The National tribune., 1907-09-12

O&NC. w WAO111ANu4OANs Os S'S = A
try. To our sons we makefacknOwledg-
ment of earnest appreciation Of heir
work and bid them God-spetrl IL their
labors in behalf of the Highest ideals
# American life.
Finances and the future.
hesitate at entering field irawhich,
at the best, ;,ntagonisms may b" pro-
yoked and a fi-,in of speculative DIS
cussion inaugurated in which motive
NAV be a factor. After much reflection
a duty not to be easily put aside
prompts. shall / say, this note ofswarn-
ing At the 40th National iEncampment
the Adiutant-General in his admirable
report said: "The experience fDf the
past year convinces me that the re-
ceipts from the per capitai tax are not
sufficient for the proper conductor the
affairs of the Grand Army of the 'sn-
public Our National per
capita tax of three and half cents
per year from each comrade Is pitiiuiiy
small In my opinion it should be IN
creased to five cents year, when
would increase our revenue about Vs.
500 yearly"
The committee to which the report
of the Adjutant- General was referred
submitted this:
Your committee dislike exceedingly
being compelled to suggest any increase
in the present per capita tax, aitho IL
is now only three and half cents per
annum. but we know of no other way
| of securing the income shown to be
necessary The other sources of in
come Ga charge for commissions. re-
ducing the number of Journals ana the
sale of the journaD will. we believe
| produce an increase of $3.50, leaving
| cn q
An increase of one-half cent MEM
ber will produce s1.175. We recon-
mend that the per capita tax be in
creased from three and half cents 10
| four cents per annum. Ill
This report submitted the afternoon
of the first day of the session went over
owing to a special order for election
and came up early in the morning OF
the second day. The journal gives one
page of discussion, all of it the speech
of a comrade, than whom none is bet
| ter known, and he used these plain
words:
Il was never more surprised in a
convention than yesterday, when
heard the report of this committee
because of the various important
changes proposed to be made. AS
understand. they are changes thai
strike at the very Vitality and life OF
| the organization, ignoring its history
and starting it in a new and entirely
| distinct way at an increased cost tt
| the Government of the United states
! 1t was such a departure from the line:
we have followed for 40 years that i
struck me with surprise and l wanted
to know, and | ask now, why thi:
| change? Is it because we are unable
| to manage the affairs of this Encamp
ment? If so, let us go back to the
boys and tell them so, and let then
send a new Encampment here. Is /
| because we do not understand the diff
ference between income and outgo? We
| had better learn ii. The business MAI
learns it very quickly. When he ex
ceeds his income by his expenditure.
| he gets where he belongs by reducing
| his expenses"
After discussing the proposition t.
incorporate the National organization
| so as to secure certain printing at the
expense of the General Government, the
speaker closed with these words:
| Now, / repeat, before we proceed
to adopt this report, let us know wha
| it means"
The succeeding two lines in our Off
cial Journal records this fact
/ 1.-The report was referred to the in
coming Council Of Administration, will
| instructions to report at the next En-
| campment."
| And there the consideration of thi
| important problem ended for that time
Not word was offered in support o
the proposition to increase the per cap
! ita tax-not word as To the necessity
| The Commander-in-Chie was al
interested listener. Forcefully the ring
| ing suggestion. rs it because we d.
! not understand the difference betweeI
income and outgo," bore in on my soul
/ assumed my duties, realizing tina
the first command from my superior
was comprised in the words, Live with
in the income" 1t has not been ;
! difficult duty for in no way were th
habits of an ordinary life changed. 81
4 / come to my superiors to-day to rem
der a report upon the financial opera
tions during nearly 13 months. TIL,
! reports are before you, and l invite th'
most careful study of them, item b.
i item.
Shall the per capita tax be increased
or shall we live within the income pro
vided under our law, and which, gen
orally speaking, has been ample for ou
needs.
! These two propositions come square
" to this Encampment, and the issu
thus raised should be determined wit
the one thought in mind, the highes
and best interests of the organization a
: a whole. With decreasing revenue ther
. must be a leSsening of expenses in ad
, esteemed folly in the business worl
: to curtail the outgo, if by enlarged in
vestment, greater returns are reason
ably to be expected. But this grea
order is being slowly weakened in tn
natural order, and from this ineXorabl
fate there is no possible escape. Som
day, not so far distant as we rncasur
the flight of time, the records will b
closed, the march ended, the banner
l furled and our place in the economy 6
{ this Nation be only a memory--a mem
= ory to endure. let Us hope. as long a
e the Republic shall endure, IAN eve
Y living influence for good"
1 Expenses can be reduced, and unde
: conditions as they now exist the reve
2 nue. can be increased somewhat withoI
f imposing added burdens upon the mem
0 bership at large. l need not go int
details. The reports of the Adjutant
: General and Quartermaster-Gcner
: point the way, and the figures tell tn
e story.
= Permanent Invested Fund.
The Grand Army of the Republic n
passed out of the fourth into the fift
Il decade of its life. They have been,
all that goes to true uplift, fruitfl
:, years The 50th milestone lies not
u far ahead. Shall we reach the Goth
II submit that as prudent men, az
= ana inrn1 with the ilI- of this life I,