The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-16
THE COUNTRY'S DEFENDERS.
Arrangements for the State Meeting of
the Grand Army of the Republic.
The Question of lndorsing the Bill Calling for
Universal Pensions Meeting with More
Opposition than Was Anticipated.

! State encampment, which begins here Wednes
day, are already coming to the front as the
| topic OF the week. At the hotels there is regis
tered the advance guard of officials and dele
| gates who come with a spirited interest in the
| work before them 1t will be a session of more
than ordinary importance. as several questions
that have been agitated the past year of inter
est to soldiers everywhere, as we'll as those in
| Indiana, will be discussed, and probably reach
| final action. There is demand on the part of a
large number of old soldiers for universal
pension list. and a meeting to further that work
will bs held at Masonic Hall to-
day at 1:30 P. NJ. 1t is hoped to bring this infiu
| ence to bear on the g. A. r. in order to secure
| its Endorsement of the demand. c. A. Power,
who is leading this phase of the pension ques
ton. says the meeting will be large, as the sup
| port OF the bill for this purpose introduced in
| Congress by Mr.. Johnston, of the Eighth dis
tricr is increasing. 1t is proposed to recommend
an amendment to the bill that will make post
masters at every county seat distributing agents
to pay the proposed pensions to soldiers in silver
| or silver certificates.
On the other hand, within and without the
Grand Army there is a sentiment against the
movement. and it is sufficiently fore ible to make
any Endorsement by the order doubtful A
| prominent member said yesterday: II
think the Grand Army will not support at
this time any claim for universal pensions.
The order isinterested in having widows pensions
increased to $l2 per month, and equalization OF
bounties, the pensioning of disabled ex- prsoners
| OF war, extending the arrearages to 1883, and
| pensions for all old soldiers after they have
reached the age of sixty five years. Hence there
| is feeling that if it goes into the universal pen
sion movement the above interests will be jeop-
ardized. Not only this, but many urge that the
| financial condition of the country does not JUS
tify anything Of the kind.' This may be taken
| as the sentiment of those opposing the measure
and insures an interesting dscussionin the en-
| campment proceedings.
| Gen. David n. Foster, commander of the de-
paftment, will have his headquarters at the
Grand Hotel, at which place the council of ad-
afternoon. Yesterday thu General said
| there had never been time in
the history of tho Indiana Department when the
| order showed such spiritedness. "There is not
quartermaster," said he ''That alone is evi
dence of hard work having been done during
| the past year. The membership numbers about
/ $4,000. | do not think it will go beyond 20, 900,
for the annual death-rate is increasing rapidly.
| In 1884 there were throughout the department
| only 81 deaths, last year there were 157, and
| think, at the next report the number for the
current year will be 225."
1--WE had four deathsin our post the past year, T"
| said a comrade of the party.
I'VE had three said another
sYou see" continued the General. ''what the
| great cause will be in limiting the nembershp in
this State to about twenty thousand. However,
| Indiana as a Grand Army State, is fifth in rank
being preceded only, in order, by Pennsylvania.
| New York, Ohio and Kansas l expect there will
| be present at the encampment 1880 soldiers.
outside of the delegates and those who live in In
| dianapdis In regard to the programme, you
| asks Well, the order l have just issued will
| give you general idea. 1t is as follows:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF INDIANA,
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
| INDIANAPOLIS Ind, Feb. 10, 1886.
Especial Orders, No. IL
Representatives and alternates to the State Encamp
ment will assemble in the lobby of the Grand Hotel in
the city of Indianapolis, Wednesday. Feb IL at g. Is
| A. NJ, where they will be formed in line and after
short march, escorted to Masonic Hail. the place Of
meeting, by delegations from the different Grand
Army posts of this city.
| Visiting comrades not members of the encampr emit
requested to also assemble at the same place and
| hour, and form IN the rear of the column.
For the greater convenience of representatives, the
| seated by congressional districts.
The encampment will be called to order at $50 A.
NJ. Feb. II.
On the evening of Wednesday, Feb. II. campfire
will be held at Masonic Hail. proceedings commence
promptly at Tao o'clock. An overflow meeting ad-
dressed by the same speakers and otherwise dupcat
ing the programme at Masonic Hall, will be held at
Lyra Hail. This meeting win be called to order at 8
| o'clock.
| By command of DAVID N FOSTER,
| Department Commander.
! Tom SULLIVAN, Assistant Acknowledgement.
For the first time," the General said 1--WE
are to have something in the way of formal
procession. You see the order calls for the gath
ering of all old soldiers who will take part, at
this hotel, on Wednesday morning at O'clock.
| The local posts and Rice Zouaves will escort
the delegates to Masonic Hall, after short line
| of march. Soldiers not members of the order
are requested to- fall in behind the delegates
| The line will go through Maryland to Meridian;
| thence to the Circle; around the Circle to Penn
| sylvania; thence to Washington, and west on
| that street to Masonic Hall. We will have a
| good meeting and jolly time at the campfire"
The camp fire will take place both at Masonic
and Lyra halls This arrangement has been made
| to accommodate the crowds. and in order that
| the people In one hall may have just what the
others will enjoy the programme will be dupli-
| Gated as far as possible. At Masonic Hall, on
Wednesday evening the time for the camp fres
Mayor Denny will welcome the soldier. to which
| response will be made ny Department. Com
mander Foster. Following this the sentiments
and responses will be THE Commonwealth of
Indiana, by Governor Gray; Union Volunteers. I"
&c. A. r." by General j. R. Carna-
han; "The States Soldiers Monument
by George j. Langsdale. of Greencaste; WON
ems Relief Corps" by Mrs. Alice e. Griffin, of
Elkhart; "Our Fallen Comrades" by Rev. Alex
Blackburn, of Lafayette; recitations by Mrs r.
1 Steedman Mccain, a niece of the late General
| Steedman, of Ohio During the evening there
will be other rectations and songs, the latter by
the Board OF Trade Glee Club and the Auten
Post Quartet, of South Bend The ladies of the
| Womans Relief Corps will hold a reception at
the Grand Hotel this afternoon.
| Ice Tools.