Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-18
MEMBERSHIP
INCREASING
NOTWITHSTANDING lNRoADs BY
DEATH MORE BELONG TO
G. A. r. NOW
FIGURES IN REPORTS
Commander in Chief Tanner Delivers
Address-Touches Subjects of In
terest to veterans-Protests Against
Monument at Andersonville.

Minneapolis, Mimi, Aug. 16.-The
total membership of the Grand Army
of the Republic is declared in the re"
port of Adjutant General Tweedale 10
be 235S23, an increase of 1858 during
the last six months. The losses by
death for the year ended December 81
last. were 9,2O5, or $50 per cent OF the
total membership exactly the same
percentage as of the preceding year.
A suggestion is made that the organ
ization be incorporated with a proV1.
sion requiring that annual reports OF
the organization be submitted to con-
gress.
Receipts from the per capita tax I'M
posed on the members OF the organlza-
ton are declared to be insufficient lot
the proper conduct Of its affairs. The
suggestion is made that the tax be IN
creased from 31a cents to 5 cents per
annum
Homes FIourIshlng.
The report of Inspector General M.
J. Cummings largely made up or state
ments from the assistant Inspector
generals throughout the country, all
Of whom asserted the various soldiers,
homes in their respective states to be
in flourishing condition.
Judge Advocate General Clark sub
mitted synopsis of decisions pre-
pared by him during the last year. Ac-
cording to the report of Quartermaster
General Frank Battles, the total re-
ceipts during the year were S20,472.
the total expenditure, $1S,115, leaving
a balance in the treasury OF 1857.
Tanners Address.
Commander in Chief Tanner deliv-
cred the annual commanders address,
treating the numerous subjects Of In
terest to the veterans.
\ Notwithstanding the fearful inroads
Of death the comrades of the Grand
Army Of the Republic, Mr. Tanner de-
clared, the organization today is $500
stronger than at the encampment In
Denver last year
. He>said the G. A. r. has attained
position Of commanding influence,
: which has been beneficial not only to
our own comrades but to the nation
which we served in it's hour of peril"
The commander in chief bitterly ar
raigned those who, posing as the
most eminent men of the nation, "
had proven false to their trust in vari-
GUS ways. but declared that among all
such the name of no civil war veteran
could be found. On this subject he
said:
Repeatedly in the past year on vari-
Gus public occasions I have def1antly
and perhaps arrogantly, called atten.
ton to the fact that while the public
conscience has been shocked and out
ragged by the exposure Of moral tur
pitude on the part of many of those
who stood among the so-called most
eminent men of the nation, eminent in
financial and religious circles, trusted
guardians of the interests of widows
+ and orphans, for whom loved ones deac
and gone had thought they had made
careful safeguard to cover the neces
stiles for comfort through all their ma
tural lives. men who in church circles
T stood on the very steps Of the affairs
: trusted cupbearers of the cause O.
:, Christ. yet who when their real char
y acters were exposed we're exhibited il
e such poverty Of soul and honor as com
r pared to them, Lazarus in his loves
: state might justly be considered {
: multi-millionaire and in all the list
0 search it from top to bottom. the name
e of not one veteran of the civil war cal
. . me found.
> The principles the Grand Army O
IS the Republic stands for, he declared
il are vital. He said it is strange tina
n any living man who ever wore the blu,
is not member of the organization
~ J~1~,
fortieth anniversary by the bringin,
Il in of new members.
i Graves of confederates.
le The commander in chief reiterate
lie his views expressed in general order
IS regarding proper observance Of Me
g mortal day, and said that as the resul
~ Of his recommendations concernin
- the graves of confederates buried o
- northern soil. he had received a nun
" Der of touching messages from mott
lie ers of the south whose sons are burie
IN in northern soil, pouring out their al
ID probation of the spirit embodied
IN his order. These, he said were to
u tender and sacred to be heralded pull
20 licly. but if he had received but on
such communication he would hav
felt amply justified for the recomme1
s. dations he made.
Reference also was made to his re
~ ommendation that the Sunday prece,
h. ing Memorial day be fully observed G
" Memorial Sunday in order that th
lie growing custom in many places of r
t. garding Memorial day as mere hol
O. day for games and amusements, ma
be checked
ee No Monument For Wirz.
n The proposed monument to CAP
-, Wirz, who was in charge of Anderso
ho vile prison, was strongly condemne
= He said Andersonville was the pro
ny erty of the Woman's Relief Corps ar
s. that no monument to Wirz ever won
be permitted upon it, but there W;
VS. No laoaI nowar RI nrevent anvone