The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-03-09

his term, his successor may be chosen
| to serve for the remainder of such term
and until his successor shall be chosen.
Sec. g. That the said corporation may
take or receive, whether by gift. grant,
devise. bequest or purchase, any real or
personal estate. and to hold. grant, con-
vey, hire or lease the same, for the pur-
poses of its incorporation. and to ac-
cept and administer any trust of real
or personal estate for any purpose
within the objects of the corporation.
| Sec. Z. That the said corporation may
| have and use common seal and alter
and change the same at its pleasure.
Sec. s. That the principal office of the
said corporation shall be in the District
| of Columbia, but offices may be main
| tanned, and meetings of the corpora
| ton, trustees and committees may be
! held in such other places as the bylaws
| may from time to time designate.
Sec. 9. That this charter shall be SUBJ
| ject to alteration, amendment or repeal
at the pleasure of the Congress of the
United States.
The Speaker: Is there objection?
Mr.. Mann: Mr.. Speaker, l reserve
/ the righ; to object.
The Speaker: Who has charge of the
bin?
Mr. Hull. Of Iowa: I reported the
bill, Mr.. Speaker, from the Committee
on Military Affairs, by direction of that
committee, 1t is merely an incorpora-
ton of the G. A. r. as requested by
that organization at its last National
Encampment. The members of the g.
A r. are getting old. They have some
property, but they have no incorDora-
ton, and they thought that the proper
place to incorporate was thru the Con-
gress of the United States.
Mr.. Mann. The report of this bill Is
only seven or eight lines long. The bill
proposes to rcoTganize the G.. y. r. and
make it absolutely a close corporation
of rs men. That, Mr.. Speaker, looks
like very doubtful proposition.
Mr.. Hull. of Iowa: Mr.. Speaker, T.
only know that this is the approved
Grand Army bill, drawn up by the lead
ing men of the Grand Army and in
dOrsed by the last National Encanp-
ment
The members OF the G. A. r are get
ting old and are dwindling in numbers.
and they believed they ought to have
an incorporation. / dc not know any,
thing more about 1t than that. 1t is q
bill which in my judgment can do no
harm. IL is not intended that this shall |
be corporation for pecuniary profit.
1t is merely to be corporation of the
old soldiers of the civil war who believe
that the time has come when, in order |
to protect their organization and what |
ever rights they may have, they should
be Incorporated. That Is the only ar
gunlent 7 have ever had for it.
Mr.. Mann: 1t may be important for
them to protect their organization, but |
the q. a. r. is large institution, with |
large membership, and here it is pro- |
posed to turn that organization over to |
the control of 25 members. II seems
to me this is organizing a trust that is |
of very douo tful propriety.
Ixlr.
bill. passed upon by their own National
Encampment.
Mr. Moore. Of Pennsylvania: Would
not that of itself indicate the propriety |
of the measure?
Mr.. Mann: I accept the statement OF
the gentleman from Iowa in charge OF
the bill, but 1t seems to me sufficient |
information has not been given to US
upon this subject.
Mr.. Moore, of Pennsylvania: Are
these objects and purposes not clearly |
defined in section 3 of this bill?
Mr.. Goulden: l think the gentleman
from Pennsylvania is clearly right. |
That is the purpose of 1t. This bill is
Endorsed, as was stated by the gentle
man from Iowa (Mr. HulD at the last
National Encampment | am n MEM
islation, and want to say that the en-
actment of this bill is desired by the c. |
A. r., as / believe.
Mr.. Graham, of Illinois: I would like |
TO ask the gentleman whether before |
this measure was favorably acted upon
by the National Encampment the men, !
bership knew of il and advocated it?
Mr.. GoDlden: 1t has been advocated |
for several years. Its sole purpose is to |
enable this splendid organization to
perpetlate its patriotic work thru this |
incorporated body that will never die.
Mr.. Moore. of Pennsylvania: 1t seems
TO me- Mr.. Speaker, the object of this
measure is clearly set forth in the liill
itself. on pages 2, 3 and 4, and / hope
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr Mann) :
will not object
Mr.. Mann: The object is to throw the
control of this great organization over
to % men, an organization which is,
now exceedingly large and which
spreads all over the United States.
Mr.. Moore, of Pennsylvania: Will not
the gentleman consider the reason for
that? These men are all aging very
rapidly and are soon to pass away.
They desire that the work that they
have done as a voluntary organization
shall not be overlooked or forgotten.
They desire not only to perpetuate the
but to pass on down to pos,erity those
principles OF loyalty and patriotism
which inspired them. (ApplauseD II
is wholly patriotic purpose, with a
view Of perpetuating the very best in
stitutions OF the country.