Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-20

ried on the records of the Pennsyi-
vania commandery.
The Loyal Legion became popular
with the officers of the army at once.
Each state was entitled to a com
mandery. Wisconsin was one of the
earliest states to organize, and has
since assisted Iowa. Minnesota and
Michigan in establishing the order.
There are communicates in Pennsyl-
Vania, New York, the District of Co
lumhia, Ohio. Indiana. Missouri, Ore
gon. California. Washington and sew
eral other states. Early in the exist
ence of the order rule permitted the
eldest son of a member to join. and
ater third class was introduced.
The third class consisted of civilians
who had been notably active and val
liable i'm support of the general gov
ernrlent during the Civil War The
late Congressman John F. Potter, Col
onel T.. IL. Broadhead and Edward
Sanderson We're members of the third
class in the Wisconsin cofnmhndery.
Nearly year after the Loyal Lee
gion was organized Dr. Stephenson,
of Decatur Ill. was the leader in or
ganizing the first post of the Grand
Army of the Republic The same year
posts were organized IN Wisconsin.
There was no dividing line. Private
soldiers and officers alike we're accept
ed as members. and that has been the
custom ever since. The order spread
rapidly and the membership WAS very
enthusiastic. but between thirty five
and forty years ago the mistake of
allowing politics to enter into its af-
fairs was made. 1t soon went into
rapid decline, and did not begin to
rebuild itself again until 1879 Its real
vigorous growth commenced in 1880.
At this time Milwaukee, was giving
much attention to arranging for the
| greatest reunion of ex-soldiers ever
| held in the United States: that winch
| assembled June 8. 1880, and continued
| through the week From that time on
| politics has been kept out of the or
| der. and it is needless to add that Tor
| thirty years the Grand Army OF the
| Republic has been the most wonder,
| full soldier organization the world mas
| ever known. At one time 1t had Il
| membership Of nearly half million.
| 1t has nearly quarter of a million
members at the present time, but they
are passing away at the rate of about
| fifty a day
| There is unanimity among the MEM
beers IN favor of letting the name and
| the order die when the last Grand
| Army man passes away. They hope
and expect that no other organization,
| under any circumstances. viii ever
adopt the same name. The members
are jealous of that name. They are
willing to trust the future with near
~ everything else. but they do not
want any class of people. men. women
or children. to take up and carry the
name that they believe has been made
honorable by their service in var and
peace Because of this universal
sentiment. there is reason to believe
that no Tammany society will grow
out of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lic
What of the Loyal Legion Will II
he. one hundred wears from now. some
thing like the Society of the Cincin-
natia Will it dwindle away to almost
nothing as the, order Of the Gincin-
I matt has done2 1t is. up to the SECOND
class members. who, before Very long.
will be the first class members. Upon
generation in such way that that
generation will keep it up and pass It