Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-09
Membership in g. A. R. is
Dwindling.
AMOUNTS TO BUT 263,7 ,745
In 1890 Over Four Hundred Thousand
Men Belonged to the order-The
High Water Mark Was Reached in
That Year.

Washington, D. c., Oct 9.-The mem
bership of the Grand Army of the Re-
public in good standing, according to|
the report of Adjutant General Silas
II. fowler of Minneapolis, amounts
to 26S,745 persons who belong to 6,511
posts. The high water mark was in
1880, when it numbered 4O9,49S. Since
that time there has been gradual de-
cline, in the face of the fact that over
100000 men who took part in the war
OF the rebellion are still alive.
Today at business meeting of the
G. A. +. official reports We're made by
the senior vice-commander. the Junior
yice-commander, the surgeon general,
the chaplain in chief. the adjutant gen
eral. the quartermaster general and
the judge-advocate general
The Inspectors Report.
In his report Inspector-G General Will
fred A. Weatherbee. of Boston, says
Il find that our weakest depart
ments, as well as our weakest posts.
are those which do not have woman's S
relief corps connected with them. 1t
has been truly said that the success
of all great undertakings has been
largely due to the influence of woman.
The Grand Army of the Republic can
give testimony to the truth OF that
statement | most earnestly recon-
mend that every post that is not so
blest take steps at once for the forma-
tion of a corps. The smaller and more
remotely situated the post, the more
need of a corps.'
Quartermaster's Report.
Quartermaster General Charles Bur
rows, Of Rutherford, N. j.. furnishes
details concerning the financial affairs
of the order, in the course of which he
says:
81 am glad to be able to report a
good sound financial condition, the
cash in the general fund and supplies
on hand showing an increase over that
of last year.
"The Southern Memorial fund shows
smaller balance than before, and but
| for the generous contribution from the
woman's relief corps, would have been
wiped out
The statement shows a balance on
hand in the general fund of s9,351.
Adiutant Generals Report.
The report of Adjutant General Silas
H. fowler, of Minneapolis, shows that
on June 30 last the muster roll of the
Grand Army contained 263,745 names
of members in good standing and that
there were 6,511 posts. The figures as
to membership show net loss since
the preceding year of 1904 The ad,
| jutant general says that the high water
mark of membership was attained il
1890, when it numbered 409,4S9, ant
that there had been a gradual decline
since that date. Commenting on thi.
! circumstance he says:
.'It is indeed encouraging that not
withstanding the inevitable increase
in the loss by death, the gains by mus
i ter in and reinstatement overcome it
There are still living over 100000 o
the men who were part of that granG
army of the sixties. and of that mum
/ Der less than $4,000 are over 62 years
of age This suggests me to say tha
if proper energy were put forth the
Grand Army OF the Republic ought tt
increase in numbers instead of de
/ crease.
"The death loss for the year a
shown by the report is S,299 The per
centage based on the number of mem
bers in good standing at the beginning
of the year is sos. as against 3O2 70
tha nraca6ipp' yeorr