The National tribune., 1910-06-09
!. Whiimayer, EIkton.
WiscOnsin.
si-GOOD. &. i. Il. NAN
Tells WY G. -, z. Hanks Shou-d BE
., tieiTu Ted.

Tells Why G. -. r. Ranks shou-d Be
Col As. st5%srt. Commander Con- of the
4. pepartA1s:nt -os oSouth Dakota. talks
IstTaigaf from thF shoulder about the
duty cf vete8ans toward the Grand
/ army Gf the EepubIic He says:
i witst now tn call the attention of
al coHiraGes tsG The fact that there are
mary f,raltieS west Of the Missouri
River, especially in the northwest part
of the State, where new Posts could
and ShCuid be organ 'zs1. Many yctcr-
ter7l5 sr-ez lctrr-,~-.s vintage aof-the splen-
Fsiicf sys9ys,srtsfa4rfess to secure homes IN
/ South Dakota. All alert and energetic
coynraGes should act as skirnishers,
hav,inf; in view the capture of all new
in the G. A z. We need reinforce
Ient
Victory in the achievement of the
well-knnwn objects of the G. A r. is
the desire Of all comrades, and to this
end let uS make a determined forward
move all along the line for the increase
Of our diminishing membership, and /
wish now to impress on the minds of
al comrades, and especially that of
Post Commanders and their subordi-
mates. the recessity for n united ana
utmost effort 10 secure new members
ard the regular attendance of Post
meetings of thOse who have become
careless. and who seem TO have lost all
| interest in the G.. A. II. Remit the dues
of suspended members, and create new
| interest in Post meetings. This may
be done in various ways. CampfireS
! and entertainments OF various kinds
NAV he given, and !f taken hold of with
the right kind of vim and push will
prove successful. and it is well to re-
mind the comrades that our numerical
strength is power not realized by all,
and when properly. used is now, as in
the past, of great benefit to all old SOL
diers.
ut is a well-known fact that the G..
A. r. have originated and secured the
passage of every pension law of which
the veterans are the beneficiaries in our
statute books to-day. and thousands of
ex-soldiers have been benefited thereby
that have not raised a hand to sustain
the c. A. r, 1t is well to here consider
the remarks of Past Commander-in-
! Chief Robert Il. Beath, who said: The
Grand Army of the Republic, in its
bepeliceut career of over 40 years has
been of incaIcuiabe service to all the
l veterans of the war for the Union and
has been the means of comforting bene-
fits upon hundreds of thousands who
have failed to show their appreciation
by personal service in the Order 1t is
for the outsider to consider whether in
remaining outside they have given their
working comrades a square deal, and
benefit of meeting their comrades in
the Post room. The loss is theirs
Equally pertinent in regard to this mat
ter are the remarks of Past Command
er-in-Chief Robert b. Brown, who said:
/ 1 challenge the right of any surviving
defender of the Republic, eligible to our
ranks, to longer refuse the right and
the duty to worthily wear the little
bronze button and the five-pointed star
of the G. A. y. , Membership is not
matter of sentiment, but a holy obliga
ton resting upon those who stood on
the firing line in the '60s. No ex-soldier
or sailor should lightly put away the
obligation WHICH, rests upon his soul, if
he be mindful of the fraternities of the
days when heGwas proud to stand for
the Flag and the right Many of our
comrades seem to have forgotten that
they eyer stood for anything. and do
not realize the helpfulness of even their
presence in the Post room. There is
nothing ,on earth to-day that can work
up to the bursting point such inspiring
; patriotism as the National Encampment
of the G. A. RA Let us keep 1t up until
old time compels us to turn the good
work oyer to the sons and daughters of
veterans. And, here l wish to say that
IL added interest tip the aims and objects
of the G.. A. r. and w. r. c. may be
secured by the organization, wherever
possible. of Camps of the Sons and
Tents of the Daughters of Veterans"
The sentiments of Comrade Stewart
should permeate every Department in
the whole organization of the Grand
Army of the Republic. AS the veter-
; ans age and their working powers di-
minish it is but natural that the young
er workers should shove them aside.
!. The only way for the veterans to make
stand against the onslaught Is to join
forces In the G.. A. r. 1t is not poll
tical body, but by the wise legislation
which has come thru suggestions from
the G. A. r. veterans have been pro-
tected in their rights for 20 years and
more.
ii BOdi-TOne