The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-30
Commander c. E. Macdonald Delivers
an Interesting Address.
woMAH's CORPS HEARS REPORT.
Receptions and Incidents Of the
Gathering Of Ladies' at the
Department. Session.


campment of the Grand Army of the
Republic began its session here yester-
day. The delegates were welcomed by
/. A. Rosing, who spoke for the COVER
nor. After calling attention to the fact
that party lines were being obliterated
by such governors as La Folletts of
Wisconsin, Cummins of Iowa, Folk OF
Missouri and Johnson of Minnesota, Mr..
Rosing suggested that action be taken
by the encampment looking to the cree
tion of a fitting monument over the last
resting place of Colonel William Colvill,
the Lion of Gettysburg" at Cannon
Falls, now an unmarked grave.
Department Commander Macdonald
responded to the words of welcome of
the representatives of the state and city
and suggested that the encampment
pass fitting resolutions of sympathy for
Governor johnson in his bereavement.
Commander Macdonald read his an
nual report, which called attention tC
the loss of 206 comrades by death, the
good showing made by Minnesota at the
coming of the next national encamp.
ment to "the greatest and most prog
ressive city of the northwest" the hon
or conferred by the election of Silas
Fl. fowler az junior vice commander III.
chief. He suggested that the Minneap,
oils campment of next August would
probably see the last grand parade in
the state of Minnesota.
The report emphasized the import
lance of patriotic instruction in the
public schools, called attention to the
loss of funds in the defunct Faribault
bank, generating Quartermaster Gen,
eral Z. n. Leavens from any blame in
the matter, and recommending that half
the loss, if not all of it, be assumed by
the encampment. The commander ree'
commended that the books of the A. A
G. should show the status of the fund.-
of the department in the hands of the
A. Q. NJ. G.
The Soldiers Home was made the
theme of complimentary chapter, and
the Women's Relief corps had vOlun-
teered to furnish the buildings at tn,
home erected for the occupancy of the
wives, widows and mothers of the vet
Grams. The Ladies of the G.. A. r. and
the Sons of Veterans were also earnest
ly commended.
The beneficial results to be derived
from holding the encampment in May
March. were alluded to and the assistant
adutant general, assistant quartermas
ter general and other members of the
staff were warmly thanked for faithful
services. slf -
Addresses by the national president
of the Woman's Relief Corps, Mrs. Alb
bic Adams, of Superior, Neb.; Mrs. Mar.
E. Plymat, the president of the Mime
sofa Woman's Relief Corps; Mrs. Glars
Luckins, president of the South Dako
ia Relief Corps of Mitchell, S. D.; Mrs
Ell Torrance, Minneapolis; Mrs. c. i
Macdonald, st. Cloud; Mrs. Cora Fritz
and Mrs. Belle Fritz, and other womei
of the corps, were part of the proceed
ings of the opening meeting OF the
twenty second annual convention of the
Minnesota Woman's Relief Corps in the
First Unitarian church.
Over four hundred delegates, repre-
sentative body of the $500 members o.
the state department, were in attend
ance.
At the afternoons session, Mrs. Mary
Thelen, the treasurer, and Mrs. Cora
Fritz, the secretary, gave their annual
reports, which showed that the Mime
sofa department has been progressing
on broad and extensive lines during the
year. Mrs. Thelen reported that the to
tai receipts of the year were $2,7S702
and that the disbursements were 81,
62454, also that over $1,000 has beef
raised for furnishing the women's build
ing at the Soldiers Home, plan on
which the women of the Relief Corps
have been working, exclusively. Eacf
post out of the 100 will furnish one
room at cost of at least $50, and the
rooms will have the name and place O.
residence of the post making such con-
tribution.
Mrs. Cora Fritz, the secretary, in hei
report stated that the total income OF
the order was $4,259; that for relitf
work $2,l6s.7s was expended in cash;
$6,557.ss is the estimated value of re