Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-12
c. A. R. At SARATOGA
First Business Session of En-
campment Today.
REPORTS OF THE OFFICERS
COMMANDMENT. Chief Browns Annual
Address.
WOMEN's RELIEF CORPS TRIBUTE
Report of Adjutant General O'Neal
Submitted to the Convention-Some
Interesting Statistics.

SARATOGA. N Y. September l2-The
first business session of the forty-tirs an
nCal encampment of the Grand Army of the
Republic took place today. The early hours
o: the session We're devoted to the annual
address and reports of Robert & Brown
ccmmander-in-chief. Joseph w. ONeal ad-
jutant general: William II. Armstrong Sc
Nor vice commander-n-chief; DR.. W. II.
Johnson. surgeon general: Warren Lee
Goss. patriot instructor. and other officers.
Commander-in-C Chief Browns Address.
In his annual address to the encampm mt
Commander-in- Chief Brown said in part:
We are assembled in this. the forty-firs
national encampment. in one of the historic
cities of the Empire state. On this soil
were fought some of the great battles of
the revolution, and the heroism of the
patriots of the days long agone Is empha-
sized in the silent shafts which mark the
bloody fields where brave men dared and
died to win independence for the new
land and to found a new republic dedicated
to the largest measure of civil liberty. In
a large sense our service as soldiers and
sailors Is linked to that of tn Sc men. for
to came problems to them unSolvabe.
Not far away our loved chieftain fought
his last battle in this life. and from the
mists Of Mount McGregor a great soul went
back to God who gave to mankind the
mightiest solder of the ages. He was our
comrade and proudly wore our badge-a
distinction he priced to the end of his
fruitful career. Today in loving remem-
brance we wear on our breasts as a me-
mortal the reproduction of the features OF
l.. S. Grant in enduring bronZe treasur-
ing in our hearts anew. the tender signih-
canoe of his last words of counsel to his
countrymen. Let us have peace
Recruiting Recommended.
''In general orders repeat suggestions
were made as to recruiting It seemed to
me entirely feasible and desirable that our
numbers should be Increased. The events
of the past year have strengthened that
conviction. Wherever a systematic canvass
was made one fact stood out prominently
that In most localities throughout the coun-
try not one-half Of those eligible to men,
bership were enrolled in the Grand Army
of the Republic. In many of the depart
ments substantial gains were made this
year and generally enlarged interest has
been awakened along the whole Inc. Ag
gressive efforts will be richly rewarded.
and We can for a time at least hold our
own against the inrOads of the fell de-
Stroyer."
Gen. Brown spoke in commentator of
Congress for appropriating 5000 a year
for flags to be used in Memorial day dec
Grafton Of the graves of Union soldiers in
national cemeteries and the passage of the
age disability pension law. He recommend
ganizatton present to the next Congress a
bill increasing the pension of all widows
now on the roll at a rate less than s12 a
month to that sum. Speaking of President
RoOseve!tS interest In pension matters
Gen. Brown said
president Roosevelt is the friend of the
veteran soldiers and sailors of the republic
Official acts public declarations and assur-
anceS In private conferences warrant the
statement that no chief executive in the
history of the nation has held or could hold
in higher regard the services of the men
who saved this Union, and no President has
evinced stronger de- -'e to adequately rec
ognize that service and its results than
Theodore Roosevelt"
Tribute to the Women.
In tribute to the Woman's Relief Corps
the speaker said:
ITO their unselfsh devotion and untirins
zeal in this holy cause we are largely in
debted for the proud position we occupy in
public esteem. 1 charge you. my comrades.
to ever hold In loyal regard these tenderly
devoted women who have SO constantly
aided US by their sympathy, prayers and
well-directei efforts In exemplifying the
lofty principles of the order they have so
willingly served. BY all the sacred memo
rieS of the past and the hopes of the fu-
ture let US cherish support and defend
these. best friendS-they who wear the
maltese cross"
In conclusion Gen. Brown said:
comrades, If We who wear the five
pointed star labor well at whatever our
hands and hearts find to do in the years
which remain to US the future historian
must write across the imperiShabIe scroll:
Noble In her courage, princely in her char
ity and grandest of all in her tender hu-
manity, the fame of the Grand Army OF.
the Republic has come down to US In song
and story. gloriiied by poet. painter and
historian. and encircled by a light which
the world will not willingly let die"
Adjutant Generals Report.
The report of Adjt: Gen. Joseph w.
ONeall of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie. which was made public at the encamp-
ment here today. shows that the member
ship of the Grand Army of the Republic
on June 80. 1906. was ODD 74S based on re-
turns from all but eight states-Georgia,
Idaho, Indian Territory. New Mexico and
North DakOta-from which no returns have
been received. ---.----
The high water mark of members in the
army was reached in 1890 when 400 4S9
were enrolled. Since that time death has
rapidly depleted the ranks of the aged
veterans. and Gen. ONealrs report shows
that 9O52 members died In the last twelve
months The report shows that 6, JOG old
soldiers Joined the G. A. R. during the
year. The total number of posts in the
army is now 1916. Gen. O'Neall reports
that S.tb.ol4 mas been expended for relief
during the year.
Gen. ONeall strongly recommends that
the G. A. r. establish permanent head
quarters instead of changing its home office
each year as is now the practice. Gen.
ONeall in his report says:
Favors Permanent Headquarters
I'm my humble judgment. the time has
come, and now Is, when permanent head
quarters should be established. / can see no
reason why our headquarters should, from
year to year be carted around over the coun-
try, mourning freight bills and damaging
what little furniture have. and without
any compensating results. l know of no
other society or organization that constant
ly changes its home office. and l can think
of no good reason why we should. Another
great mistake is the annual change of the
adjutant general l care not how compe-
tent nor how wide the acquaintance of the
appolntee. he comes into the office wholly
unacquainted with conditions. He must
bs come acquainted with his correspondents
the heads of the departments. and learn
what to expect and from whom to expect
1t This requires time, and by the time he
learns these things he must go out of Of
flce and some other comrade take up the
work de novo. The Grand Army of the Re-