The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-11
Growth Of Veteran Camps
 .Shoyn by Adjutant General

Birmingham, June 10--(Special.) )--- Adjutant General ". B. Mickle. of New Orleans, submitted his report today to the United Confederate Veterans.
 The report of the Adjutant General was as follows:
 Headquarters United Confederate Veterans.
 New Orleans. La. May 27. 1908. General stephen D. Lee.
 General commanding United con-
 federate Veterans. Columbus. Miss. |: '.oeneral--
 T beg to present for your consideration a brief summary of matters connected with my office for the past twelve months,
 T have been predicting annually for the past five years that the income from the Camps would show great falling off: but have been much gratified to find year after year that my pediction remained un- fulfilled. I regret that now am forced to chronicle a decrease for the past year. for 1906 were s4.7ss.35. while for the year 1907 they were $4.48s.05. difference of SPAS. 30. This is not larKe amount. and I am satisfied that had 1t not been for the financial trouble which swept over the whole country in the latter part of 1907 this decrease in receipts would have been materially lessened. if not wholly wiped out. During the months of November and Decern- Der. there was practically no money at all received from the Camps-
 'Unfavorable comment was made on my report of last year that many Camps had forfeited their charters and severed their connection with this glorious Federation. and 1t was stated with much satisfaction bv some having no love for the Order that this state of affairs plainly showed fall ing-off in the affections of the old soldiers for the cause. Such an opinion of the constancy and devotion on the part of the Confederate soldiers for the principles Tor
 .tohf an U0lIanttV | GnntFaFR to all reason.
 ore any one of candid mind will give only a moments consideration to the mat ter he must see that diminution in the number of Camps well as reduction in the rnembershtp must be noted each year. as thare can. by no possibility, be any recruits. and that in the near future. there VIII not be A single Camp in existence. nor single survivor of the Confederate armies. The ola men are rapidly dying out or moving 70 other sections of the country often 10 where there are no Confederates, and the once prosperous Camp dies because there are no members left to keep It alive.
 q am proud to say that many Camps keep up their organization in the lace ot most discouraging surroundings. one camp way off in the northern section of the Union. sends each year its thirty cents. wth the most cheerful letter. saying that there are but three members left. but that they will hold together and live over the days
  over the River to rest under the shade or the trees. No. sir: the spirit of the sixties lives in the hearts of these old men ana the fires of patriotism burn as they dld when they were young soldiers in the ar mics of the Confedsracy. wearing them selves out in gaining victories over forces double and triple them in numbers well fed and clothed. and far better armed. To in- sinuate that any other feeling rules in the breasts of these old soldiers is a islander that cannot be too emphatically denied. Never in the history of our order has such a percentage of the Camps paid their dues. paid them more promptly or with more cheerfulness.
 ''Then, too. new Camps are stiil applying to be admitted into this great benevolent organization, placing themselves in line with their old comrades in arms. that they may do what they can to ada peace and comfort to the declining years of those of their fellows In need. or their famialies. Charters have been issued during the past year to twenty-two new Camps, distrib- uted as follows: Georgia. 6; Alabama. 8; Virginia 3: Florida. q; South Carolina. g.: North Carolina 9; Texas. l; West Virginia.