Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-28
Entertaining The Grand Army

Entertaining The Grand Army
Atlantic City, N. j., January, 21.-A
recent newspaper article in the Hobo
ken Observer concerning the States
appropriation for the entertainment of
the Grand Army of the Republic at
Atlantic City in September, 1910, is so
misleading and erroneous that it re-
quires the following statement of the
situation:
The citizens of Atlantic City have or
ganized a Citizens Committee of One
Hundred. On this committee there are
fifteen Grand Army men. They have
done the Grand Army and myself the
honor to make me chairman of this COM
mittee. Other Grand Army men have
bad a fair share of appointments to the
subcommittee. The committee raised
by personal subscription, the money
necessary to send a delegation to Salt
Lake City, which secured the encamp-
ment. They enlisted and received the
support of almost all of the Grand
Army people of the State for the bill
which was passed by the last legisla-
ture. 1t has been customary in other
states and cities that the State and
City appropriations should be spent by
those who were responsible for the suc-
cessful entertainment of the encamp-
ment and who were also contributing
thereto. No contribution has been
made or promised by the State Depart
ment of the Grand Amy of the Re-
kubIic. Fol - the
bill was drawn and passed by the New
Jersey Legislature. AS is customary,
the bill provides that the funds shall
be spent in accordance with the regula-
tions which may be imposed by the
Treasurer of the State.
The citizens of Atlantic City have
not been slow in promising to con-
tribute. The largest hotels and many
of the smaller ones have entered into
an agreement so to do. Assurances
that business houses and individuals
will do the same have also been re-
ceived and at the proper time their
written agreements TO do so will be Sc
cured. The citizens of Atlantic City
will probably contribute a great deal
more than the State has promised to
give.
There have been no "happenings'' in
Atlantic City such as are referred to in
the article. Early in December the
COMMANDMENTS Chief and his staff,
with other prominent Grand Army
men, including Department Comman-
der James F. Connolly, made the GUS
tomary visit for the purpose of making
preliminary arrangements. No special
functions were prepared for them, but
they were entertained with suitable
hospitality in accordance with the
dignity of the delegation. In order to
avoid any question of criticism in ref
erence to this proper and legitimate
expense it was arranged that the bills
lOT buO CliLcI bdluLi0ul VI bAc OODuindn-
der-in-Chief and those who accom-
panied him, no Atlantic City men be-
ing in the party, should be betrayed
from contributions by the citizens and
that none of this expense will be paid
out of the State or the City appropria-
lions.
At the suggestion of the Department
Commander James F. Connolly made
when here with the COMMANDMENTS
| Chief, arrangements are being made
for the formation of a Committee OF
prominent Grand Army men of the
State to interest themselves in the af-
fairs of the encampment. The details
in reference to this will be announced
when they are perfected in February,
The Governor and many members OF
the Legislature are cognizant of the
facts and fully approve of all that has
been done or is proposed to be done.
(Signed) GEORGE F. CURRIE,
Chairman, Citizens Committee Of
One Hundred, and Member of the Ma.
tional Council of Administration of the
Grand Army of the Republic.