The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-18
SESSION.

the Badge adjourned until 2 o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Reports OF the Medical Director and Other
observation-disclosures Matters.
The afternoon session began at 2 o'clock, with
an increased attendance, many delegates having
come in on the morning trains. After the meet
ing had been called to order, Comrade Under
wood introduced q resolution. for which he
asked reference to a special committee of seven.
relating to delinquent and weak posts, and COM
passing the consolidation of several such. It
was carried, and the committee appointed con-
sisted Of comrades N. F. Underwood, G.. d.
Tate, J. B. Pleasinger, J. B. Mulkey, W.. c.
David, G. E. Whitsett, and F. f.. Boltz.
Comrade McM,.. ter presented a resolution
asking the appointment of a board of examiners
for the Soldiers Orphans Home at Knights
town. and providing the duties of said board.
which, under a motion to suspend the rules,
were adopted.
A resolution was offered by a eomrade Of
Joseph r. Gordon Post. referring to the alleged
unworthy attack of the indianapolis News on
said post 1t was referred to the committee ON
resolutions without debate.
A series Of resolutions were next presented.
demanding the repeal of the limitation act and
the act providing that applicants for pensions
shall be compelled to prove that they were in
good health at the time of their enlistment
The rules were suspended, and the resolutions
passed with practical unanimity.
Comrade Underwood offered another resolu~
ton, providing for an increase in the per capita
tax and the payment of mileage to all represent
atiyes to the department encampments. Con-
| sideration of this was afterwards indefinitely
postponed.
MEDICAL DIRECTORS REPORT.
The report of the medical director, A.. r.
Tucker. was submitted and contained. among
other paragraphs, the following:
81 have travelled in the interest of our order
about 600 miles and have written in the interest
of soldiers 205 letters. which, l feel proud
to say. resulted partly in the granting
Soldiers op sw ana soldiers, pi5ows' have to ds W9s.ea
four public addresses, have placed five children
of deceased soldiers in the Soldiers Orphans
Home at Krightstown. l have made nina
official visits to posts, and have rendered
gratuitous medical services to the families
of destitute comrades that, according to physi-
clans charges, would aggregate at least $3.50. I
have paid out for railroad fare and other ex-
penses from my own private funds SOL %, with
out asking or expecting any remuneration fur.
Their than the knowledge OF doing my duty as q
comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic"
He also indorsed the recommendation of Sur
geon-general Hall, of the National Encampment.
to the effect that there should be made by all de-
partment medical directors a compilation OF
the value of gratuitous medical serv-
ices rendered to needy comrades and
their families. He thought this would give to-
the world at large a clear idea Of the charitable
work Of the order. His report also contained an
Endorsement of the proposition of the Surgeon
general that non professional men should not be
appointed post medical directors.
He entered quite ~lengthily into the topic OF
| delayed pensions, wherein he suggested that the
Commissioners of Pensions be called upon to
answer questions fully as to the causes of such
delays. 1t was also suggested that medical
directors of the @. A. r. be made members of
the United States pension medical boards. A
change in the manner of examining applicants
was also referred to as a necessity, since many
applicants were prevented by timidity in
stating before the board the nature
injuries. He cited incidents where applicants
thus hampered failed to do themselves justice.
but when he took them privately and questioned,
them about their condition, he had no trouble in
getting full statement of particulars. Soldiers
should be encouraged, in their pension
business, to let lawyers alone and
transact it themselves directly with the depart
ment. which they can we'll do if they take the
trouble to apply for instructions and favors from
eAAtu HaNAt NS ARSA ADV ~
communicate with the medical director of the
order concerning their wish for pensions, or as
to any matter relating to that subject. The re-
port was adopted.
The following congratulatory telegram from
Nelson Cole, commander of the G. A. r.. Depart
ment of Missouri, was received:
MEXICO, Mo-, Feb. II, 1886.
Department Commander of Indiana:
Missouri Department Encampment. G.. A. r. sends
~fratcrnal greeting. Our work for the past year shows
forty new posts and a gain of nearly so per cent. in
membership. Yours in T; {. and L.,
G. GARDNER. Asst Adit-Gen.
Under instructions of the encampm emit. tho
following reply was sent:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 1T.
Nelson Cole, Commander Department Missouri. g. Az
| r., Mexico, Mo:
The annual encampment, Department of Indiana, a..
A. r.. now in session: send %soldierly and loyal greeting
co our comrades of Missouri, and trust that your pros
perity may continue until every loyal soldier in Mis-
JAMES R. CARvAHAN.
Past Department Commander. Committee.
Comrade Carnahan, in the absence of the chair
man, George j. Langsdale, read the report the
latter had prepared on the State soldiers monu-
ment. 1t showed that $14. 374 has been Sc
cured for that enterprise, and that o
design for q monument has been adopted. Lith-
ographs of it. numbering a Thousand copies, have
been printed and distributed. Circular letters
were sent to the County Commissioners
throughout the State, asking for an ap-
| preparation of 800 from each county to place
a stone in the base of the monument with such
inscriptions as the county might select. Ac.
companying this was the report of the treasurer
of the committee, giving the sum on hand as ex-
pressed above, and noting a prospect of in
creased collections. The reports were referred