The sun., 1897-11-30
GRAND ARMY SAYS No.
Refuses to Assist in Raising a
Monument.
ROBERT LINCOLN UPHELD.
What Local G. A. II. Men Say In Re.
gard to Raising Monument
to Nancy Hanks LincOln---
Not Interested.

Association desire the cooperation Of
the National Grand Army of the Re.
public. Why is this desire expressed
The Association are making an attempt
to erect a monument to the memory OF
Nancy Hanks Lincoln and want the help
Of the Grand Army in the movement.
The Grand Army refuses to have any
thing to do with it and the whole affair
has led to much bitterness among many
influential Elen and women OF the West.
The interest in the question has passed
beyond the Western prairies and reached
into the fields of the East
Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the mother OF
our martyred President and grand
mother of Robert Lincoln, now president
of the Pullman Palace Car Company. is
now the subject of much contention in
indianapolis. A Memorial Association
has been formed and are now in meeting
at the Indiana capital.
From the very first this organization
has met with many set-backs in pur-
suing their object, but the members,
among whom are many influential per
sons, have steadily worked on, keeping
before them the success Of the Grant
Memorial Association, after their ap-
parently vain efforts. No one seemed to
interest themselves in the movement
and it looked as though it would fall
through. Governor Mount of Indiana
got into the Association and took charge
of its management as before stated the
Association appealed to the Grand Army
OF the Republic, asking the different
posts to lend their assistance to the
effort to raise the monument. Robert
Lincoln was also asked to help but from
neither source came any encouragement.
The Grand Army refuse to recognize the
Associationaaa-Robe Lincoln does not
act favorably toward it.
The atter's action caused big stir in
the ranks of the Memorial Association.
The members denounced the wealthy
car manufacturer, they declared him to
be heartless. They said that he neg
lectcd shis grandmother's grave and
pointed him out as u man who was SO
dearth Of feeling as not to care whether
the memory Of his grandparent was
lonored or not. This scathing denun-
citation has called down upon the
Memorial Association sca of indigna-
ton. The G. A. r. uphold Robert
Lincoln and declare that the expressions
used by the Association against him are
all uncallcd-for.
Peter b. Ayars, prominent Grand
Army man Of this city is a personal
friend of Mr.. Lincoln and. he is as
tonished that anything should be said
of Mr.. Lincoln which would tend to
make him appear hearless. "It is not
true" said Mr.. Ayars, 'that Robert
Lincoln neglects the grave of his grand
mother. He was and still is a most
loving son and it is not true that he does
not care Tor the grave. I know
Robert Lincoln to be tender
hearted man, and have seen
him on public occasions, Cry, when the
name of his father was mentioned in con-
nection with some incident which he
knew to be true" Speaking further, Mr..
Ayars said that it was perfectly natural
that the Grand Army should refuse to
act with the Association. There is moth
ing in the recollection of Nancy Hanks
Lincoln that would excite Grand Army
men with enthusiasm enough to raise q
monument to her memory.
Colonel William B. Norton, who prob
ably knows as much about Grand Army
work as any man in this State, in speak
ing of the Memorial Associations action,
said that the Grand Army had no par
ticular interest in Nancy Hanks Lincoln,
aside from the fact that she was the
mother of Abraham Lincoln. And Col.
Norton was Of the opinion that sufficient
honor had been paid President Lincoln,
that enough monuments had been erected
to his memory and that the Grand Army
of the Republic was not interested in any
dead heroes except those who upheld the
glory of the Union in action.
Jonathan L. French, another q. A. r.
man of this city, said that the Grand
Army had no connection with the move
mcnt of the Nancy Hanks Memorial AS
sociation and that any appeal for help
will be ignored by the Army in Will
mington.
1t is evident that by unjustly denounc-
ing Mr.. Lincoln the association has dealt
their movement a death blow.
Tn fo,y dave ami ihot i'm will ha ,ooda