Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-09


said: Comrades of the Union Vet
Grams Union-For the first time in
the history of our order we meet in
convention, for our 18th annual EN-
campment, in the great state of Hi
nois, in the beautiful CITY of Rock
Island, on the banks of the great
river, the Father of Waters We
meet in the great western state which
furnished the man to guide and direct
the affairs of the nation in the peril
Gus times from 81 to '65: man
whom God himself raised up for the
great work-our martyred president,
Abraham Lincoln. And we vividlv
remember that the great state of Hi
nois sacrificed many of her noblest
sons in defense of our common coun-
try. While we meet in Rock Island,
the sister cities of Davenport, Iowa,
and Moline. H., Qhe tri-cities) have
joined together with loyal hearts to
greet and entertain the veteran SOL
diers. take pride in the fact that
first saw the light of day in the great
state of Illinois. Ny comrades,
greet and welcome YOU to this 18th
annual encampment of the Union
Veterans Union. May all Your de-
alterations be for the good of the
order; may true comradeship inspire
us and may peace and harmony and
a spirit OF loyalty to the teachings OF
our order prevail. Our annual gath
erings have heretofore been held
mostly in the east, last year at
Springfield. Ohio; but westward the
star of empire takes its way We
now find ourselves on the banks of
the Mlssissippi; a few more years NAV
find us meeting in Nebraska or in the
Dakotas, where we now have fine
growing departments. In your last
annual encampment, held at Spring
field, Ohio, you elected me command
er-in-chief of this great veteran sol
der organization, an honor that
appreciate more than words can en-
press, an honor that my children and
children's children can refer to with
pride when you and | shall have
passed to the great beyond. Nv com
rades, fully realized what it meant
to be the responsible head of this
great soldier organization, and SO far
as in my power lay, and with all the
ability God has given me, | have
faithfully worked for the advance
ment Of our noble order, and for the
interest of its individual comrades.
First, l associated with me staff OIL
GERS thoroughly competent auI inn
bued with Il zeal for the work. Nv
al lutant general. Comrade 5. +. Ham
ilton, than whom I more faithful
conscientious worker cannot be found
has given time and untiring atten-
ton to his branch of the work. Quar-.
| termaster Gen. I. +. Bogia is a thor.
ough business man; always correct
prompt and attentive to his duties
To the active work and cooperation
of these comrades do | owe much OF
the success of the year. They have
done their duty at all times. De-
partment commanders. as rule. hav.
cooperated in the good work for the
advancement of the order. We hav,
stood shoulder to shoulder all along
the line from Maine to Missouri, a.
we did during the dark DAYS of the
war. and unitedly pushed the work,
until today the objects and character
| of the Union Veterans Union are bet
ter known than at any time during
the history of the order. During the
year | have visited nearly every de.
partmcnt of our order. it having re-
quired - days to accomplish this.
Greetings to State Commanders.
TO Gen. Wilcox. commander of the
department of Illinois, and to Gen.
Morgan. commander of the depart.
ment of Iowa, | desire to express my
Sincere thanks for their earnest work
i'll upbuilding the order in their de-
partmcnts; for the great success at
tending their labors; for their active
and earnest cooperation in the great
work of the order at large, and fol-
the active interest and labor performed
in arranging the details and carrying
them out for the reception of our or
ganization at this encampment. To
the mayors of the tri-cities of Rock
Island, Davenport and Moline, with
their courteous committees. tender
my thanks and those of the Union
Veterans Union for the magnificent
reception rendered us at this time.
We shall ever remember this 18th
annual encampment on the banks of
the Mississippi as one of the most en-
joyable c''r order has yet held"
Continuing, Gen. Street spoke of the
good work being done by the Woman s
Veteran Relief Union, paving a high
compliment to the efficiency of its
president, Mrs. Hortens White. He
told of his assistance in presenting the