used
as d machine to further the ambitions
of self-seeking politicians"
There is d likelihood also that hostili-
ties will be declared between Judge
Campbell and Dan Anthony, the terror
of the Big Muddy.
1t appears that as an inducement to
get the soldiers home located at Leav-
enworth that city voted $1,000 dona-
ton. Now the bonds are due and
Leavenworth wants the Grand Army
to use its influence towards getting the
state 10 make an appropriation to cover
the voluntary expenditure of that city.
This will probably meet with strong
opposition from Judge Campbell who
does not believe in making the Grand
Army tool for any schemes or jobs.