The Washington times., 1906-08-16

work IA the year just closing the best
there was in me.
In some respects tho report IS more
favorable than 1 had first dared hope
IL could be-. In view Of the fearful. in
road death Is making upon the ranks
Of our membership. 7 had considered
it almost inevitable that on this
occasion / would be compelled % report
TO you q very considerable net loss;
on the contrary, I am happy in being
able 10 stand here and state 10 you
that. by reason Of the Jealous interest
taken IN our order by many comrades,
we have been able 10 more than onset
the losses incurred through death and
other causes. and our order stands to-
day $500 stronger IN number than 1t
did AT Denver
The character OF the Grand Army
never stood higher than It does at the
present moment
Repeatedly during the past year on
various public occasions have defiant
~, ana perhaps arrogantly. called at
ienuOn 10 the fact that while the pub
lie conscience has been shocked and
outraged by the exposure OF moral Iur-
pitude on the part OF many of those
eminent men OF the nation, in all the
list, search IL from top 90 bottom, the
name OF not one veteran of the civil
war can be found
Anniversary Of the Organization.
The fOrtieth anniversary Of the found
ing our our association occurs this year.
We do well 10 be proud OF the Grand
Army. an organization Of soldier-citl-
zens. citizens who learned their duty
I'm the crucible OF war, and. knowing.
sa.4 4
10 them by the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. Strange. IS It not. that any
living man who wore the blue then IS
not with us now? That thought d0mi-
mates the order I issued last Anril
asking YOU 10 celebrate our anniversary
and 10 bring in new members.
Observance Of Memorial Day.
Each year the Soth OF May is more
and more observed as a Memorial Day
for the dead The Grand Army OF the
Republic stands pre-emineRt IN its OBJ
servance OF the day. but year by year
the custom has grown. until it en-
braces the length and breadth OF the
land. and the day is now a sacred one
for multitudes Of all nationalities IN
all walks Of life.
Thus this custom. beautiful In IT'S In
ception, has been instrumental in weav-
ing and blending the people of this
country, Obhterating their differences.
When IL became my duty to issue tho
order for Memorial Day, ] told my
comrades of an incident that happened
thirty years ago, and said that / trusted
when we went out TO laurel the graves
of our Union dead our common Ameri-
can manhood would prevent US pass
ing by the graves OF our former op-
pOnents without dropping thereon some
floral remembrance.
Quite a number Of touching, even
loving, messages have come 20 me from
mothers OF the South whose sons are
buried on Northern soil. pouring out
their appreciation Of the spirit en-
bodied in my Memorial Day order rec
regarding the graves OF
those Confeosrates buried on Northern
soil
Nations First Flag Day.
This year witnessed the first observ-
ance Of Flag Day, following the official
recognition by the thirty-ninth national
encampment OF the 18th OF June as the
day to be observed by all members OF
the Grand Army OF the Republic in the
display OF the United States flag 10
its birthday IN 17U.
In the Capital Of the nation. as else
where, there was a very general OBJ