Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-09-20

President. 1t came out of times of strife
and disorder. 1T has seen these pass away
and its whitening veterans have come to
await the last call in the sunlight of peace
and union and in the reflection of Il work
We'll done and a rcpose we'll earned. To-.
day he tragedy of 1860 is recalled.
Thursday they held a grand goodwill
gathering for the purpose of extending
the sympathy of the nation and of the
Grand Army to the President.
Senator Henderson of Nebraska also
sounded the keynote of the encampment
at the reunion of the First Ohio volunteer
light artillery. '%'Tempering every breath
Of happiness at this reunion is the fearful
tragedy of last Friday" said Gen. Man
derson. II can find no words in which to
refer tittingly to the wretch who has done
this thing. 1t is for us and our sons to
stamp out anarchy ana socialism as we
stamped out secession"
The Cleveland eucampmcnt undoubt.
eddy marks the climax in gatherings Of
the bronzed, aged and battle-scarred vet
rrans OF the Civil War. 1t brought to-
ether scores of old soldiers, many OF
whom will not be on hand for another en-
campmcnt. Depleted numbers. The adj
vanced age and accommodating intirmities
Of those who survive. the disappearance
Of posts by the death of members, will
end i'll the not distant future the history
Of the Grand Army-an organization that
has had a career that stamps it as unique
in itself. without reference to the eNcep-
tlonal nature of the great events from
which it took its rise. Held together en-
tircly by community of sentiment and Il
spirit of mutual hclpfulncss. its existence
has been Il perpetual reminder of the
strength Of the bonds and the Intensity
of the patriotic spirit which united the
ma: engaged in the war.
Cleveland has not had the national en-
caI.p ment since 1872, and secured it this
year through the efforts OF the Business
Mems Association of that city. The Loo
cal committee made ample provision for
the accommodation and social cntertain-
ment of the veterans. Comfortable quar-
tiers were provided in seventy-three public
school buildings, and 500 local veterans
and Sons of Veterans acted as guides.
here were camp fires galore, where the
boys" could summon memories of the
breaking of the storm of war, enlistment.
of fearful good byes, reports of killed,
wounded and missing, the long struggle,
the final triumph. the journey home, and
the greeting. There were also reunions
OF brigades, regiments. battul;ons, and
companies, with addresses by orators Of
national reputation.
In connection with the encaInpment
were held meetings of other national as
sociations. as follows: Woman's Relief
Corps. Ladies OF the G. y. r.. Daughters
of NFpfnpsnYc Nnp.- ~ "a, N,,,l
Veterans. and its woman's auxiliary. Col
ored Veterans, Union EX-prisoners Of
War, and its woman's auxiliary. Mexican
War Veterans. Army Nurses, and Loyal
Home Workers. Interest in the encalmp.
ment business proceedings centcrcd in
the election of n commander-in-chief for
the ensuing year. Three prominent cam
didates Were considered. They We're Dan
iel u. Sickles OF New York. Eli Torrance
of Minnesota and Thomas j. Stewart Of
Pennsylvania.
With each year the general interest in
the National Grand Army of the Repub-
lie grows; apparently increasing with the
ratio in which he ranks are thinning.
This ratio has crept i'll the last ten years
from LIB to $50 per cent The organ-
ization deached it's hi.h-water mark in
lSoo, when its members numbered l09,-
~. In 1890 the curoii-lent WAS 2TG, UG9.
Although Mcna-y WIS lie opening day.
the real beginning of the encampment
was Tuesday, when there was a great
naval parade OH Lake Erie, commemora-
tive of Commodore pcrry's historic VIC
tory, which occurred Sept. 10, 1913. The
following day occurred the great street
parade. The line OF march was but two
miles in length. the long marches Of other
encampments having fatigueJ the vetes>
ans too much. It was an inspiring scene
On the opening day it was estimated
that there were acarly 100000 strangers
in the cit