The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-02-17
THE GRAND ARMY ANNUAL
Gen. ClarkSOn Arrives and Sees
the City With Friends.
THE. ORDER Is DYING OUT
He Says It Is the Policy To End Its
Existence When the Old Soldiers
Are Gone Gen. Alger Is Clear
ed of All Charges by the Report
Of the Surgeon.

Gen. Tbadddus s. Clarkson, of Omaha,
Neb., comma mander-in-chief of the Grand
Army ofthe Republic, arrived in Washington
last evening, ana is now registered at the
Ebbitt House. Tho object of Commander
Clarkf S visit to Washington is primarily
TO attend hessanntial encampnent OF the
District OF Columbia, which will commence
this evening at the Grand Army Han and
conclude tomorrow night.
Gen. Clarkson came immediately from
Baltimore, where he had been on brief
visit to a sister! While there lie was
Handsomely entertained by the G. A r.
costs, which gave campfire in his honor
last evening.
He was met at the Ebbitt House this
morning Il Y Commander McElroy and others,
including Col. Benn ett and members OF his
staff, and arrangements made for his en-
tertanment, and for him to meet as many
Grand Army men as possible during his
stay. He went out later with party OF
friends to see the city.
Gen. ClaTkson will remain until tomor-
row evening. when he will leave for Ha-
gerstown, Md, where the annual encamp-
ment of the Maryland department will be
held.
He prefers to he called Major the
rank lie hcl lin Common with the President
elect when the war closed. He wasin the
first battery OF the first artillery organ
lied in Illinois. He enlisted as private
within two hours after the first call for
75 ,0G0 troops reached his town. Later
ne was detailed TO organize a regiment OF
artillery in Arkansas, and OF this he was
made lieutenant colonel, and commanded
during the remainder OF the war. He was
postmaster at Omaha under Harrison, and
is now in The real estate business. He
was born al Getty Sbdrg ami educated near
Hagerstown.
Gen. Clarkson says the policy OF the or
ganization is that the Grand Army organi-
zation shall cease to exist when the number
of veterans has become so small that they
can no longer maintain it, 1t will bc prac-
ncalIy extinct in twenty years, and abso-
lutely so in thirty. The average age OF
members now is fifty-siX years. Already
posts that onee numbered 400 men now
turn out only fifty or sixty. Ia ten years
the disIntcgration will be very marked.
When asked about the charges against
Gen. AlgeT, Gen. Garrison said:
Il think the recent affidavit made by
the army surgeon in charge OF his case
clears that accusation up. Gen. Custer
went off half-cocked, that is about the
whole truth OF II. / was on Gen Alger's
staff when be was comaIander-in chief OF
the Grand Army, and knew him very well.
There isn't a man in the Grand Army
who does not believe that Gen. Alger was
a brave and good soldier, and we are de
lighted to see him made Secretary of War.
1t is a matter OF considerable congratula-
ton to us that both the President and Secre-.
tary OF War will he members Of the Grand
Army. Wehavedone very we!lin thenIatter
OF Presidents since the war. President Nc
Kinley VIII be the fifth, the Others being
Grant, Garfield, Hayes and Harrison.