Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-01-20

was a decade or so ago. The firm tread
Of the soldier has left the men who fill
the ranks of the Grand Army now
and a lettering, hating march to the
strains Of music and the beating OF
drums has taken its place
The veterans of the great Civil war
are being called to the last music
with a rapidity that is appalling. Last
year nearly 5000 of the gray-haired
men who compose the Grand Army
died, and it is estimated that because
OF the e~nfeebled condition Of so many
members Of hal great organization
these figures will be doubled when the
roll call is read mex year. In ten
years, say men who have given the
matter careful study, there will not be
enough ~able-bodied men in the ranks
to fill a good sized hall.
This estimate is based on the pres
ent membership Of the Grand Army.
OF course if II in figuring takes the
pension list as a basis there will be a
different result. There are on the pen
sion roll at Washington about SOC, 900
names of men who fought for the north
during the Civil war. THESE are dying
at the rate of $4,000 yearly. about four
an hOur.
More than half of these though ELI
gible are not members of the Grand
Army, probably because they do not
feel themselves vigorous or active
minded enough to Join.
Commander in Chief Van SAINT, ad-
dressing the veterans at the recent
encampment gave the number of mem
bers at the beginning of the present
year at 213,001. One year ago the
number was 220, 1000, while in January,
1908, there were on the roll of the
Grand Army 225,570 James Thus it
can be seen that the great ~organiza-
ton is rapidly and surely approaching
the day when an earthly reunion of its
members will be no longer possible.
At the present death rate the G.. A.
r. will be able to keep up it's annual
gathering and parades for about ten
years. After that the aging army is
likely to become as are the Mexican
War veterans, loath to leave their
homes and irresponsible to the sum-
mon to assemble.
1t is certain hat there will never
again be a parade like the one re-
viewed a few weeks ago at Atlantic
City by Vice-President Sherman.
Many of those who participated in this
feature of the encampment this year
have reached their homes with this
thought uppermost in their breasts.
They will look back to the affair as an
occasion when they babe farewell to
one another forever on this side of the
eternal bivouac.
Almost all of the great generals are
gone. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan
long ago were laid away to rest. Only
eral Sickles, approaching his eighty
seventh birthday, is still; hearty Cen
eral Dodge has given up none of his
activities, while General Wilson in
Delaware is writing history and enjoy
ing life. Aside from these there is
scarcely a Union officer who was gen.
orally known when the conflict ended
who is alive today.
No officer is more loved and revered
by the rank and file of the Grand Army
than is General Sickles. When the old
war horse" made his appearance at
the recent encampment and hobbled,
with the aid of his c%rutches, toward
the speakers stand 1t was the signal
for an outburst of frenzied cheering
Grams for half IN hour after they had
borne him on their shoulders to h
lag-hung platform.