The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-04

of the proper way to fill out this blank. The
assistant a%djutant general, in stating the
the difference between the number he set
down in his last report 'in good standing"
for any post whose report had not been re-
ceived by him in time for his report to the
adjutant general and the actual number re-
ported by said post, when its delayed report
is afterwards received by him. Again, in the
line, lost by delinquent reports" he should
deduct the difference between the number he
had set down Fin good standing in his
tabulation for any post that had not re-
ported in time, as above stated, when he
finally receives it's report. My view of these
lines Is that this is the only Interpretation
that can be given to them. Some Of the
assistant adjutants general have claimed
that when they had not received the report
of a post or posts in time to include 1t in their
semi-annual report to the adjutant general
that they had the right to deduct the whole
membership Of that post, or of forty posts, If
that many were delinquent from the report of
those in good standing. My Interpretation of
rules and regulations is that no comrade can
be suspended from a post except on notice
and ballot at a regular meeting, and by a
parity of reasoning no post can be bodily
suspended except on due notice requiring 1T
to appear before the council of administration
| and the action of the council suspending it
being approved by the commander-in-chief,
and until this has been done every post must
be considered to be in good standing, and the
number of its members in good standing
must be obtained from the last report re-
| ceived from it. On no other theory can the
/ TeDOIlS dHu u " u Jul O1oC1 NC AloIA-
tanned. l have been impressed with the ne
cessity of lessening the labors and expenses
in all departments of our order. In view of
that idea l believe that the offices OF the
adjutant general and quarfermaster general
should be consolidated, and that all blanks
| should be issued from headquarters, and that
the other supplies for departments, which are
| principally manufactured in Philadelphia,
should be issued by the custodian Of records
in that city on the order OF the %adjutant gen.
| eral. This would decrease correspondence and
| increase facilities for the transaction Of bust
ness. The labors Of my Office have been in
cessant and of almost universal variety. Hun
have been decided and thousands of queries
answered with pleasure. Two editions of
rules and regulations have been issued,
amounting to IL 600 copies, containing all the
amendments. The total printed and written
matter sent out has amounted to over 10000
pieces.
Past Commander-in-Chi Robert B. Beath
has, at your request, prepared an entirely
new edition Of the Blue Book, which has en-
tailed upon him an immense amount OF labor
that no other comradef could have performed
as well. During the present year Comrade
Beath has placed in the hands OF the Gus
todian of records a large number of books
ment en~campments and other meetings per-
tanning to Grand Army matters, which Is,
without doubt, the most complete edition In
existence and will prove of inestimable value
to the historian of the future. He Is entitled
to the gratitude of the comrades for his con-
tinued labors of love for our order.
l have shipped 10 Conlraoe j.. nShIy I1or
combe. custodian of records at Philadelphia,
all of the superfuous documents that were
in my possession and an now prepared to
turn over to my successor such papers and
documents only as may be necessary for the
nroper carving on of the business OF this
ONCE. 1 have had bound the proceedings OF
the several department encampments for 1888.
The library of the ~adjutant generals ONCE
now COMPRISES a complete record of the ma
tional and department history as far as it is
possible to be obtained.
Tn o1oci1O the business OF the year, i Q6-
sire to tender my thanks to all the comrades
of the Grand Army of the Republic and TO
members of kindred organizations that have
been SO kind to me-.