Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-12

ton of Nevada, Mo, was elected COM
mandcr-In-chicr of the Grand Army of
the Republic.
Saratoga, Sept. 12.-ThC first business
session of the 41st annual Cncampment
of the Grand Army of the Republic
took place today. The early hours of
the session were devoted to reading the
annual addresses of Robert b. Brown,
commander-in-chief, and the report of
Joseph O'Neall, adjutant general, and
the other officers. Patriotic lnstruc-
tor Goss urged that steps be taken to
place military instruction in the cur
riculum of the public school. Surgeon
General Johnson recommended the es-
tablishment by the government of hos
pitfalls for insane veterans be FASTENED.
Address by Brown.
In his annual address to the encamp-
ment, Commander-in-chief Brown said
in part:
"ln general orders repeated suggcs-
tions have been made as to recruit
ing. 1t seemed to me entirely feasible
and desirable that our numbers shOuI.
be increased The events OF the past
year have strengthened that cOnvic-
ton. Wherever ii systematic cauva -
was made one fact stood out promi-
nently-that in most localities through
out the country, not OnC-half of those
eligible to membership were enrolled
i'll the Grand Army of the Republic
In many of the departments substau
tial gains were made this year an 4
generally enlarged interest has been
awakened along the whole line Agres
sive efforts Will be richly reward ed
and we can for time at least holJ
our own against the inroads of tho
fell destroyer"
COmmends Appropriation.
General Brown spoke in commandl
ton of congress for appTopriating 81
600 year for flags to be used in mem
orial day decoration of the graves U
union soldiers in national cemeterie
and the passage of the age disabili
pension law. He recommended that the
pension committee of the organization
present to the next congress Il bill i'll
SltdSllS iuC pGlSlOh VI dil "luON
now on the roll at a rate less than 81:
month to that sum. Speaking o
President RoOsevelt's interest in pen
sion matters, General Brown said:
President Roosevelt is the friend o
the veteran soldiers of the republic
Official acts, public declarations AM
assurances in private conferences wal
Al.
utive in the history of the nation ha
held or could hold in higher rega"
the services Of the men who save
this union, and no president has evint
ed stronger desire to adequately re'
ogDize that service and its results tha
Theodore Roosevelt"
Tribute TO W. IL. &.
In a tribute to the Woman's Relic
corps, the speaker said:
"To their unselfish devotion and III
tiring zeal in this holy cause we al
largely indebted for the proud pos
ton we occupy in public esteem.
charge you, my comrades, to ever hol
in loyal regard these tenderly devote
women who have so constantly aide
us by their sympathy prayers and we
directed efforts, in eXemplifying th
lofty principles of the order they hay
so willingly served By all the sacre
memories of the past and the hopes
the future, let us cherish, support ar
defend these, our best friends, the
who wear the maltese cross"
In conclusion General Brown said:
Comrades, if we who wear the fiv
pointed star labor well at whatev,
our hands and hearts find to do in ii
years which remain to us, the futu
historian must write across the il
perishahle scroll: Noble in her coura,
princely in her charity and grandest
all in her tender humanity, the fame
the Grand Army of the Republic h
come down to us in song and stoI
glorified by poet, painter and historic
and encircled by a light which t
world will not willingly let die
Report of Adjutant.
The report of Adjutant General
seph w. O'Neall, which was made pr
lie at the encampment here tod5
shows that the membership of t
Grand Army of the Republic on Ju
so, 1906, was 222.74S. based on retur
from all but eight states, Georg
Idaho. Indian Territory, New Mexi
and North Dakota, from which no