The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-09-05
speech, which, as he says, Is the last he will
ever make Gen Sherman said.


that Milwaukee is full of them and they are
coming out OF the bushes everywhere. If you
think you are the only old soldiers you are mis-
taken. There were
OLD SOLDIERS BEFORE YOU
and there will be again. Such is the providence
of the world, just as good men were born a thou
sand years ago and will be born thousand
years hence All we have to do is TO do our
parts in this short period Of life honOrably and
honestly. l think we pass the grand
tribunal and say: we have tried to do our
We have passed through one crisis OF our
cOuntry's history. | don't see any chance of
another, but nobody knows the future. Bring
up your children to love and Venerate the old
soldiers who fought in SCI and S65 and make
them uncover their heads when they see that
little banner that you followed in the days
which tried to the utmost Let us ven
crate that flag and love our country and
love each other and stand by each other
legs on our bodies. Those old soldiers who
marched against the enemy in those trying days
a grateful country tries its best to assist and
Will. think, in fact, | am sure, give to you
when you get old all that is necessary. But
keep young long you can, and do not GO
into soldiers home if you can help it.
BOSTON CHOSEN FOR 1890.
This afternoon Boston was chosen as the
next place Of meeting. Saratoga, Indianap-
oils and Washington were also nominated,
but Boston received an overwhelming vote.
Speeches in favor of Topeka, Kan, and Los
Angeles, Cal, were made with view to fut-
ure results.
PENSIONS
The pension committee, composed of
George T. Merrill, John S Kountz, j. T. H.
Burst, R w. Blue and Lucus Fairchild, sub
mitted the following report:
The committee regrets that owing to the short
session OF congress and the crowded condition of
business following the last enCampment very
10 in no Of iOa1 ho9 hapTN
ACCOMPLISHED in the work for which the COM
mttee appointed. Immediately after the
holiday session of congress the pension com
mlttee held meeting in Chicago, and from
thence, by appointment, called upon the preSi-
dent-eleCt at his home in Indianapolis having a
very pleasant interview and receiving from him
the most cordial assurance of his warm interest
in the great question Of pensions, and his earn
est desire for generous legislation in behalf Of
the defenders of the Union. Immediately after
another meeting of the committee was held in
mentioned, and from the facts narrated in the
last report of this committee it found i'm
possible to bring about any additional legisla-
tier during the remaining days Of the session.
Following the practically unanimous expression
of opinion by the last national encampnent.
your committee prepared two pension bills.
The disability bill was brOadened in it's provi-
stons as to include your endorsement for
PENSION TO THE WIDOWS
of all honOrably discharged veterans. This bill,
as thus enlarged, provides pension of Sl2 per
month to all honorably discharged soldiers and
sailors who are now, or may hereafter become
disabled, without requiring proof that such dis
ability arose from causes actually within the
line of their service, and, as in all other
similar bills prepared by this commit
tee, without any requirements Of
dependence in relation to such disabled vet
Grams, thus relieving the bill entirely from the
Objectionable faint of paupertsm; pension for
all dependent parents from the actual time of
dependence, whether occurring at or subsequent
to the sons enlistment; increase of pensIo MS
to minor children from 81 to IS per
month, and n pension tor all widows
whether the deceased husband was or was
not in receipt of a pension. The committee also
prepared bill granting pension to each hon
OrabIv disChaIg ed veteran at the monthly rate
of one cent for each days service, with a mini
mum limitation of So per month. Bills contain
ing all of these provisions were then in various
forms before the committees of congress,
but it was found, on consultation with
members, entirely impossible in the
then state of public affairs to secure
any favorable action thereon Should the en-
campment reaftirm its opinions of one year ago.
these bills ready for early presentation to
session; and from interviews with leading mem
bers of both houses. and the cordially friendly
attitude of the administration and the liberal
views OF the secretary OF the interior and the
commissioner of pensions, the latter being APP
pointed after
EIGHT YEARS FAITHFUL SERVICE
on this committee of the next session of con-
gress, legislation may be had which shall go far
toward the completion of the full measure of
the nations Indebtedness to the men who de-
Tended her flag. Down to the time of the ap-
pointment Of this committee in 1881, little or
nothing had been done by the veterans as a class
toward systematic work in relation to the
liberalization Of pension laws. Immediately
afterward it was found that the work of the
pension department was seriously hindered, and
the adjudication of hundreds of thousands OF
cases delayed, from the lack of a sufficient cler-
ica force ia that department. as we'll as in the
offices of the adjutant general and of the sur
geon general, from which latter much
necessary information in regard TO
pension cases must be secured.
Upon consultation with the then commissioner
of pensions the committee asked of congress an
increase in the force attached to these various
offices for the purpose of expediting the bust
ness. By the then session of congress the Cler-
ical force in the pension office was increased
from TAG to 1859. To the adjutant generals
office added 167 clerks, to the surgeon S &C
and tifty-tWo to other departments connected
with this work-a total of 1,2lO additional
clerks, at III expense OF nearly $4,000, 600 an
nually. Following this the committee asked of
congress and secured law giving the commits
sioner of pensions the power to appoint boards
of examining surgeons thSouGhout the
necessary to expedite the work of pension
examination. The next recommendation of this
committee that became law was for the appoint
ment of special pension examiners in the field,
and 25O were appointed to hasten the examina-
tion into pension cases about which questions
arise. Another recommendation that became
law was for the employment of experts tC
special diseases in cases demanding special ex-
animation.
THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION
Of the committee which became law was the
increase Of pensions to $50, 1856 and S45 for the
loss of leg, ARM foot, hand, or equivalent dis
ability. The committee next found that in the
practice of the pension office the claim OF sol
dier to pension from disability was universally
attacked upon the ground of existing disability
at the time of his enlistment, and he was com
PEELED to prove that he was in sound health
when the government accepted his services.
Pension agents had been permitted to charge
pensioners whatever sums they saw tt for their
services i'll connection with such pensions. In
many cases these amounts were enormous
Upon recommendation of the pension commit.
tee the agents fees were fixed and limited
by law. Still later. the recommendation
Of this committee was adopted by con
from So to $l2 month. 1t was upon recon-
mendation Of this committee that laws have
been passed very largely increasing the pensions
for the sevcrer disabilities. The disability bill
prepared by this committee and which passed
| both houses Of congress, but was vetoed by the
president, provided for pensions to all disabled
soldiers. without reference to cause
| of disability; to parents in all cases
where they became in needy circum.
stances after the death of a soldier, instead OF
| the present law, refusing pensions in any such
case. except where parents were dependent
| upon the soldier at the time Of enlistment. This
| bill also provided for the continuance of every
soldiers pension in case of his death to his
| widow in her own right, and increased the
pension of minor children. The committee hac
pending before the last session of congress an
| other bill providing pensions for all widows
| without reference to the cause of the deGtf
of their husbands, bills for the sur
vivors of the rebel prisons anc
| for the re-enactment of the arrears law
While the foregoing does not comprise all tina
| has been accomplished by the Grand Army pen
| sion committees, nor indicate by any means tn,
entire amount of their work, it is sufficiently
| comprehensive, and exhibits enough accomp
| lished fact to Justify the original appointment
and we recommend that the work be vigOrousl!
pushed tor the year to come upon the lin
marked out by the national encampment,
ADJUTANT GENERALS REPORT
The following points are taken from thu
annual report of Adjt. Gen. Eugene F
Weigel:
At the time Commander Warner assumed
command in 1898 the were forty departments
comprising $3.50 p0sts, with total member
| ship in good standing Of 361.149
I and now, after the lapse of year
| forty-two permanent departments, with GIL
posts, and a membership in good standing o
| 3S2, 5S2, being net gain of two departments
| 351 posts and q, 431 comrades in good stand
| ing. The two new departments are those o
| Alabama and Georgia, where posts We're form
| erly included in the department of Tennessee.
| Gained by muster. go, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 44,24!
| Gained by transfer. Observation-Disclosures. S,21;
Gained by reinstatement ........,,...,. %, SO!
| Goi11 from oil