The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-29
Major Warner Reviews the Progress of the
Year in His Annual Address, and Speaks
Confidently of the orders Future.
General Russell A. Alger Elected Com
mander-in-Chief Without Opposition.
What Has Been Done in the Way of Pension
Legislation-Speech by General Sherman
Boston the Next Place of Meeting.
COMMANDER WARMERS ADDRESS
Growth of the Order-The Question of a Ser
ice Pension--Crop4ds in the Streets

streets to-day, and that notwithstanding
many are leaving for their homes, Milwau-
KEGS guests will number from 10000 to
100000 by the time the naval battle begins
tomorrow night. Word has been received
that at least 10000 will be here tomorrow
night from Chicago alone. The people of
Racine, Keonosha. Waukesha. Oconomowoc.
Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Neenah, Menashe.
and other points are expected to pour them
selves into the city tomorrow. In order to
relieve the pressure upon the city special
trains will be run to all points
within reasonable distance of Milwaukee
after the fight ON the water is over. Every
body has been comfortable, is having
enough of wholesome focd to eat. and in a
general way is as well cared for as people
ever are at reunions of this magnitude.
With this perfect weather, those who are IN
the various camps are more comfortable
than they would be in the overcrOwded hO-
tells, and, moreover, are in better shape for
enjoying themselves in true soldier style
than they would be if Milwaukee had five
hundred hotels.
The encampment was called to order by
COmmander-in-chiefW Warner at 1915. After
prayer by Chaplain Wharton, of the Wis
cOnsin Department, and brief intermissiOn
to allow late delegates to seat themselves,
Commander Warner, at 1O:45, began to read
his address. He said:
Comrades and Shipmates-I am here to give
an account of my stewardship. The greatest
honor ever conferred upon me was my selection
as COMMANDMENTS chief of the G. A X. In taking
the obligation of the office Ifuly realized the inn
portance OF the trust you had cOntided to me and
then highly resolved neither by word nor act to
do anything that should drive deserving COM
rade from our ranks and to do all that inSne lay
TO strengthen the silver cords of comradeship
that trust shall ever bind the surviving soldiers
and sailors of the Union army and navy. one 10
another, as brothers tried. If at the end of my
term L am enabled to place in the hands OF my
successor the banner of our order Illuminated
with the three great virtues, fraternity, charity
and loyalty, my highest ambition VIII have been
gratited.
The position Of commander-in-chief should be
in the future, it has been in the past position
than which aOne Is more honorable. position TO
aspire to which Is a laudable ambition, position
that will lend additional lnstre to any name
however great, If its duties are well performed.
After eulOgizing the G. A. X. at length,
the commander continued:
The growth of our organization has been
steady and healthy. Strong as 1T is 1t has never
been, and trust never will be, used for partisan
purposes, or to crafty the personal ambitions of
any man set of men. The greatest gain dur
ing the year has been in the Department of Mis-
souri,. Eight departments show gain in mem
bership, in good standing, of 1924, distributed
as follows: Illinois, 1,2s3; Iowa, lab; Ne
braska. 700; Pennsylvania. LAG; New York,
1895; Ohio, 2.O03; Wisconsin, 2.O23; Missouri.
year lin good standing) was Il ,43l."
Commander Warner referred briefly to
the reports of his staff officers. the decis-
ions of the Judge acknowledgements the COM
pletion of a history of the G. A. r., the CEN
sus of soldiers and sailors, and then took up
the subject of the flag and the public
schools. He said:
1 commend to each department the patriotic
practice of the posts in the department of New
York OF presenting on the Odd of FEBRUARY, the
1ivth pff fha Eafh ~;
can flag to such public schools as are not yet in
possession of one. Let the children receive the
stars and stripes from the men who placed their
bodies as living wall between it and those who
would tear it down. The future citizens of the
Republic are being educated in the public schools
the flag OF their country should ever
stars and stripes let them learn the
story of liberty as exemplited in the lives OF
sons of the Republic, who by their valor, suffer
ing and death rendered the imperishable fame Of
this illustrious trio possible Let them learn to
look upon the American flag ''by angel hands
to valOr given" with as much reverence as did
the Israelites look upon the ark of the covenant.
Let the 5000. 900 of boys and girls in our ele-
mentary schools be thus imbued with n rever-
ence for the flag, and all 1t represents. Then the
future of the Republic is assured, and that flag
shall forever wave
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave"
The matter of pensions was reserved by
the commander for the conclusion of his
address. Preceding this he alluded grace
fully in turn to topics connected with the
Grant cottage at Mt. McGregor. memorial
tiOn. charity, WOman's Relief Corps Sons
of Veterans and military telegraphers.
The conclusion of the address was as fol-
lows:
The committee on pensions have been unable
to make any progress in securing favorable con-
sderatiOn by Congress of the pension bills recon-
mended by the Columbus encampment. The
reason for this failure will he given by the COM
mittee ana know that Its members are In no
way TO blame. The question of pension legisla-
ton will come before you again for discussion
and recommendation.
The number OF comrades entitled to seats in
this encampment reaches 1000, the largest rep
resentatiOn ever accredited to an encampment-
a delberative body SO large, its members coming
from all parts of the Union, representing all
shades Of opinion, IL is but natural that all will
not agree in the discussion. but when the discus
sion has closed and the encampment has acted,
its action should receive the earnest support of
every comrade. Without mutual concession there
would be no legislation The voice of the encamp-
ment represents the best thought and Judgment
of the majority and should become law unto
the minority. The Grand Army Of the Repub-
lie has never exercised its full influence in pen
sion legislation, because of the division in its
ranks. The measures recommended by the Ma
tional Encampment should not be antagonized
by conflicting measures urged Dy departments or
posts. Unity of action will secure satisf actory
results; a divided council win contribute TO de-
feat. Our demands should be reasonable and
The last encampment, after much discussion,
by practically unanimous vote. recommended
to Congress a service pension bill and what is
known as the disability pension bill, the latter
having received the repeated approval of
previous encampments. This action was the re-
suit OF compromise, and in my judgement was
as wise as IT was just and conservative. My ex
perience in Congress leads me TO believe that
you will greatly strengthen the hands of our
friends III that body by demanding at Milwaukee,
the pension legislation asked for at
Columbus. Let the Commissioner OF
Pensions take your recommendations
TO Congress, backed by "A united Grand Army of
the Republic and there will be failure. If we
are true to ourselves. before the next encGmp-
ment every comrade disabled by age, sickness or
accident, and the widows and orphans OF vet
erans will be borne on the pension-rOll. We
should neither give sleep 10 our eyes nor slum-
ber to our eyeids until justice is done our com-
is not far distant when an honorable discharge
from the Union army navy shall be all the
evidence required TO secure q pension 10 its
holder.
aid its dawning tongue and pen;
Aid it, hopes OF honest men,"
a. pension given as q reward for services "a
the state lis surely as good "A ground of property
as any security for money advanced 10 the
state." said the great Englishman statesman
Burke. Let the bondholders OF the country re-
member that the men who rendered their securi
ties yaluable-the men who have ever insisted
that they be paid To the utmost farthng, prin.
cipal and interest, OF the money advanced
by them to the state-let them remember
that these men have claims upon the state least
equal TO that Of the bondholders. Let those who