The morning times., 1897-02-17
Their Eighth Annual Convention
viii Assemble This Evening.
BUSINESS OF IMPORTANCE
The Delegates VIII Have a Number
of Important Questions to Con-
sider-There viii Be Interest
ing Contest for PresidentEThe
History of the Order. ..

| Han this evening, ana there is much bust
| ness to be transacted. No new corps have
been organized during the year. The mem
organization to give 8 cepts each for the
benefit of the Andersonyile Prison fund.
| The Andersonyille property was given to
| the w r. C. last year by the Grand Army,
| Department of Georgia, and it was de-
| cided to repair it. and for this purpose
| the small sum is asked from each member.
Excitement runs high among some of
| the members as TO who shall he the next
president. The friends of Mrs. eorgia q.
| Balm think her chances are good, as She
| has such an excellent record She was
| department. president when the national
| convention met in this city, and worked
! untiringly for its success. She has been
| on the executive board several times and
is now chairman of that board She is a
member of Burnside Corps.
| Mrs. Meachamis fricndseare equally san
! guine, and say She has just the quail
| ficatonS needed for the office, even if
! she has OF been iii the department as long
! as some others. She is from George H.
| Thomas Corps, which has only been or
! ganized a little over a year. Eoth these
| ladies are announced as candidates. 1t has
| been limited That perhaps tEeIe is dark
| foTse'' waiting some where, TO be brought
| in 81 ould the convention he evenly divided
| When the first gun announced that hos
| tilties had begun, and before its echoes
died away, there was need OF the min
| istrations OF fair hands. Everywhere
/ in the North sprang up aid societies and
| women went TO work picking lint, rolling
| bandages, knitting socks, and making
whatever was necessary for the comfort
| OF husband, father, son, brother. or sweet
| heart at the front or in hospital. Aiter
| the war, was over, II was again found
necessary to call upon fair woman, for
! there were manned and helpless veterans
and widows and orphans to care for The
toCsin was sounded and the clans, who
| had called themselves by various names
| during the strife of warfare, now came
| together for common purpose under one
name, the Woman's Relief Corps, their
J object being:
To specially aid and assist the Grand
! Army of the Republic and 10 perpetdtse the
memory of the heroic dead.
! d, - To- assist sBGh Union veterans as need
our help and protection, and to extend
ncedful aid to their widows and orphans.
! To find them homes and employment. ana
| assure them Of sympathy and friends To
cherish and emulate the deeds OF our army
nurses, and Of all loyal women who rem
dcred loving service to our country i'll her
hour OF peril.
To maintain true allegiance to the
| United states OF America; to inculcate les
sons OF patriotism and love OF country
among our children, and in the communi-
ties in which we live; and encourage the
spread OF univeTsaliUlerty and equal rights
to all"
Just fourteen years ago the national body
was organized, with small membership,
and row there are 145,oO0 women en-
rolled under its banner, with Mrs. Agnes
| Hit, OF indianapolis, as president. In
| charity alone about $1,oI5.000 have been
| spent, and homes and hospitals established
in many states.
The Department of the Potomac is
unique i'll that it has all the corps COM
posing it within the District limits, while
| other departments have their corps scat
| tered over the various States. In 1890
| this department was organized with seven
gut, Lincoln, Logan and Grant. The first
| president was Mrs. Joanna w. Turner, Il
woman who had served at the front"
| as an army nurse. Mrs Ida Y Hendricks
! was the second president and also the
| third. 1t was during her administration
that the national convention was held here.
| The fourth president was Mrs. Susie Nc
| Cabe, since deceased. The fifth conyen-
| 81.
dent, and she was followed by Mrs. Anna
NJ. S. Hamilton. During her administra-
ton the first Committee on patriotic teach
ing was appointed. 1t was this committee
that originated the bill passed by Congress
last year, appropriating 81 600 with which
to purchase United States flags to float
over every schooIhouse in the District.
This committee also Introduced the Balch
salute to the flag: We give our heads
and our hearts to God and our country;
one country, one language. one flag"
in the schools of the District.
Mrs. Hamilton was succeeded by Mrs.
Annie W. Johnson, the wife OF DR.. A h.
| johnson. SO well kno wn in Grand Army cir
cles. and now surgeon general on the ma
tional G. a. r. board. Mrs. johnson Las
made an excellent presiding officer. and
is conscientious, indcfatigable worker
for the good OF the order and for the Old
soldier and his dependent ones.
During the years since the organization
Of this department about $4,000 have
been spent in helping those for whose ben e
fit the organization exists, and as the years
go by the need increases. This winter a
great deallhas been expended for food, fuel
and clothing fer those in distress The
chairman OF the relief committee attends
to this. Then there are calls for employ
ment, and it is the duty OF the chairman of
the employment committee to try to get
work for those needing it, ... ... -...
The present officers are: Department
president, Mrs. Annie w. johnson; depart
ment senior vice president, Mrs. Bessie
Boone Cheshire; department. Junior vice
president, Mrs. George A. Chambers; de
partment secretary, Mrs. Ida l.. Chase;
departme enttreasurer, MissA. V Thompkins
department chaplain, Mrs. FL. Howells;
counsellor, Mrs Indiana Cowling.
Committees for convention have been
named as follows: 49,, .t.--o-...
On credentials-Ida l.. Chase, Julia NJ.
Layton, Alice Burgess, Florence l. How
ellis, Maggie B. Tew., .a. Sc. .a
On president s address-Joana w. Turn
er, Eliza F. Naylor, E. W. Marshall, Bessie
Boone Cheshire, Katherine McMoniSal.
On report of senior vice president and
chairman of employment eommittee-ida
V. Hendricks, Hattie NJ. Robb Cornelia
Wilkensen, Caroline NJ. Lacy, Maggie B.
Tew... ...,r..- .,.,-r.. s-,-;4
] On report Of junior vice president and