The National tribune., 1900-03-22
MAINE ENCAMPMENT.
Allied orders Meet at Portland and Ele
Ofncers,

Many hundreds OF veterans from every part
OF the State attended the recent Annual Encamp-
ment Of the Department of Maine at Portland.
Many Of the comrades were, accompanied by
| their wives and daughters who were generally
members Of the W. re.
| At the business sessions Department Com,
| mandcr Frederick Robie presided. He pre-
sented able report, covering fully every sub
icct of interest TO the veterans of his Department
| Regarding the membership he said: while
the Department has suffered loss of two Posts
| by surrender OF charter and one by delinquent
reports during the year 1899. it is gratifying to
note that the loss Of comrades in good standing
has been less than for any yeai since 1896, when
| the Department of Maine reached the high hWatei
mark of its membership The loss by death
| (22i is the greatest OF any year in history
with one exception. but the loss by suspension is
less than that of any other year siCce the period
| of our greatest membership"
| Another subject OF peculiar interest was the
pension question Gen. RObie said in part
mo politician in either of the great parties dares
TO strike against the righteous laws by which the
| Government rewards those 10 whom il owes its
being; were any such attack made. it would be
| overwhelmed by the burning Indignation emanat
ing from the brain and heart Of grateful people,
who feel that the veteran and his family can
never be fully recomrHnSed; Their sacrifices and
valiant deeds give 1hsIi the right to command
public aid for the comforts and neccssares Of life
He gave his all TO save for the best Govern
ment the world has ever seen. Were not our
soldiers faithful and sIle. even under the most
and other Southern prisons answer. The 200 600
Union prisoners who starved for months in those
nlthy pens, had the privilege Oi walking at any
time through open doors, il they would join the
ranks of the Southern C9nfederacy. The records
OF the war show that qt least 1876, 600 men pre-
GUS Abandonment q their own glorious Flag,
and it is estimated that II 900 of that loyal multi
tude perished in CONSEQUENCE OF that prison life
from which they were too faithful 10 escape.
How can refuse - pension the living repre-
sentatives and destitute families OF such heroes,
now that the evening OF their lives is coming on
and the murmur of the waters of that river which
all must cross Is sOuf1dfng in their ears? There
may be a few instances n fraud under our pension
laws, but even thenlitis better to reward some
undeserying ones, than TO allow a single honest
veteran to be neglected.
The Department as shown by the report of the
Assistant Quartermaster General. is in good
financial condition.
The Sons of Veterans and the W.R.C were
warmly praised by Commander Robie
The annual report OF the Assistant Adjutant-
General, e. C. Swett contained the following
statistics:
Number Of Posts in good standing in the De-
partment 16l, loss of three from last year; num-
Der of members in good standing 7,067.a loss of
4O1 since last year; number Of comrades remain
ing suspended at the close OF the year / 172
John II. Morgan Post. of Guilford surrendered
its charter in February Of last year and L. D.
Kidder Post. of Di4field, last December. Robert
quarters during the year. The total mortality
in the Department during the year was 23A, an
increase OF 63 over the record Of last year.
Chaplain J. W. Webster, Of Newport reported
that l6l Posts attended Memorial services with o
total Of STAT comrades in line. On Memorial
Day IL. <76 graves were decorated, Of which 226
were never before decorated; burial lots owned by