The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-06-04
MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS IN Be.
HALF Of The CEMETERY
ASSOCIATION
BY
LULA STEPHENS ANDERSON
BY

Woman's Relief Corps and the Unit
ed Spanish War Ueterans that !
have a special message.
In behalf of the Cemetery As
ISOLATION | want to tell you how
glad we are that you have organic
ed Post in kennewick. 1t means
much to us. We know what your
organizations stand for and the in
f1uence for good they have ever ex
ercised. Your interest in the main
tenance and establishment of GENE
teries is of especial interest to us
and we consider it a rare privilege
to join with you in this sacred cere-
mony today and accept your as
sistance in the work we have in a
small way inaugurated.
Your record is familiar to all.
Your unselfsh loyalty to country.
your great sacrifices and your zeal
and devotion in preserving the hon
or and dignity of the old flag
form some of the most shining ex-
amples of history. We are deeply
conscious of the great debt the
nation owes you and on thi, occasion
reverently bow our heads in CRATE
full acknowledgement.
The Grand Army of the Republic
is patriotic society organized in
Decatur, ILL.,, April 6, 1866. Its
existence is primarily due to DR..
B. F. Stevenson and Chaplain W.
J. Rutledge of the 14th Illinois In
fantry who conceived the idea in
1864. The principal objects of the
order are to strengthen the fraternal
ties which bind together the soldiers
sailors and marines who united to
suppress the Rebellion, to perpetu-
ate the memory of those who died
and to lend assistance to the needy
and to their widows and orphans.
The society admit to membership
any soldier or sailor IF the United
States Army, Navy or Marine Corps
who served them between April IL.
1871 and April 9, 1865 and was
honorably discharged, and also
members of State regiments, who
were called into active service. The
Grand Army of the Republic is Or
ganized into departments represent
ing the different states and territor-
les in 1906, 1912 local camps. The
membership II 1890 reached total
of 400, 1877, but tins nuinber has
steadily decreased since. The an
nual decrease 1t tie present time is
about 5000. Annual meetings call
ed encampmerts are regularly held
in the leading cities Of the Union.
To this organization is due the es-
Enlistment of Memorial Day on
May Both of every year. 1t is also
active in the care and education of
orphans of deceased comrades and
in the establishment of soldiers
homes.
The United Spanish War Veter-
ans is society formed in 1904 by
the union of the Spanish War Vet
Grams, the Spanish American War
Veterans the Society of the Service
Men of the Hispano American War.
In 1905 there were POP camps and
10000 members.
The public is familiar with the
work of the Cemetery Association.
We are a corporation organized un-
der the laws of the state of WASH
ington and subject to all the rules
and regulations governing the es-
adjustment of cemeteries. We own
and control Riverview Heights
Cemetery which we have acquired
paid for, plated, fenced and other.
wise improved. The public has
ever generously responded to oul
calls for aid and what we have &C.
complished is largely due to their
support. Much has been done but
much vet remains. Our needs are
too apparent to require specia, men
ton. Anyone can plainly see that
the place needs identifying. We
need water and this year are going
to muster our forces and see what
can be done. With water we can