The National tribune., 1907-08-29
The SONS OF VETERANS.
THE 26th NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT AT DAYTON OHIO.
Highly Satisfactory MISUNDERSTANDING Progress OF the Order
Membership About 5O000-The Military Branch-Dr Ralph
Sheldon Elected of the Ladies
Auxiliary.

5000 of the Unions defenders. 1t is of
interest to note also that a trip was
made to the works of the National Cash
Register Company, universally recog-
nized as the most complete manutac-
turing plant in the world. In this con-
necton it is proper to state that the
entertainment provided and the hos
pltal!ty shown by the good people of
Dayton WAS unsurpassed. The city was
beautifully decorated, and the homes
and hearts of the citizens were thrown
open TO the guests. The work of the
Executive Committee in charge of all
of the arrangements was especially ef-
fective, as shown by the satisfactory
results.
The Memorial UEiversity.
At one of the sessions of the En-
campment Il report was made by Rev.
w. ]. Patton, President of the Memo
rial University, located at Mason City.
Iowa, covering the years work at the
college This institution was founded
and is supported by the Order of Sons
of Veterans. and was dedicated to the
patriotic men and women of war times.
The report of President Patton shows
the institution TO be in fiourishing
condition. with bright promise for the
future. The college has modern, COM
modious buildings, with attractive and
expansive grounds. It's financial con-
dition is very satisfactory, and the at
tendance isl growing rapidly each sue
ceeding year.
Among other things, DIR. Patton, in
his report, says: THE million year
of immigrants coming to our land must
be assimilated and instructed i'll pa
| triotism. The child of the immigrant
must be early taught to reverence the
Old Flag, to observe the Nations great
days and obey its laws become familiar
IL. 1t ,ll- Hn
names of the Nations heroes as IA
miliar household words as are the
saints of the calendar to the devout
relisionist. In all this broad land OF
| promise, who so well qualified, who
should be more aroused to the need,
who more willing to consecrate their
powers now and for life to this great
work than those in whose veins flows
the blue blood of a martialed nobility
purer in patriotism than the bluest
blood of ancient aristocracy of the Old
| World, whose nobility is not one OF
deeds and character, but is based on
the long ago exploded dogma of the
divine right of Kings? Our fathers are
laying down their tasks quite unfinish-
ed. The great temple of American
liberty is not yet complete; much re-
mains to be done. Shall we take up
the tasks of the Nation as their trem-
bling hands release their grasp, and at
the close of our generation shall it be
said of us, as Commander Tanner
proudly boasted of his comrades, shall
we meet the armies of the aliens COM
ing to our shore, all too many of them
with weapons as destructive of the Ma
tion's life as were those carried by the
rebels As years ago? Shall we meet
them in the spirit with which our faith
ers met the rebels, tho with the imple-
ments of peace and the ammunition OF
sterling patriotism ~
One of the important acts of the En-
campment was the appropriation of ST.
600 for the support of Memorial Uni
lVersity.
Harmonious Encampment.
The proceedings of the entire En-
lcampment were characterized by earn
estness and harmony of action. All Of
the National officers were in their places
at each session, as were the Delegates.
The roster of officers follows:
Commander-in-Chief, Edwin NJ.
Amies, Altoona, Pa.
Senior Vice Commander-in-Ch F.
T. +. Johnson. Washington, d. c.
Council-in-Chief, DR.. Ralph Sheldon,
Albany, n. Y; Thomas ]. Harmon, Bos-
| ton, Mass, and Thomas w. Blair, Fort
Wayne, Ind.
| National Secretary, H. H. Hammer,
Reading. Pa
National Treasurer. J. L. Rake,
Reading, Pa.
National Counsellor. William T.
Church. Chicago, Ill.
| Chief of Staff. r. NJ. J. Reed, Phila-
delphia. Pa.
National Patriotic Instructor, Rev. w.
J. Patton, Mason City, Iowa.
National Inspector, George E. Fox,
Hartford, Conn.
National Chaplain, Rev. ]. G. Van
Ness Mount Vernon. Iowa.
Greetings From the G. A. II.
Because of illness, Gen. Brown, Com
mander-in-Chief of the Grand Army,
was unable to be present However. he
sent a message of greeting by Judge
| iO'Neall, his Acknowledgement. Judge
iO'Nealrs address was listened to with
great attention. and at its conclusion
three rousing cheers were given for the
, Grand Army of the Republic In the
!course of his remarks Judge O'Neall
said: Il come not to speak to YOU for
myself. but to convey to you the greet
ings and deep regrets of Gea. Brown,
our Chief. VINO is de-
! tanned at his home because of illness.
The Sons OF Veterans have a proud her
itage Your fathers went forth and
shed their blood unflinchingly, unfal-
Iteringiy. for the grand Old Flag. They
heroically stood I'm the forefront of the
/ battle, and rolled DdcE the 0ncOmlng
billows of rebellion. II was a great ac-
compiishment. History will never re-
peat itself in this regard, probably. II
was the greatest war since the world
began. AT the close of the Revolution
airy War. and at the time of the adop-
ton of the Constitution, a compromise
was made. Slavery and the right of a
State to secede were granted, and here
our trouble began: but at the end of
! four years your fathers settled both
questions and settled them right. They
shot to death both doctrines, and es-
tablished the fact that this country was
a Nation with big n. At the end OF
four years they brought back the Old
Flag with every star in place and a
thousand times more effulgent The G
A. r. stands for one flag and one coun-
try. We have no use for the red flag
of communism or the black flag of con-
spiracy. Your fathers feel that they
can safely trust this flag in your hands,
and we know it will be safe. You will
rally TO its defense if 1t is ever neces-
sary.
I'm the name of the @. A. r. / bid you
glad tidings and wish you Godspeed."
The Commnndsr-ia-Chfef' Response.
Responding to the greetings of Gen
IO'Neall. Commander-in-Ch Chief Amies
said: THE fundamental principle OF
; our Order is patriotism. Upon that i,
. .1z,.~