St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-28
here given of it's most important feat

here given of it's most important feat
| ureS:
| 1t shows that losses by death have
| caused a slight decrease in the aggre-
| gate membership. At the close of the
| previous administration there were
| S,037 members in good standing. One
| hundred and thirty-eight have died
| since last report. The death loss is
| growing larger each year. and must
| be met, but the diScouraging loss is, as
| the commander says, the loss by SuS-
| pensions. He advises that no comrade
who is not able to pay dues be sus-
| pended but those who can, and will
! not, should be dropped and not per-
mitted to wear the badge-the most
| honorable that was ever placed OH the
| breast of man. There is no good rea-
| son why every honorably discharged
| Union soldier should not be in the
| ranks; but many are careless and in
| different, and still many more wear
the button. who pay no dues and are
| no help to their comrades in distress.
AS long as there is an old comrade in
distress, he says, there is need of the
| Grand Army of the Republic. 1.-The
end must come. Too soon our order
| must die; but until that time does
come let us stand together as one
man."
During his term the commander has
travelled upward of 10000 miles, and
he emphasizes the significant fact that
not one of the posts visited has gone
backward. In this connection he pays
tribute to the able aid and assistance
given by Senior Vice Commander A. H.
Reed, Junior Vice Commander c. w.
Mckay and Assistant Adjt. Gen. J. K.
Merit. The latter officer is given espe
cial praise for his unremitting labor
for the good of the order.
Of the
WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS
the report says:
These noble woman never tire in
good works, and the G. A. r. can
never forget their labors. Mrs. Taylor.
the department president, frequently
consulted with us. and jointly and
lovingly the two orders have worked
together. Our interests are in COM
mon, and our aims are exactly the
same, viz, to care for the needy and
distressed old soldier and his widow
and orphans. All honor to the w.
r. c."
The commander speaks enthusiast
icelly of the Sons of Veterans, and
recommends that they be encouraged
in every possible way. Kindly REFER
ence is made to the state Soldiers
home, as an institution to be proud of,
being second to none. Memorial day
is alluded to as growing in Importance
each year.
Capt. Van SAINT advocates repeal of
the act by which the soldiers relief
fund is turned into the state treasury,
and asserts that the loss of the fund
works great hardship to many de-
serving veterans. committee Of five
will be named to secure a repeal of
the act abolishing the fund.
On the subject of present pension
laws the report says: l hope the time
is not far distant when this whole
I pension question will be settled for
ever, and the law made so plain that
the simple reading of it will suffice.
The law should be SO worded that one
officer could not interpret it one way
and another in a still different man
ner. No unhallowed hand should stand
between the nations brave defenders
and their just rights. We ask nothing
more and will accept nothing less.
The pensioner is not a mendicant, but
the small stipend that he receives is
an obligation due him from a solemn
promise made when the government
was in peril. The patriotism of the
American people is aroused on this
subject and woe unto the man or
party that would deny him his just
rights.
The belief is expressed that the
NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT
f., of 1896 will come to ST. Paul, if proper
effort is made. 1t is recommended that
the birthday of Abraham Lincoln be
celebrated in the post meetings as long
as there is a post left in the depart
ment and that the necessary steps be
7 taken by this department to inau-
| gurate such movement. -
t Touching finances, the commander
!! uses this language: 1--WE have guard
! ed sacredly the finances of the order.
! Every cent expended has ben account
ed for We have, as an order, lived
within our means, and in no case have
we expended more than the amounts
allowed by the council of administra-
! ton, and in many instances have fallen
considerably below them 1t is rec
! commended that Adjt. MertZ be allowed
; $100 extra as a reward for services rem
! dered. Jake will get it, as he deserves.
| At the conclusion of the command
! er's report, Senior Vice A. II. Reed
! gave an account of visits he had made.
! Junior Vice c. w. Mckay also report
ed, and was followed by Adjt. Mertz.
! The adjutant's principal recommended
ton is that "piclet posts" be estab-
! lished so that veterans remote from
regular posts might have an oppor-
tunity of becoming members of the or
der and enjoying its privileges.
The report of the assistant quarter
master general, E. N. Leavens, showed
a balance of S519O3S, the receipts hav-
ing been over $500 and the expenses
: So, 49,
Before the noon recess the following
! comittees were named:
| Rules and esolutions-Comrades A.
/ Barto J. H. Baker and w. H. Harries.
Soldiers Home - Comrades Hunt,
Raney, Whitney and Merry.
On the Death of Past Department
Commander c. D. Parker-Comrades
R. A. Becker, A. H. Norton and ]. A.
+. Parker.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion, Department Surgeon Tucker and
Department Inspector White made
their reports. The latter recommended
that legislation be secured to purchase
j a flag for every school house in the
state and compel the raising of the
same. Later resolution was adopted
to this effect
Resolutions were also passed favor
ing military drill in schools and de-
clartng that no foreign flag should be
allowed to float over any public build
ing.
Mesdames Ma1mberg, Mcintosh and
Golf were introduced as a committee to
extend fraternal greetings on behalf of
the W. R. c. Mrs. Golf also delivered
an exceedingly interesting illustrated