The National tribune., 1909-08-12
CoMMANDER-N-GHIF MENUS.


A good deal of our space is given up
this week to the address of Command
er-in-Chief Nevius. but every line is
well worth the space it occupies.
Commander-in-Chief Nevius's admin
istration has been worthy of the high
est traditions of the Order. He is &
man of large experience, signal devo-
ton to the interests of the Order, and
of ability that filled well the exalted
place he has occupied. His presenta-
tion of the history of the efforts of our
great Order during his year of leader
ship is complete, painstaking and thoro-
ly understanding. He has had every
detail of his business well in hand,
watched carefully all that affected the
orders interest and met great ques-
tions and problems with high common
sense and devotion to the good of the
organization. His health failed from
his unsparing devotion to his duties,
and he was prevented from going to
some Department Encampments that
he much desired to. but as soon as his
strength returned he took up the work
with unabated devotion, went every
where, met all the comrades, and heard
of everything that bore upon the in
terests of the comrades and devoted
himself to improvement and develop
ment wherever possible. The fruits of
this good work are everywhere mani
fest. and nowhere more so than in the
gratifying report that, in spite of the
ravages of death, the net membership
of the Order has only decreased 233.
The Chiefs treatment
of the important question Of pensions
is highly commendable. The Grand
Army of the Republic rightfully reck-
ons among one of its chief duties the
securing of proper pension legislation
for the veterans and their dependent
ones and the just execution of the laws
in pursuance of the wishes of the Or
der. This part of the mission Of the
Grand Army of the Republic has been
executed with the highest skill and
devotion by distinguished comrades who
have formed the National G. A. r.
Committee on Pensions and aided the
Commander-inC Chief. 1t was inevitable
that there should be discomfort at not
receiving more than we have, and that
this discomfort would be taken advan-
tage of by men who, not having been
conspicuous by their services to their
comrades, now make themselves con-
spicuous by their criticisms of what
has been done and secured. The best
praise for the Grand Army of the Re-
public is the great work which has
been written into the legislation of the
country. There have always been false
and misleading lights, as there are TO-
day. and these have been wisely dis
credited The National Pension Com
mittee has always been made up of
men who thoroly understood the sub
ject and wisely gagged the temper of
the people and of Congress. They wisely
chose the time and place to secure the
advantage in Hberallty of pension leg
islation. and have never made the mis-
take of falling short of what was pos
sible to obtain for the veterans, They
are not making any mistake now. nor
will they in the future. The Command
erin Chief makes this very plain. and
presents convincingly the duty of every
veteran and friend of veterans to rally
solidly behind the National Encamp-
ment and give all possible power to its
efforts. In this lies the only hope of
any real advantage kn pension legis-
lation.
Commander-in-Chief Nevius had an
exceptionally difficult task In arranging
the matter of transportation to Salt
Lake City. All of his predecessors have
had much trouble from this source, but
It seemed that his was the most diff
cult of all. The great distance to Salt
Lake City, the conflict of interests
among the several traffic associations
and other causes combined to make an
exceedingly perpexing problem. The
Commander-in-Chief actually exhaust
ed his strength in his efforrs to secure
satisfactory rates and the proper agree
ment among the various traffic associa-
tions. In spite Of much discourage
ment and much conflict OF interests be