Evening star., 1898-08-10
GRAND MEM ORAL
Purposes of the National Reunion Monument
Association
The G. A. n. National Encampment
Urged to Take ActfOn--What
IL Proposed.

Col. w. H. Michael, chief clerk of the
State Department who Is president Of the
National Reunion Monument Association,
has issued circular letter explaining the
| object Of the association and the work
which 1t contemplates in the way of COM
| memorative monument at the national cap
ital, and urging the national encampment
of the G. A. r. to take steps 20 advane e
the object Of the association.
Explaining the work of the association,
Col. Michael says:
At the national encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic held at Indianap olis
In 1898, the National Reunion Monument
Association of Washington, D. c., was rec
ognized and charged with the work of rails
ing the long-desired monument in the ma
tional capital to the soldiers, sailors and
marines of the war of the rebellion, and
the committee which the national en-
cssmpment had previously authorized for
that purpose was discontinued. The COM
mander-in-chief followed up this indorse-
ment of the National Reunion Monument
Association by a general order, commend
ing 1t and its objects to the comrades OF
the order. The association went ahead
with new zeal and bright prospects of sue
cess, but the setting in of the financial de-
preston of 1893 made hopeless the securing
Ol any COHSIueTdDle CONTRIBUTORS. II SEEM
ed that, for the time, the most urgent duty
before all veterans and their friends was
the care of the living comrades, rather
than building monuments to the dead.
Consequently, the association suspended
active efforts until the outlook became
more propitious. This seemed to be the
case at the beginning of this year. The
association was then called together, and
addressed itself anew to its great work.
Scarcely had ii gotten itself in shape, how
ever, when the Spanish war became i'm
| minent, and it seemed useless to appeal to
the people while their minds were 80 thor
oughly engrossed by the m0mentous strug-
gle.
But the association has employed the
time in getting ready for a sustained, COM
| prehensive, far-reaching effort, which, it
is sanguine, will win success. 1t mas been
perfecting plans and organizing machinery
with view of reaching, in the most effect
| i've way, every man, woman and child in
| the country, and securing his or her inter-
est in and contribution to monument
| which, in grandeur and artistic merit,
| will not be surpassed by anything Of the
kind in the worlds history.
| Colonel Michael says that the monument
must be one whose magnihcence will repre-
| sent the offerings of SO,OOO,OO0 free, happy,
prosperous, grateful people. 1t must be a
| monument worthy, as far as stone and
| bronze can go, Of 2,5O0O00 young heroes,
who left 100000 dead to mark the way of
/ duty, honor and glory they followed over
| 1000 sanguinary battlefields 1t must be
| such monument as wealth and fame can
| stimulate genius to conceive and create. In
| brief. it must be such a monument as the
| richest, proudest, greatest nation In the
world should erect to testify to all ages to
come her appreciation Of the men whose
valor and self-sacrifice did most to make
her rich, proud and great.
The association is preparing for it's work
by the 70 'mation Of committees which will
present the scheme to the Grand Army of
the Republic, the Union Veteran Legion,
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the
Union Veterans Union. the Sons of Veter-
ans and its Auxiliary Ladies' Aid Society,
the Womans Relief Corps. the Ladies Of
the G. A. R., the Daughters Of Veterans,
and each of the many other patriotic So
ieties in the country, to the children of
the public schools in every state, and to
the public at large in all parts OF the
country. Each of these committees will
work the field allotted to 1t thoroughly,
and endeavor to secure the fullest co-opera-
tion of everybody who can help in the least.
They will emulate one another in the
amounts they can secure and the help
given in furtherance of the enterprise. In
the end we hope that no possible contribu-
tor will remain unsolicited, and in the most
effective way.
Last winter the association secured the
passage by both houses of Congress of a
joint resolution recognizing the association,
and giving it the privilege of erecting a
monument upon a public reservation in the
! city of Washington. This was approved by
President Mckinley, and is now part OF the
laws Of the land.