The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-22
PATRIOTIC SONS
COME THIS WEEK
National Convention of Order to
Begin in Richmond With
Big Attendance.
MANY ARE COMING TODAY
Question of Purchase Of Birth
place Of Lee Will Be Dis
cusscd.

Foremost among the notable conven-
tons to assemble in Richmond in tile
next ten days is the National Associa-
ton OF the Patriotic Order OF Sons OF
America. The State meeting OF this
body was held in Hichmond early Il,
September, the SESSIONS Mt Smith
deal Hall being largely attended by
The gathering this week is Of the ma
tional association, and It Is expected
that there will be representatives pres.
net from nearly every State In the
Union. Seven or eight hundred dele
gates will be enrolled Officially, and a
number will be accompan led by ladies'.
The executive committee. which has
had charge of the local arrangements.
announced last night that the total
attendance. including visitors, would
not be less than a thousand people.
Coming To-day.
The headquarters and Offices OF the
secretaries Will be at the Jefferson
Hotel, while the business sessions will
be held in Bclvidere Hall. at Belvidere
and Main Streets, three blocks west of
the hotel.
The convention will be called to
order on Tuesday, September 24th, and
the first business taken up Will be
the nomination of officers for the ma
tional association. The nominations
VIII be acted on the following day.
It is expected that the business ses-
sions will last for two days. Tuesday
and Wednesday. the convention sitting
in executive session during the con-
sideration Of all business matters.
Winfield Scott Commandery, No. 3.
Of philadelphia, the largest uniformed
comrnandery, will arrive in Richmond
this afternoon about one hundred
strong. and march to the Jefferson
Hotel. where they VIII make theif
headquarters.
This party will travel in special cars.
and one of the features of their visit
to Richmond will be a special session
on Tuesday night, when the Philadel-
Iphiaus will initiate a special class OF
new members from Richmond and VI
entity. more than hundred young men
having applied for membership IN the
organization recently.
Patriotic Order.
The Patriotic Order of Sons of Amer
lea. now In the sixty-frst year of its
history, Is one OF the most famous
patriotic organizations of the country.
It's national association meets once In
two years, and never before this year
has the orga nization held general
meeting south of Washington city. The
local committee of arran gements ask
that as far as possible during this
week merchants of the city show Amer
lean flags 1t Is suggested that much
of the bunting to be used iT decora-
tons during the State Fair and Horse
CT j. n
this famous patriotic organization.
If possible the business of the ma
itfonal assocIa ton will be concluded on
Wednesday night. and THURSDAY Will
be spent by the visitors in sightseeing
in Richmond and vicinity. the mem-
bers having expressed much interest In
visit to Richmond. and insisted that
sightseeing here be made dehnite
part of the program
On Friday morning the whole party
will proceed by steamers down the
James River, stopping to make visit
at Jamestown Island of several hours,
and proceeding on to the Jamestown
Exposition, where the members Will
spend several days in sightseeing, and
the party will break up there.
Purchase OF Stanford.
The total membership in the national
organization represented by delegates
In Richmond is between one hundred
and eighty and two hundred thousand.
There are at present forty-eight en-
campments in Virginia, with a mem
bership Of about three thousand.
one of the most interesting projects
before the Patriotic Sons is the propo-
sition to purchase "Stratford," the
birthplace of General Robert u. Lee,
and preserve it as q memorial of the
famous Vlrginian. Tho project was
highly Endorsed by the Virginia en-
campment some weeks since, and en-
recommended to the
national organization. Widespread In
terest, both in the North and West, has
been expressed in the proposition, and
1t seems quite likely that favorable
action will be taken.