River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-08-29
Sons of Veterans Camp.
WEST SupERIoR. Aug.

WEST SUPERIOR, Aug. "a, 1895.
EDITOR JoURNAL:-A move is on
foot in your city to organize Sons of
Veterans camp. Having been for the
last two or three years greatly interest
ed in the work of this order, should like
to say something to push it along
as / believe that it is ga good thing"
The order is founded on the same
principles as the G. A. II. with this
difference:-While the Grand Army
aim TO assist their distressed worthy
comrades and honor the heroic dead
only--as modesty would forbid them
hOnoring themselves-we aim to
assist the distressed comrades and
honor not only the dead but the
living.
While it is true that the Sons of
Veterans will not be strong organiza-
tion until the G.. A. r. has gone, it is
a mistaken idea that we can be of no
use until that time.
The old soldiers are, many of them,
| getting so worn out that they cannot
| do much of the work that falls to their
lot. They did their work in '65. Let
| the "Sons'' take load from their
shoulders by helping on Decoration
| Day, being on hand at the sick bed of
| old soldiers; and rendering such
| assistance to soldiers widows as may
| lie in their power. You don't know
how these little acts of kindness are
| appreciated.
But you say lis this all your organi-
cation is for-to honor the old soldier
| and care for him?' No it is not;
though this of itself is enough TO
| justify its organization. We have for
our object the intoxicating of the
principle of Loyalty in the hearts, of
| not only our own members, but in the
hearts of all our countrymen. What
| better way have we of arousing the
| patriotism of the rising generation
than by relating incidents in the life
of George Washington or in the life
of our honest "Old Abe" AS we
praise these men for their good
qualities, forgetting their failings,
| let us do so with the last surviving
old soldier; and as he passes away let
us say The good these men did shall
live after them; the bad shall be
| inferred with their bones
Some of tine scotfers at our orders
the political "sore heads'-say, 'Look
at such a mem Der of the g. A. r.. He
was at such place and never saw an
engagement. There is one that did
Office duty and was never in battle. ;"
Let us ask such "blow-hards'' if
they know anything about military
laws. What is done with soldier
who neglects his duty? You know,
comrades of the G.. A. r., and the very
| fact that he can show an honorable
discharge means that he served his
| country faithfully. We care not in
what regiment he served; we care not
in what battles he fought, or what
rank he held; as an old soldier he
represents. the brayest, noblest and
grandest lot of men that ever went
forthin the cause of right and justice.
We love the old stars and stripes:
not for the material that is in it; not
for the service the individual flag has
done uS-it may be new flag just
from the factory-but for the
principles for which it stands.
And when you hear some one telling
of all the imperfections of the old
soldiers, running them down as a
class, calling them paupers living at
the public expenSe-as some of these
people do-just put it down that he is
either a knave or a fool. And if you
want to shut his mouth the best way
is to slap it; but the next bes6 is to
ask him where he or his father was
during the war and he'll be ''as mum
as an oyster"
Organize your order of S. of V. and
help the G. A. r. in every way you
can.
And members of the Il. A. r.: This
camp if started will need your support.
See to it that one or more of your
Post attend each meeting. Let the
boys feel, as little as possible, that
they are secondary to you. Make
them feel that they are one with you.
Remember that most of them are
about the age that you were when you
first shouldered your musket, and
they love their country as well.
Work together. Criticise only in
way TO help each other, and your
orders will prosper and be a benefit TO
the comm unity.
Yours in F. C. L.
b. II. WooD, Post Division