The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-15
GRAND ARNY WORK
Commander LOOMS and His
Aides at Topeka.
ERECTION OF MONUMENT
Is Contemplated 0ther State
News of Week.
ERECTION OF MONUMENT

news or week.
Topeka, Kan, Feb. 14.-One of the very
busiest places in the state capitol building
Is the Grand Army headquarters. Com
mander LOOMS has spent most of his
time since the first of the year in the
Office directing the affairs of the depart
ment and has kept the force about head
quarters hustling TO keep up the work,
and. while a number of posts have been
visited yet ii is impossible for him TO
meet all the demands made on him, for
in addition to the regular work of the
Office, there are q number Of bills be-
fore the legislature in which the Grand
Army are especially interested and the
Colonel is watching this matter closely.
Among them are three bills prepared by
the depa ytment committee on patriotic
publication in the public schools One
10 provide for the use of the flag sa-
Lutte; another for the purchase and use of
q, manual of patriotism in the public
schools and a bill for the purchase of 4
flag and pole for every school in Kansas
a department committee on legislation.
comprising twenty or more of the leading
= men of the Grand army was appointed
month ago. This committee has formu-
lated several important bills that are now
pending. one OF which is to provide for
the erection of a state soldiers and sail
ors' monument. This bill provides for a
monument commission to be appointed
by the executive council of the state and
desigrates how they shall proceed and
how the money shall be expended; in fact,
it is one OF the most complete and care
fully drawn bills now before the legisla-
ture. Kansas can well afford to honor
the men who have done SO much for
state and country. The bill drawn by
the committee was largely patterned after
the Indiana law. The Indiana monument
cost that state 1898 600 and is said to be
the finest in the world. Should favorable
action be taken, it will require eight or
ten years TO complete the work, and when
ready for the finishing touches, it should
among other Inscriptions bear the name.
number and other designation OF every
Kansas regiment with their principal en-
gagements. losses, etc.
Col. Loomis says he is especially anx-
ious that some legislation looking to the
erection of a monument he taken by this
legislature so that that historic event the
fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the
act organizing the territory of Kansas,
which occurs on May Soth. 1904, can be
properly marked by the dedication of the
monument by President Roosevelt, who
has accepted our invitation to be present |
and deliver the Memorial Day address |
and take part III the monument dedica- |
ton
&c will ha facsa1 eirr
sas and to mark the fiftieth anniversary |
milestone in her history by the dedica-
tion of monument TO the memory of her
heroes will be a lasting inspiration for
good to succeeding generations.
Commander Loomis is making arrange
ments to receive and entertain for day.
the National Commander. Gen. Thos ].
Stewart, of Philadelphia. and the men,
bers of his staff and executive committee
of the national council of administration.
There are in all eighteen persons in the
PARTY. The commander-in-chief will be
enroute on his return from San Frencis-
co where he will have made the pre-
liminary arrangements for the thlrty-sev-
enth national eucampment and fixed the
date. The members of the executive coun-
ell who will be with the commander-in-
chief are:
William II. Armstrong. Indianapolis, In. |
Thomas W. Scott Fairfield. i'll.
Thomas G. Sample. Allegheny. Pa.
Nelson Wall. Howard. r. l.
William r. Shafter. San Francisco, Cal.
A A. Taylor. Cambridge, Ohio.
s c. James. Centerville. Iowa.
1t VIII be distinguished party for each
of these gentlemen are prominent in their
several states and General Shafter is a |
man of national reputation.
When the Kansas Grand Army went to
the national encampment at Washington
last year they took ten thousand souvenir
hooks. a Kansas advertisement. The de-
mand for them used To the entire supply |
and hundreds of requests have been COM
ing in TO the department headquarters
from all parts of the country for copies
of the book The book is great adver
tisement for the state and the Grand
Army organization deserve 2 great credit
for what has been done the past year TO
Keep the good name OF Kansas to the
front.
The Grand Army Posts Of the state are
urging Colonel Loomis to enter the race
for communicative chief at the San Fran
cisco encampment next august. \ large
number of Posts have passed resolutions
urging his candidaey The Colonel has
made the department an exceptionally
successful commander and we don't won
der that the boys want him promoted
He would make an ideal commander-in-
chief and deserves the honor.