The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-21
LAX METHODS
WERE UNDER BAN
SONS WANTED A CHANGE.
COMMANDER EDWARDS DISCUSSED
STAND OF PARKHURST.

Great Stress Has Always Been Laid
on Proof of Eligibility by savan-
nah Camp - No Special Charge
Though 1t Was Observation-Disclosures
to Savannah Camp From state
Commander Was Addressed to
"COmmander McLaws."
The members of Barlow Camp of
the Sons of Veterans are still discuss
ing the reply which Commander Park
hurst made to their resolution seeking
to raise the standard of the order
throughout the country. The general
opinion seems to be that Mr.. Park
hurst has spoken hastily and without
fully considering the full import of the
resolution.
The letter written by Mr.. Parkhurst
to Commander Edwards was received
yesterday morning. A noticeable fact
concerning it was that it was directed
to Commander u. H. McI1aws." "Mr
Parkhurst, as state commander, should
know, said one of the Sons. that Mr..
McLaws has not been commander of
the Savannah camp for more than five
years"
Commander Charles G.. Edwards of
Francis S. Barlow Camp, No. SO,
United Sons of Confederate Veterans,
was seen by a representative of the
to say with regard to criticism and
counter criticism of his and the At
lanta camp.
ut seems that the Atlanta
papers did not get the proceed
ings of Francis S. Barlow Camp just
as they happened" said Mr.. Edwards.
mo resolution was even so much as
offered condemning the Atlanta camp.
Almost from the beginning of our
camp great stress has been laid on the
proper proof of eligibility of applicants.
This rigidness as to strict and definite
proof was brought about by resolu-
ton introduced by ex-Commander U.
H. McLaws, at the first or second meet
ing of the camp. in 1898, which result
ed in the camp adopting a regular
printed form of application, requiring
detailed and definite facts as to the
services and loyalty of the ancestor of
the applicant in the Confederate cause.
Certainly no one can conscientiously
and honestly criticise Francis S. Bar
tow Camp for taking measures to keep
imposters out of it's ranks.
No Specific Charge.
There was no charge made against
the Atlanta camp to the effect that
there were ineligibles in that camp, but
it was mentioned during the discus
sion that the Atlanta camp, among
others, had no regular and prescribed
form of application, and that there was
no strict and definite proof required
by it, This statement was not directed
at Atlanta alone, but at other camps
in the state, and in the South. The
object of bringing 1t up, as l under
stand II, was to correct these lax meth
DDS that many camps are using in get
ting in members and to take steps to-
ward securing a uniform method of re-
ceiving applicants, and a uniform re-
quirement as to strict proof of eligi-
bility.
"Unless this end is reached the or
ganization of Sons of Confederate Vet
Grants will in few years be less than
a name. No one desires to be a MEM
Der of any organization which has no
restrictions as to membership, and il
an organization has restrictions and
fails to live up to them it is even
worse"
Commander Parkhursts letter was
addressed to Capt. u. H. McLaws, who
was commander of the camp four or
Ave years since, and was referred by
Capt. McLaws to me. 1t would be inn
proper and unjust to Mr.. Parkhurst for
me to give the letter, or any part OF It,
for publication. In this connection, how.
ever / will say that his letter is a
heightened and courteous communities
ton, asking for information with re-
gard to the article that appeared In
the Atlanta papers, to which l have
fully replied.
Has Received no Letters.
81 don't think Commander Parlkhurst
should have made the statement that
this camp and its officers have failed 70
Cooperate with him and had shown a
degree Of laxity, as Is credited 10 him
IN his newspaper interview. The inter-
view went further and WAS 10 the ef-
feet that he had written several letters
10 the officers Of the camp and had re-
ceived no replies.
Il was adiutant Of the camp the year
before was elected commander. and I
don't recall having received any con-