Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-31

CHICAGO, July 30.-The Grand Army OF
the Republic department commanders OF
eight States were IN session nearly all day
at the Grand Pacific Hotel, debating the
stand they should take in reference to the
annual encampment next month at Mil
waukee. The result of the meeting was a
positive and unqualified Endorsement of the
announced determination to discourage gen.
eral attendance in view of the refusal of the
railroads to make satisfactory rates.
The States represented were Illinois. by
Department Commander Martin; Iowa,
Commander Charles II. Davis, of Mt.
Pleasant; Minnesota, Commander A. Barto,
Of Sauk Center; Missouri, Colonel Rogers,
of Springfield, representing Commander
Phelps; Indiana, Commander Charles M.
Travis, of Charlottesville; Michigan. Com
mander M. Brown, of Big Rapids; Kansas,
Com nander Booth, of Larned; Nebraska,
Commander ]. B. Davis, of Wahoo.
THE DECISION REACHED.
The conference was presided over by Cen
eral Martin, and triple decision was
reached.
First-That the posts represented indorse
July 2, in which general attendance at the
encampment was to be discouraged If the rail-
ways did not recede from their positions.
Second-That the manifesto Of July was in
accord with the action of the last national
encampment at Columbus, O., as indorsed by
the resolution found in the journal on pages
219 and 20.
Third-That some time in the near future
the representatives present will issue circular
that will be signed by eight Department Com
manders, with possibly few more, withdraw
in = frNa r0nr faA frnrN "a
parade that is advertised to take place.
The resolutions of the Columbus conven-
ton referred to is as follows:
The National Council of administration be,
and is authorized and directed to insist upon
definite contracts for transportation rates to
the twenty-third National Encampment 1t
shall be the duty of the council to demand that
specific maximum rate be fixed, and
PLAIN AND SIMPLE TERMS
be made, covering every phase of necessary
and proper arrangement. 1t is ordered that
unless Just, fair and reasonable contracts for
railroad and hotel fares be not made, then the
council is authorized to fix upon some other
location for the encampment Unless railroads
present relief to comrades. the various depart
ments will discourage the attendance of all ex-
cept members.
The manifesto of July referred to, is q
circular letter prepared and issued by the
department officers of Illinois. 1t was the
first indication OF open retaliation and rep
resented only Illinois posts. Continued
agitation of the matter and the refusal of
the railways to concede terms as low as de-
sired broadened the breach begun by the
Illinois veterans. At the present time the
disposition against general attendance is
general one, shared by most OF the West
ern posts. To-day's meeting was result of
desire for definite action. General Martin
says there is now not much doubt about the
outcome of the fight.
"The railway people," he says, shave
held us off ON one pretext or another, say
ing: Wait little longer, we will see what
we can do, until we are tired Of waiting.
Every department commander here to-day
has authority to act for his State posts"
A CERTAIN RESULT.
'sDoes it destroy the chances of big
meeting at Milwaukee,"
'It looks very much like it. We repre-
sent the States that would have furnished
the crowd. If only our representatives go,
of course, it must virtually kill the encamp-
ment."
General Martin said he did not know
when the general order withdrawing the
States from the parade would be made.
None of the other representatives would ex-
press views on the time it would be issued.
The Chairman was given the privilege of
reassembling the conference at any time.
General Martin said that he was receiving
from to 20 letters day indorsing tho sent
iment of the manifesto Of July 2. The
other department commanders talk in much
the same way.
There won't be anyone go from In
diana" said Commander Travis, ''but the
delegates. The posts are all thoroughly in
dignant. General Lew Wallace, General
NJ. d. Manson, Governor Hovey and others,
who were to attend, have told me they
would not CO."