Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1912-04-27
G. A. R. PROTEST.
Asks that Decoration Day be Fittingly
Observed as a National Sabbath.

AT regular meeting OF Gen. Weitze
Post, No. SO, G. A. R., held at Clark, s
d., Jan. 27, 1912, the following preamble
and resolutions were offered for consid.
Grafton by Gen. S. ]. Conklin, and were
unanimously adopted by the Post:
Whereas, by the patriotism and wis
dom of the Grand Army of the Republic,
the 30th day of May was made Ma
tional Sabbath, at which time the patri-
otic people of the Nation we're invited
to assemble, and with bowed and un-
covered heads, recite the valorous deeds
of their soldier dead, and strew their
graves with the earliest flowers of
Spring; and, whereas, the Congress of
the United States and all patriotic peo-
pie have endorsed and commended the
patriotic purpose and action of the Grand
Army Of the Republic, and,
Whereas, the State of South Dakota
has by solemn legislative enactment pro-
vided that on Decoration Day there shall
be no sports, or games, or public amuse-
ments Of any kind INDUCED in or per-
mitted, and that violation of the law
shall subject the offender to a fine or
imprisonment, or both, and,
Whereas, said law was openly violated
in some places in this State on last Dec.
Grafton Day, and notably in this city,
with the knowledge, if not the consent
of State and county and city officials,
whose duty it was to stop it and prose-
cute it.
Therefore, Resolved, That this Grand
Army Post hereby calls on all city and
county and State officials to give due
and timely notice to the people of this
county that the provisions of said law
will be rigidly enforced in all parts of
this county.
Resolved, That this Grand Army Post
will no longer be party to prostitu-
ton of their great National Sabbath,
either preceding or during or following
the services on chat day, to horse racing,
ball playing, dancing or other sports or
amusements, which serve to distract or
draw the attention of the people away
from the purpose to which the day is
dedicated.
Resolved, That the Grand Army Post
will take no part in the coming Decora-
tion Day services, unless assured by the
Sheriff of the county, the Mayor of the
city and the States Attorney of the
county, that the law will be enforced on
that day and no desecration of the day
and its purpose will be permitted.
Resolved, That we recommend to the
Governor of this State that he issue
proclamation to the people of the State,
calling upon all law abiding citizens to
properly observe the day and asking and
notifying all peace officers to enforce the
law against any and all violators of its
provisions.
Resolved, That copy of these reso-
lutions be forwarded to the Governor of
this State.
Resolved, That copy of these resolu-
tions be forwarded to each newspaper
in this county, with request that the
same be published.
Resolved, That copy of these reso-
lutions be forwarded to each Grand
Army Post in the State, with the request
here made that similar action be taken
by other Grand Army Posts, and each
Post is hereby requested to forward a
petition to the Governor, to lend his
active assistance to a prevention of a
further desecration of the day set aside
to revere the name and deeds of those
who died or periled their lives in de-
fense of the government we revere and
cherish.