Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-06-04
brevetted brigadier, was made depart
ment commander. The work of organic

brevetted brigadier, was made depart
ment commander. The work of orga1iz-
ing in 1867 and 1868 went forward with
great enthusiasm. BY the end of 1865
there We're about 100 posts in the State.
The fame of the new order in Illinois and
Wisconsin attracted the attention of
Pennsylvania, New York and several 9TH
er Eastern States, and it was extended to
their borders, charters being given by the
department of Wisconsin. The chief post
in Philadelphia is working under char
ter signed by Department Commander
James X. Proudtit. This is true of posts
in other States.
There are now over forty Grand Army
departments. and there have been as high
as S,OOOposts, with n membership of near
ly half million. The birth of that order
resulted in bringing into existence the
Woman's Relief Corps. which has mem
bership of nearly 100000. The two or
ders have expended for charity many mill
ions of dollars. They have led in patri-
otic elucation and demonstration; they
have led in suggesting and in agitating
for the establishment of several of the
national homes and the establishment of
all of the State homes: they have exer-
cised much influence in pension legisla-
ton, sometimes unwiscly. but in the main
wisely and justly, and they have given
us Memorial Day. with its beautiful and
inspiring ceremonies.
Wisconsin is the iossessor of the post
that has been in existence without inter-
ruption the greatest length of time, Will
liams. No. 4, of Berlin.
From 1868 to 1915 nearly all of the
Grand Army posts in the country died of
an overdose of politics. 1t was along in
1879 that the order began its resurrection
on new foundation. rigidly excluding pol
itics and demanding utter non-interfer-
ence with religious beliefs. On that foun-
dation it grew more rapidly than it had
at first. 1t sprang forward like fright
ened fawn under Commanders-in-cl,ief
Major Merrill of Massachusetts. Paul
VandervOort of Nebraska, Col. Il, B..
Beath of PENNSYLVANIA. the one-legged
drummer boy. Johnny Kountz of Ohio.
Gen. s. s. Burett of Washington. Gen.
Fairchild of Wisconsin. Capt. Rea of
Minneapolis, Major William Warner of
Kansas City. Cen. X. A. Aiger of Michi-
gan, Judge v .zey of Vermont. Adjutant
John Palmer of New York and Col. A. G..
Weissert of Wisconsin.
Since then the order. from natural
ctuses. HuS ce;tseu 10 increase. 1t mas
been growing smaller rapidly: it will con-
tinue to speedily grow smaller. A fair
sized army corps-14.OG0-will have died
by Sept. 1 next. Ten years from now
there will not be one-third as many posts
and me:nbers as there are to-day. Fif-
teen years from now there will scarcely
be more than one post in II county. Twcn-
ty years from now one or two posts in the
State will answer. Twenty-Five years
from now tlie Grand Army of the Repub.
lie will he only Il memory.
Since We;ssert. in 1892. there hare been
nt the head of the national organization
Capt. Jack Adams of Massachusetts. Col.
Tom Law.er of Rockford, H.. Col. Walk
er OF indianapolis antl Major Clarkson.
Illinois has Tie lic.,or of having had at
the head Gen. John a. Logan two or three
years: Gen. Stephen a. Hurlbut. two
years: Law.er. one. Wi:.c Clarkson is
Inw IL resis.cE. df Nebraska. he was m
LIMBS so..l;er. thus giving the State four
cGinM:.n,!Grs-:E-cii.pf.
,rnsy:-a.s.a a.s t."l t,.yre-Wagher
= ....... -; IL. zig t.mse who he'd