Evening star., 1902-08-20
APPEAL To PRESIDENT
Privilege Solicited for G. A. R.
Menin Government Employ.
BY EXECUTIVE ORDER
CHAIRMAN WARNER DISCUSSES
APPROACHING ENCAMPMENT.
Two Hundred Thousand Visitors Ex-
Two Hundred Thousand Visitors Ex-
pected-Work of Various Com
mittees-Perfecting Plans.

mittees-Perfecting Plans.
The following letter was sent to Oyster
Bay this morning by Mr.. B. H. Warner
| chairman of the citizens executive COM
| mittee the 1902 encampment of the
| G. A. r.:
ITO His Excellency, the President.
| Sir: The citizens executive committee
| on the thirty-sXth national encampment
| of the Grand Army Of the Republic passed
| a resolution at its last meeting directing
| me to request that you issue an executive
| order permitting members of the Grand
Army of the Republic employed in the
| service of the United States in Washing
| ton and throughout the country to attend
this encampment, which will be held in
this city during the week commencing Oc-
tober next, whenever the interests of the
public service will so permit, without loss
of pay or without having the time so
occupied deducted from their annual leave.
This will in all probability be the last
great gathering of the veterans of the civil
war the national capital, and a large
number o. them are coming here for the
purpose of meeting their comrades in re-
union at camptires a social way. In
fact, many of them will make sacrifices in
order to be present.
I'VE sincerely trust you may see your
way clear to comply with this request,
which will be in the line of encouraging
patriotism and devotion to the flag of our
country.
You will be gratified to know that on
this occasion a large number will also as
semble here who were soldiers In the con-
federate army, we'll several thousands
of your comrades in the war with SPAIN
Chairman Warner Makes Statement.
Mr.. Warner, as chairman of the citizens
executive committee for the thirty-sixth
national encampment of the Grand Army
of the Republic gave out a statement this
morning in which he said in reference to
the success of the coming encampment:
1--WE are more dependent upon a favorable
public sentiment than any other city of the
republic. We have more at stake / have
been connected with almost every public
enterprise here for the past thirty years.
The sentiment in favor of the removal of
the capital city, which was very strong
twenty years ago, especially among public
men from the west, was largely changed
and obiterated by the feeling of the masses
of the people, whose regard for the city
grew as 1t became more beautiful and de-
veloped those modern conveniences and at
fractions which were incident to other great
cities Now that our public buildings have
become so prominent, the home of the gov
ernment so beautiful and the environment
of the capital has been rendered so his
tOrical by the civil war the permanency Of
the home Of the future government is as
sured and the affection for Washington
as the capital city of the nation is intense.
I'VE have many citizens who have come
among US during the past few years and
who do not fully realize the difficulties en-
countered when the old Washington was
put out of sight under the indomitabie
leadership of Governor Shepherd. Every
western city is alive to the Importance of
any enterprise which will bring large
number of people within it's borders. Peo-
pie turn out and work with will. They
grasp the rope and pull with all their
might, and the result of this sympathetic
interest Is most manifest
Significant and Important.
Il regard any enterprise which will bring
several hundred thousand people to Wash
ineton as most significant and important
In reply to the suggestion that the men,
bers of the Grand Army are mostly men of
small means, l will say this is correct, but
there is large number of them who have
grown wealthy and they are as a class all
influential politically. Their early army life
LED them to be more active In public way
than many of them would have been had
they not taken part in the civil war. Their
camping here will make friends and advo-
Gates or the larger Washington in every
county in the United States. They will Ger
a minimum.
Putting the number of visitors as low as
s""oo =, roo Inns this VIII turn in an aggregate Of
sZeoo,UD to Washington l am putting
the number low. We have no means OF
making an exact calculation Of the attend
ahce, because every house that is open will
be used to enterta in some strangers who
are friends of the occupants While the
encalnpment will be the chief attraction
there Will be a much larger number who
VIII come not members of the Grand Army
at all, attracted by the low rates Local
merchants are making special provision by
laying in large stocks of goods souvenirs
ETC., for the vast multitude
AS matters now stand no public-spirited
citizen can afford not to do his best To
make the encampment great success. By
thls / mean in giving and rendering per-
Sonal aid in every possible way. You will
De surprised, however, to know how many
prominent men have failed to cont tribute
and that nearly all the loudest growIs have
come from those who do absolutely nothing
for Washington at any time, except to
ind fa1.tt with the energy Of Others"
Interest Aroused.
The general interest now being aroused
In the coming encampment is evidenced nv
the numerous communications that pour in
upon the officers of the executive commit
tee. Suggestions of all kinds are made
many of which are most practical and will
De acted upon. But all such communica-
tions receive careful consideration.
Inc foloWlng letter was received this
morning from Mr.. p. c. George who is
understood to be one of the officers OF tho
church mentioned:
In the turbulent days of 1863 to '65 Old
Fourth Street NJ, E. Church cheerfully
gave TO the United States government its
house OF worship to be used as a HOSPITAL
Tor the care OF the wounded and sick who
We're brought in to Washington in those
DAYS from near by battlefelds and camps.
Now, as the boys are planning a visit r.
our city IN these piping times of peace the
same organization desires to assist in their
entertainment at least one evening-that of
their new church building, corner of Penn
sylVania avenue and 9th street southeast
where will be held an encampment religions
service, the pastor, DIR. j. c. Nicholson.
officiating.
If matters of this kind find place in the
official program please take this into con-
sideratiOn." WIZ
The letter will probably be referred tn
the cnmmittee reIiezin,,S So.,xis-- t