The National tribune., 1900-04-26
ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE 4!
Appeal to All Living Union Veterans OF the
War of the Rebellion.

COMRADES: Organize! Organize a
once for your protection and for your rights
This is just the time, and if you do not
improve it now, you will have only your
selves to blame when YOU are hereafter
ignored. The veteran Of the war of the
rebellion-the man who offered his life
who gave up home and happiness. sacri-
feed the opportunities of youth, forfeited
the equipment for the future in the educa-
ton and experience which must be obtained
in early years, il at all, and faced, un-
iinchingly, the inconcciyable hardships
and dangers and occasional disasters of
war that the Union should be preserved,
and prevented the destruction of our beloved
country-must no longer be treated with
neglect
Having to petition again and again
must stop. You haze rights. Insist upon
them! How! BY organizing yourselves
into a brotherhood for mutual protection.
taking in your SONS and grandsons, and
acting politically as a unit. irrespective
of mere partisan politics, only for those
who act for you.
If you will do this you are a tremendous
power. You have but to reflect n moment
10 realize that you will be a political force
that cannot be overlooked and one that our
friends will be glad to recognize.
just look here: The Pension Bureau
estimates that there are still 1902. AIS
soldiers Of the war Of the rebellion alive,
excluding deserters. To these add their
sons and grandSons; as well, the sons and
grandsons Of over a million comrades who
rest at Arlington and in cemeteries all over
the world. Now, such a force as this.
properly organized, or even one-half of this
force, can not only change the political
complexion of any Congress, but can
determine any Presidential contest.
The Grand Army of the Republic, one
Of the 1rr9pipSt Qrp1uiZgtionS that az,.r.
existed was organized 10 educate and
perpetuate the patriotism of the Nation;
but the Grand Army is non-political, as it
should be. The Union Veterans Union
is organized to do political work in the
interests of the Veteran. We are Grand
and Union Veterans Union men for that
and something more.
l. The Union Veterans Union is organized
to unite the veterans into a power to COM
mand respect for their rights. 1t is for
the veterans to say whether they will avail
themselves of this opportunity or not.
Act at once, boys IN union there is
strength. Full explanation of how to
organize and all necessary literature can
be had for the mere asking, by applying to
any Division Commander Of the Union
Veterans Union, or to the Commander
in-Chief, at Washington, ID. G.
All veterans of the war Of the rebellion
soldiers, sailors, and marines-should Join
heartily, as members Of the U. v T., in its
efforts to ward off dangers, resist wrongs,
and assist in securing their rights to all
the veterans and to the widows and orphans
of their dead comrades. The voice of the
united veterans Of 1851 to 1865 will be a
voice SO loud, that everything that in
justice and equity is due to the veteran,
his Wv widow and and % STPhains' PHaia must be granted
number! Organize, boys! Organize! Let
us have Command of the old fighters in
every County Of every State, certainly of
every Northern State, of the Union which
you preserved, to do political fighting,
now, for your rights.
In our country no man is Of any i'm
portance unless he has political signi-
fjcance, and no body Of men has any in
fiuence unless it has political power. Our
only hope, then. for the full obtainment of
our rights and for their maintenance is by
exhibition of strength in the matter OF
elections. "The Soldier-vote" must have
meaning.
ROBERT ST. GEORGE DYRENFoRTH,
Comma nder-if,- Chief, Washington, ID. c..