The National tribune., 1907-01-10
SARATOGA FOR 1907.

ly decide upoE Saratoga as the place
for holding th 41st National Encamp-
ment. In the first place. the citizens of
Saratoga hayss fhoroly walked up to the
magnitude and importance of the great
gathering and are putting forth un-
usual efforts Is provide suitable enter
tainment for iEs Never in the history of
the Order hasathere been so complete a
canvassing pf That was involved in this
entertainmenF and such strong inn
preston made upon the people of a
place as to what was expected of them
in caring for so great a crowd. Not
only is this true of the city of Saratoga
itself. but all of the railroads have had
similar arousing. and they find them
selves brought into severe competition
and comparison with the railroad sys-
TENS Of other cities. The Delaware &
Hudson and the Boston & Maine sys-
TENS have been put upon their mettle
to demonstrate that they can do as we'll
as the Pennsylvania and other great
corporations The New York Central
has also been drawn into the contest
tunity. We can rest assured that all of
these people and railroads will do their
very utmost to exhibit to the country
their capacity and willingness to handle
large gatherings in the most satisfac-
tory way. The drift of travel has been
and Saratoga and the railroads feel it
very necessary to do something strik-
ing to recover their lost prestige. They
frankly admitted this at the meeting of
the Nationai Council of Administration,
and said they were going to do some
thing quite unusual. and they felt that
the best thing was to send every one
who came to the Encampment back
home entirely satisfied with his enter
tainment and treatment. This IS the
most hopeful of indications.
Secondly. The Encampment should go
to Saratoga because the National En-
campment by most decisive vote ex-
prest it's desire to go thitler. For some
years now the National Encar,pments
have been held in the West, and the
Eastern comrades have attended these
at great expense to themselves. 1t is
but common fairness that the Western
comrades should now come East II
goes even beyond this. One great OBJ
ject in holding the National Encamp-
ments at different places in the country
is to allow the comrades, who have
become widely separated, an opportun-
ity to reunite. Nearly half of the Union
Army came from the States east of the
Allegheny Mountains. A large proper
ton of the survivors still reside there,
while still another large proportion Went
tied. Those who migrated westward
desire to come back to their old homes
in New England, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey and Maryland. find
their old comrades and surviving rela-
tives and give their wives and children
another opportunity to see the spots on
which they had their birth and educa-
ton. Saratoga is one of the most
central and convenient points foI
this purpose that could be selected
1t is singularly easy of access to
all of New England and to every part
of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jer.
sey and Maryland. Western comrades
who want to make a visit to the Fast
with their wives and children cannot be
accommodated by any point better than
Saratoga.
Thirdly. The great Department ot
New York has become deeply interest
ed in, holding the National Ehcamp.
ment at Saratoga, and that comfy anG
good faith which should exist in it:
perfection among comrades is involved
in it. The great Department OF New
York with its s12 Posts and 21,47I
members in good standing is the largest
| body of comrades in the Grand Army
of the Republic. They have not had g
National Encampment within the De,
partment for several years, and it /:
| time that 1t should come around t:
them. They have become deeply in
terested in the gathering there and it!
| proper entertainment, and to take the
Encampment away from them and give
| it to any other Department which ha:
not solicited it would be a slap in the
| face which would naturally incense
every member of the Department ant
make sores that would be a long ,in.t
| in healing. After the sufficient pre-
sentation of the railroads and Saratoga
of their capacity and eagerness 10 en-
| tertain the National Encamplnent i
| would require a great deal of explana
tion to satisfy the comrades of New
York that it was proper to take th'
National Encampment away from them
1t is doubtful if this could be done
This would be especially the case IL the
| Encampment We're taken to some De
partment which has not been an appli
cant for it. No other Department ha
| been expecting the National Encamp
ment, the members are wholly unread,
| for it, and it would require a vas
amount of work TO arouse them to tn,
condition Of anticipation and readiness
which now pervades the Department o
New York, -
| We doInots feel the slightest doub
that the Committee which Win go t,
Saratoga to personally examine the con
ditions there will become entirely salts
fed of the wisdom and justice of con
lfirming the National Encam pElen:s yot,