The National tribune., 1902-10-09

for the reason that the comrades Of said
Department, generally, were opposed to
granting charters to colored Posts. This
Supplemental Report was not brought to
the attention Of the National Council of
Administration at its meeting held imme-
diately following the adjournment of the
Cleveland Encampment, and consequently
no action was taken upon the recommend
alton of COmrade Rasseur relative there
to.
l therefore adopt said recommendations
and submit them to this Encampment for
such action as may be deemed best.
MILITARY INSTRUCTION AND PATRIOTIC
EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS.
ment of Grand Army work has been in
charge of Comrade Allan c. Blackwell.
as Chief Aid. His report will be sub
mitted for your consideration. 1t is vol
luminous, of great interest and value, and
exhibits untiring zeal on his part, as well
as that of his ASSISTANTS. Further Con-
gressional legislatioa is needed extending
the provisions Of the act of Feb 26, 1901,
so as to permit the detail by the President
of non-commssioned officers of the army
and navy to assist in military instruction
this respect is ROW pending, and it is
hoped that favorable result may be
reached at the closing session of the
present Congress. l heartily approve of
military instruction in our public schools.
Its tendency is to make better citizens.
The youth who receives such instruction
not only feels under special obligation to
defend his country, but capable of doing
so. 1t does not create a war-like spirit,
but a patriotic spirit. and insures a
prompt and effective response when the
country is in peril. The work of Com
rade Blackwell has been of great value
in cultivating in the minds of our youth
an intelligent comprehension of what the
flag symboliZes. His heart is in the
work, and l doubt if there is another COM
rade in the Order capable of filling the
position with greater ability.
THE EX-CoNFEDERATE.
On Sept. 1 last 1 addressed to the MEM
bers of the Grand Army of the Republic
what might be termed a letter of good
will"
1t was prompted solely by considera-
tions of kindness and respect for those
against whom We were once arrayed in
battle, and in the firm belief that such
action would tend to bring still closer
together all parts of the country in the
bonds of common citizenship. The re-
suits already reached have fully justified
my expectations. jeff. Falkner Camp,
No. 1,3S2 United Confederate Veterans,
who originated the plan to erect the Home
for their needy comrades at Mountain
Creek, Ala, at its first meeting after re-
ceipt of my letter, by a unanimous vote,
passed resolutions expressing their warm
est appreciation of the proffered help, and
among other things said:
'To those whose contributions have
come and are coming, in response to the
call, we send our sincere thanks, assur-
ing them that every dollar will go to COM
fort and sustain some old veteran whose
days are heightened and whose spirit is
sweetened by this evidence of sympathy
from men whose valor he once tested,
whose patriotism he never doubted, and
whose broad human fellowship is nobler
and better than any charity"
Col. J. NJ. Falkner, Chairman of the
Committee having in charge the building
Of the Home, wrote me that he has
heard nothing but praise and gratitude
from the press and people of Alabama,
and that it is the desire of his comrades
to emphasize in every possible way their
appreciation Of this fraternal action on
the part of the Grand Army of the Re
public" With but two exceptions, so far
as my knowledge extends. the entire press
of the country, North, South, East, and
West, have commended the spirit and
purpose of the letter. l have also receiv-
Commanders of the Departments of Ar
kansas, Texas, Florida. Louisiana, and
Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and Ten
nessee, q. A. r., indOrsing my action in the
most hearty terms and as one highly cal
culated to promote the welfare of the
Grand Army of the Republic especially
in the South. A generous response has
already been made to the appeal, and l
again quote from late letter received
from Col. Falkner, in which he states
that the opinion is universal throughout
the South that, aside from any pecuniary
benefit which may result to the Confed-
crate Veterans Home, the action taken
will rebound to the good of the whole
country"
1t is not expected that the Grand Army
of the Republic as an organization will
embark in the building of homes for sol
diers, North or South, but in no possible
way can the greatest fraternal organiZa-
tion in the world more becomingly crown
its labors of love in behalf of its own
membership than by extending the hand
of helpfulness to their fellOw-countrymen
against whom they were once arrayed in
uedUly StTlles LIE LuOSl ulSdSlIOuS IT.
suits of a civil war are the animosities
and bitter feelings engendered thereby,
and am convinced that one of the most
patriotic services We can render our
country is to earnestly aid in removing
every barrier that separates or estranges
the people. The victory at Appomsttox
will yield imperfect fruit if we do not
win the hearts as well as the flags of the
men who wore the gray. A union of
hearts as well as Of hands is indispensa-
BILE to an indissoluble Union of indestrue-
tible States, and people united in SYM
pathy. friendship and good will is not less
important than that the rivers flow I'M
vexed to the sea and the mountain ranges
remain unbroken. The great heart of the
immortal Lincoln never manifested more
sublime faith or uttered grander pro-
phesy than when standing under the i'm
penetrable clouds of impending war he
assured his countrymen that the time
would come when "tke mystic cords of
memory stretching from every battlefield
and patriot grave to every living heart and
hon rt hStonp all over this broad land will