The National tribune., 1906-07-26

that Mrs. Martin and Mrs Allen can
tell at glance exactly where their
helpers are working and how to COM
mand their aid at any hour. The ladies
who are soliciting rooms and accom-
mOdations are all members of the Wo-
mans Relief Corps, and thev are care
fully selecting the accommodations after
inspection and listing them, SO that
when comrade or any member of his
family calls upon the Accommodations
Committee to secure quarters they can be
sure that those quarters will be exactly
as listed. The method is excellent, and
the veterans and guests Of Minneapolis
will owe debt Of gratitude to the Wo-
mans Relief Corps OF this Department
The Commercial Club.
1t Is not generally understood. per-
haps, that 1t is the Commercial Club of
Minneapolis which. is doing" things in
the "Flour City," and to which the vet
Grams and their friends must look for
everything at the coming National En-
campment. This club is an organiza-
ton OF the business and professional
men of Minneapolis, most of them men
OF means, all of them hustlers. 1t is
said that the Grand Army OF the Re-
public was not invited to come here in
celebration Of its 46th Encampment un-
til the Commercial Club Of Minnea polls
In hand and push 1t through. and that
the Department of Minnesota, G. A. r.,
and the Commercial Club are working
In the utmost harmony. This seems to
be perfectly true; but, just the same,
the Commercial Club Is very much in
the attitude, it seems to me, of making
the National Encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic kind of tail to
"a Minneapolis boom balloon. I have
talked with present officers and past
officers of the Grand Army Of the Re-
public, local. Department and Ma
tional, Of Minnesota, and outside OF their
own little knitting stint. what they do
not know about this National Encamp-
ment and how much money is being
raised for it would fill a book--a big
one. Some said they heard that $75,-
OGO was the sum set; that Denver raised
and expended that sum. Others say
that $4,000 is the amount, and still
others say that IF $4,000 is raised,
that will be enough"
$4,000 raised went into a very pretty
boom circular for Minneapolis, dainty
twO-tOned folder, in which there are "a
lines of greeting to the Grand Army,
possibly eight pages concerning the
Grand Army of the Republic and half q
dozen of Its kindred organiZa tions and
Is pages and two maps all about Min
neapOlis and it's pretty features-and it
really has lots Of them. you know. On
another folder of some 16 pages with
map a little more information is i'm
parted, but not much.
I think it must be admitted that one
who has been so fortunate to attend Is
National Encampments and be pretty
much mixed up in most of them must
know little something about how to
provide for the veterans. and 1t looks to
me as though the Commercial Club, in
common parlance, had bitten off more
than 1t could masticate: not exactly
that, either but rather that it does not
realize exactly what 1t means to have
National Encampment of the Grand
Army Of the Republic on it's hands for
q week. 1t must be remembered that
this great patriotic organization of vet
Grams is like no other organization on
1t is not an educational association.
though 1t is essentially educational i'm
all Its features; 1t is not Sunday School
convention. and 1t certainly is not a
Mystic Shriner or Elks picnic party. 1t
is body of home-loying, housekeeping
men long past the meridian Of life
every one OF them men who in their
youth and early manhood gave four of
the best years of their lives in the SER
vice OF their country and the Flag. and
who find their old age saddened by the
accruing sufferings incident to army
life. They come to these National En-
campments for comradeship. They want
to meet and greet the old commanders,
very few OF whom are left. and they
want to march shoulder to shoulder
once again under the tattered old bat
tie flags. and the grand Old Glory each
year renews its youth, yet Is the oldest
Of all National banners.
What the Veterans Should Have.
These veterans are worthy OF the best,
hQ 1,oof hof III
can giye them. They do not care for