The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-08-13

e ALT LAKE, Aug. 12.-The
business session of the 43rd
- annual encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic OPP
ened today with 800 delegates
present. So great was the crowd
that the hall was inadequate and
it was deemed expedient to Sc
cure more commodious quarters
and arrangements were made to
hold the afternoon sessions and
evening sessions of the encamp-
ment in the auditorium of the
church assembly hall on the tenn
pie grounds. After the call of
the roll and the appointment of
the committees, Commander-in-
Chief Nevius began to read his ad-
dress which covered every depart
ment and was exhaustive. Before
he had read long his voice failed
and he called upon his adjutant
general, Frank o. Cole, to finish
the address. In his address Com
mander-in-C Chief Nevius said in
part:
IT was treated with great cordiality
upon my visit in the southern depart
Onn ond in 10 Ho xrT;t bA
Grand Army of the Republic, held a
joint meeting with H. Clay Evans,
commander -in-chief of the United Con-
federate veterans and his organiza-
tion. The stars and stripes were con-
spicuous while the stars and bars were
not in evidence Our open and public
discussion upon the family trouble ex-
listing between the northern and south
ern states and between the men who
had stood upon the firing line on both
sides was most pleasant.
81 met the Confederate veterans
again in Denison, Texas, and at pub
lie meeting there / divided the time
with them upon the platform. l met
them also at Birmingham, Ala, and l
am satisfied from all I could see and
hear and learn that the men who stood
upon the firing lines in the southern
Confederacy had had enough of the
war and were anxious and willing to
support the government of the United
States under its flag and that, were it
not for others whotdid not participate
in the great struggle who who are still
laboring to keep alive the lost cause
there would be no difficulty in cement
ing the bonds of union between the
north and south
"The consolidated reports of the as
sistant adjutant general ending June
80 have not all been received, hence
it is impossible to state our numerical
strength on June 80, 1909. On Dec 81,
1907, the members in good standing of
the Grand Army of the Republic num-
bered 1885, ,157. Those remaining on
the suspended list at that date num-
bered 13,489. By the consolidated re-
port of the adjutant general for this
encampment there were remaining in
good standing on Dec. 81, 1908, 220,616.
The number remaining suspended on
the same date was 1883.
"The number of comrades reported
as having died between Dec. 81, 1907,
and Dec. 81, 1908, was 10,124. Our
gains during the year have been: By
muster in, 7,434; by transfer, 2,94S; by
reinstatement; 7,146; by gain from de-
linquent reports, 1926. Total gains,
21,154."
The address of the commander-in-
chief was followed by the reports of
staff officers which were referred to
a committee for consideration.
The other business of today's ses-
sion embraced the reading Of greet
ings, memorial services and the ex-
emplification of the ritual. Business
sessions were also held by the Wom-
ans Relief Corps, Ladies of the Grand
Army of the Republic, the Army
Nurses and the Naval Veterans asso-
citation and the Daughters of Veter-
ans.