The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-06-11

and James r. Randall, the author OF
Maryland, Ny Maryland"
Referring to the falling on in the
income from the camps, General
sMickle says:
Il have been predicting annually
for the past five years that the in
come from the camps would show a
great falling of; but / have been
much gratified to find year ~fter
year that my prediction remained un-
fulfilled. / regret that j now am
forced to chronicle a decrease for
the past year.
The receipts from per capita of
camps for 1906 were $4,736.35, while
for the year 1907 they were $4,4SS.05,
a difference OF $24S.30. This is not
a large amount, and / am satisfied
that had it not been for the hnaNclal
trouble which swept over the whole
country in the latter part of 1897,
this decrease in receipts would have
been materially lessened, if not
wholly wiped out. During the
months of November and December
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
anu ScFcIcu COuAcCllOA Will
this glorious federation, and it was
stated with much satisfaction by 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 devo-
ton on the part of the Confederate
soldiers for the principles for which
they fought SO CALAMITY is contrary
to all reason. If any one of candid
mind will give only moments CEN
sideration to the matter, he must see
that a diminUtion in the number or
camps, as well as a reduction in the
membership must be noted each
year, as there can, by no possibility,
be any recruits, and at in the near
future there will not be a single
camp in existence, nor a single sur
vivor of the Confederate armies. The
old men are rapidly dying out or
moving to other sections of the
country, often to where there are no
Confederates, and the once prosper
Gus camp dies because there are no
members left to keep it alive.
81 am proud to say that many
camps keep up their organization in
the face of most discouraging sur
roundings. One camp, away eff in
the northern section of the Union,
sends each year it's thirty cents,
vita the most cheerful letter, saying
that there are but three members
left, but that they will hold together
and live over the days OF the gle
rious past till all have crosse over
the river to rest under the shade OF
the trees No sir, the spirit of
the sixties lives in the hearts of
these old men and the fires of pa
triotism burn as they aid when they
wereyoung soldiers in the armies of
the Confederacy, wearing themselves
out in gaining victories over forces
double and triple them in numbers,
well fed and clothed, and far better
armed To insinuate that any oLler
feeling rules in the breasts OF these
old soldiers is a SANDER 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 cheerftiness.
Then, too, new camps are still
applying to be admitted into
this great benevolent organization,
themselves in line with their
old comrades in arms, that they may
do what they can to add peace and
comfort to the declining years OF
those of their fellows in need, or
their families. Charters have been
issued during the past year to twenty
two new camps, distributed as fol
lows: Georgia six, Alabama three,
Virginia three, Florida two, South
Carolina two, North Carolina two,
Texas one, West Virginia one, In
dian Territory one, Oklahoma one
Nine camps which had allowed their
charters to lapse lave applied for re-
making an increase OF
thirty-one camps.
The summary of camps by divis-
ons. arranged according to the pres
ant number on the roster, is as fel-
lows:
Texas 225. Georgia lis. South
Carolina IS, Mississippi SO. Alabama
%. Arkansas II, Virginia 40. North
Carolina SO, Tennessee Sc, Kentucky
g, Louisiana 81, Florida AZ. Missouri
a. Indian Territory 81. Oklahoma
lone transferred from Pacihc Zz'
West Virginia Is, Northwest 10, Pa
.Tfc (ane tran Sferred to Oklahoma)