The Washington times., 1902-04-06
THE GRAND ARMY.

It is believed that the forthcoming en-
campment of the Grand Army of the Re-
public will be marked by the dedication
of a statue to Benjamin T. Stephenson,
| the beloved founder of the great patriotic
| order which commentaries the services
of the men who wore the blue. The Sem
ate Library Committee has made favor
/ able report upon the bill providing for
such a monument, and the comrades are
earnestly in favor of its erection.
The commander -chief and the mem
bers of the G. a. r. National Pension
Committee have been very hard at work
upon the report of the committee, In or
der to get it ready for transmission to the
/ President.
Some time ago, Commander B. F. Bing-
ham. of the Department of the Potomac,
G. A. R.. visited President Roosevelt, and
extended him a warm invitation to de-
liver the address on Memorial Day at
Arlington Cemetery. The President re-
piled that he had many invitations. and
could not just then decide, but was
strongly inclined to accept the invitation.
He lately wrote Commander Bingham,
saying that he had decided to accept, and
that the commander could rely upon him
being present and delivering the address.
Inc NdUOnal says. HIS
will be a great qualification to the com
rades everywhere. They will be very glad
to have him deliver a Memorial Day ad-
dress, for it will show regard for the
day and the past that will meet their
warmest appreciation, and be highly bene-
fetal in securing greater regard for the
occasion Then. what he will say will be
eminently worth hearing, and will strong
ly draw the attention of the people to the
Il fAAa kfon
are the strongest bulwarks of this coun-
try and our beloved institutions. All hon.
or and thanks to President Roosevelt
In the thirty-eight years since Airing
ton was set apart as a national city OF the
dead no President of the United States
has ever delivered the memorial address
there. President Mckinley was several
times the guest OF honor. but the Memoir
ial Day address has not been delivered Dy
any Chief Executive.
II is earnestly hoped that Congress will
pass the bill for the Fredericksburg Ma
tionai Park at this session. No other
spot on the worlds surface has been SO
baptized in human blood as the country
Immediately around Fredericksburg.
From first to last. probably 100000 I'm
ion soldiers fought and maneuvred around
in that neighborhood, and perhaps go
600 retels Six terrible battles, with ap-
palling loss of life, were fought there.
and innumerabIe smaller actions. While
these battles lacked the decisivenfss OF
those at Gettysburg. Vieksburg. Chatta-
nooga, and elsewhere. they were fought
on both sides with tremendous energy.
and contributed very largely to the end
of the war. A spot so full of our history,
so consecrated by the valor and blood of
Americans, should receive the careful at
tention of Congress, and be so marked
and preserved as to make of it an object
lesson forever of the tremendous period
of our annals. This work should not be
delayed any longer. 1t has been post
poned far too long already, but it should
be certainly done while so many partici- |
pants in the gigantic events still live
and while SO many traces of the battles |
are yet discernibe.-The National Tri- |
bune.
On Monday Henry Wilson Post No. II. |
gave an entertainment in Marble Hall at |
the Soldiers Home for the benefit of its |