The National tribune., 1906-08-30
REDUCE ENCAMpMENT EXPENSES.

REDUCE ENGAGEMENT EXPENSES.
While the late. Encampment is fresh
in mind 1t is a most opportune time to
consider a matter of the greatest inn
portance to the veterans and their
wives. Every year we have seen the
cities which have been selected for
holding the National Encampmant
straining every nerve to collect large
sums of money with which to entertain
the meeting. All the way from $4,000
to $150,000 have been so collected and
expended. This great sum of money is
no little burden to the people of the
| city, and it is made a still greater bur-
! den to those who attend the National
of an extravagant raising of prices in
| order to collect the money back from
the visitors to the Encampment. AS is
always the case, the contribution of 81
| is made the pretext for such an advance
in prices as will bring back many times
that. While 1t is alleged that these
sums are raised for the benefit of the
visitors to the Encampment, they act
ually receive very little from it, no
matter how large the fund may be.
The actual and necessary expenses of
the Encampment are quite modest.
They are confined to providing accom-
modations for the Commander-in-Ch
and his staff during the week at some
first-class hotel. suitable room for
National Headquarters and hall for
holding the sessions of the National
Encampment. Probably in addition to
this should be some expense for print
ing, for badges and for free quarters.
The latter item has been greatly dimin-
ishing every year of late years, since
only a small proportion of the veterans
and their wives wish to take advantage
of them. preferring to be lodged in
tainly all the legitimate and necessary
expenses attending the holding OF the
National Encampment can be met in
side of $4,000. and possibly even half
that sum. Whatever is done over and
beyond what we have enumerated is a
uidlleT OI ClNlC pIlue Will "HiSii lie
veterans and the National Encampment
have no connection whatever. If the
city chooses to make elaborate decora-
tions and give entertainments, that is a
matter personal to the city alone. 1t IS
as personal as when one man invites
another to dinner or to spend the even
ing at his house. If the hosts pride
leads him to expend large sums for
flowers and so on. that is a matter for
himself alone. All that the veterans
want and require are the most favor
able rates on the railroads and for
and meals. If they are given
these they will have good time inde-
pendent of whether there are Flags put
out. displays of fireworks or other fes-
tIvities. They have within themselves
all the resources for having a good time
if they are comfortably carried to the
place and comfortably lodged
and fed while there. Years ago it was
the custom of the cities to give enter
tainments to the members of the Ma
tional Encampment, such as banquets, |
very properly eliminated.
All that is necessary to provide, we
are a suitable hall for holding |
the meeting of the National Encamp- |
ment, headquarters for the Command |
er-in-Chief and his staff and some
badges and printing. II we can proper |
ly impress this fact upon entertaining
cities, and that we do not care to have
them raise immense amounts Of money |
to entertain us. It will greatly help our
attaining much more reasonable terms
for the great mass of comrades who at
tend the Encampment. There will be
then no excuse for any one charging
his contribution to the National En-
fund.
The visitors to the National Encamp-
ment differ markedly from those to any
other great gathering. inasmuch as they
have within themselves all the requi-
sites for a successful meeting. 1t is not
at all necessary to add decorations, ex-
hibItions, bonfires and public demon
stratiOns to give them a good time.
They will make their own good time II
they are given the plain, simple condi-
tions that they have in their own homes,
and the collecting of large sums of
money Is therefore wholly unnecessary.