Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-11
Annual Meeting and Banquet Of
Vermont Commandery
Tuesday Evening.
new OFFICERS ELECTED
Address ~ Major n. W. Hovey al
ortbAeld-Cesgfessm Foster,
Gov. BelI, Mayor Burke ssd
Rev. G. ,. staples the other
Speakers.

ire Military Order Of the Loyal Legion
of tho United States. Comma nJery Of
vermont, was held Tuesday evening and
'neh'pers from all parts tf the state at
t"hocd IN" business meeting WIS held
at Inc rooms of the order in the Hav-
ward block. where the routine business
was transacted and officers were elected
TOT tne ensuing year as follows
communicating Ebenezer J. Orms-
bee. y. S. ". Brandon.
senior vice. comma nder-Liout. John G
Stearns. L. : ". Bradford
Junior vice-commandcr-Capt John A.
Sheldon. L. s. ". Rutland.
corder-Brevct- Captain Henry O
wheeler. l.. S. ", Burlington.
RcSistrar-fiout. Carlos D. Williams.
u. S. ". Burlington.
Urea companion Chas f. Beach.
L. s. ", burlington.
Chancellnr-Leut. Erastus w. Iewett,
L. S. ". Burlington.
Chaplain Chaplain Edwir n. HAYNES.
y. s. ". Rutland.
Council-Iieut Clarence ~ Gates l..
: ", Burlington: Capt. John L. Moscley.
L. :. V. Northfeld: capt. Walter c.
! anHon. I. s. ". Rutlard; Companion
THOMAS Dewey. Montpelier: Companion
Joseph r.. Eldridge. West Randolph.
| In addition to the election If officers.
Robert a. Arms was elected first class
member by inhcritanee.
AT the close OF the business session tho
members adjourned to the Van Ness
House. whore a brief reception vas held
| IN the pariors. The reception committt g
consisted of 7. S. Peck. r. G. Butter
field. Josiah Circuit. o. d. Clark and T..
NJ. HAYNES. The presentation committee
consisted oe q. b. Smalley. NJ l.. Powell.
G. :. Howe, {. l. " codbuiy. C.. F..
Ecach. f. r. Wells and j. +. Hooker.
When the reception was over those
present proceeded to the dining hall,
where an appetizine banquet was pre-
pared. During the course of the even
ing music was furnished by Riker' or
chestra.
At the conclusion Of the banquet the
gathering was called to order by G. s.
Blodgett. who extended a greeting. az.
ter which he introduced e. J. Orinsbce
as POSTMASTER. The speaker of the
evening was Major II. W. Hovey, L.
:. A., OF Mortified. his subject being
| ''rhe Preservation Of Peace" Major
Hovcy told number Of army expert
enccs illustrative of the work done by
| the army. In referring to the prcser-
| walton OF peace he said that for few
years after the Civil War foreign ma
tons were touchy about getting at the
| business end of this country because
they knew We mad big army already
trained for field work and generals
who knew how TO handle the army.
| The speaker said that every war of the
country had taken the people by sur
prise and found US without prepare
| ton. The men have zeal and patriot =
ism. but such qualities DO not win bat
tles-the men must be trained for the
work. The speaker said the reason
of the unpreparedness was because of
the cry OF militarism.
| In speaking Of the army. major How
ey said that great national reserve
should be established. He said that
soldiers could not be made in a day
or month. but that they had got TO
learn what 1t means to take care of
| themselves and their comrades. He
said that volunteers should be prepar-
cd and that the place to begin was
with the children in the public schools
They should be impressed with what
the flag means and later should begin
to drill. 4ne speaker also thought
State military schools should be estab-
lished.
According to Major Hovey's opinion
the government Is not liberal enoug h
with the militia. He said that the cry
was that the government was costing
too much and the first point Of re-
trenchment was the army and navy
This he thought was poor policy be-
cause when the country wanted an
army and navy II would not have i,
If such a purpose prevailed. In this
connection he said tina, II we had had
| such an army and navy in 1898 as We
now have the Spanish-American War
would never have occurred. He
thought the militia should not be call
ed upon to make the sacrifc they are
now obliged to, but that the govern
ment should stand the expense
The American Navy" was the subject
of the second address, given by Represen-
tatve d. ]. Foster. He said that the navy
had had more to do with the standing
of this country with foreign nations than
any other factor. lie spoke of the rapid
growth OF the navy since 1897 and of the
increase III the expense Of maintaining
lit. When finished as now outlined he
said the annual expense would be $780,
Ooo.0O0. In addition he thought Congress
had done pretty we'll by tho army. which
now costs 500 OOO,Tn per year. He said
he believed in a large navy but thought
that we were going rather rapidly. He
spoke Of the battleshps and armorcd
cruisers now in process of construction
and said that when completed We should
l