The National tribune., 1899-06-29
ENCOURAGE THE SONS OF VETERANS.

| ENCOURAGE THE SONS OF VETERANS.
The proceedings at the recent great ghost
dance of the United Confederate Veterans al
Charleston, S. c., teaches very important
lesson to the Grand Army OF the Republic as te
its neglected duty toward the Sons of Veterans
The Confederate Veterans have been taking
the greatest pains to bring up their sons as
their heirs and SUCCESSORS. They have pa
tiently and carefully inculcated upon them
their principles" and impressed upon them
their duties and responsibilities as their sue
cessors. All the time the sons OF rebels have
held up before them the glories of their fathers
achievements, the sacredness OF the "prin-
ciples" for which they fought, and the right
fulness of emulating their example. They
have been strongly encouraged to organize
Camps of Sons OF Veterans, corresponding to
the Camps to which their fathers belonged,
and on all occasions the sons parade with
their fathers, and are only second to them in
honor There has been similar encourage
ment to the Daughters of Veterans. and at the
meeting in Charleston the Sons and Daughters
of Confederate Veterans were as much in
evidence everywhere as the Confederate Vet
Grams. They were honored in public demon
stration as the heirs and successors OF their
fathers, who would take their places as they
left the scene of action. There is no eXag
gerating the effect that this may have on the
future of the country.
This is lesson to us of the Grand Army Of
the Republic on a neglected duty. While
we have not failed to carefully instil lessons
of the highest loyalty into the hearts of our
sons and daughters, yet we have not given
them that public prominence as our heirs and
successors which would help to make
those lessons OF the utmost practical benefit
TIE sons and daughters of rebels have been
and are being carefully nodded into solidarity,
that they may act together in support Of the
principles" for which their fathers fought
They are made political element" class,
a social power, a peculiar portion of the people,
which must exercise great influence upon the
development of the South and the country.
They are taught to think and act together,
from South Carolina to Texas from Kentucky
to Florida. Sons and daughters emigrating
to Chicago, New York or San Francisco are
kept track of, and form little colonies in what
ever city they may be, in which they uphold
the principles for which our fathers fought
We have not encouraged as we should the
formation of the Camps of Sons of Veterans
and their sister societies We have not i'm
pressed upon them as we should the neces-
sity of organizing to carry on our work as We
lay it down. and of being recognized in public
as our heirs and successors. There is far
more reason for our doing this than the rebels
We have gone on the happy go lucky principle
that there would always be enough good men
in this country to defend it in its hour OF need,
without making any special provision for
them.
The better view is that there is decided,
patriotic need for such an organization as the
Sons of Veterans, built up to strength Of at
least 1,000, 900 members. Such an organiza
ton would be bulwark of strength to the
country and assure its proper development
against "all enemies and opposers whatso-
ever" We should insist upon our sons be-
coming members of the organization as fast
as they are old enough, and encourage our
daughters to join the auxiliary society. We
should make them feel that they are really
bone OF our bone and flesh Of our flesh in pa
triOtism, with its past achievements and future
duties. We should take an active interest
in their Camps, enjoy their successes, praise
their efforts, and parade with them in public
to show the world who our heirs are, how
proud we are of them, and that the country
can as confidently rely upon them as it has
upon u.s.
Take the Charleston lesson to your hearts,
comrades, and act accordingly.