Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-09-05

1
whispering humbleness, but as free men
we will demand, asking only that which is
just. We would rather have the nation
help our comrades living than erect monu'
| ments TO them dead. Com
rades, the Roman youth gloried in singing
| how well
Horatius kept the bridge in the brave
days OF old
So through the ages shall the children Of
the republic sing how well you maintain
ed the constitution, preserved the union Of
the states established by the fathers, kept
the flag unsullied, giving 10 1.-The nation u
new birth of freedom Your deeds shall
go down in song ami story which shall be
sung and told by a grateful people TO the
glad coming time
When the war drum throbs no longer,
And the battle flags are fur,ed
In the parliament of man,
The federation Of the world.
Ad.t Gen. Weigel reports that at the
time Commander Warner assumed com
maud in 1888 there were 40 departments,
comprising $3.50 posts, with "a total mem
bership ia good standing of 3jl, l49, and
now, after the lapse of Il year. AZ perma-
nent departments, with G,1ll posts, and
| membership in good standing of 392, $50,
being Il net gain of two departments, 35l
posts and 81, 43l comrades IN good stand
ing.
The number gained by muster was A.
241 by transfer S,2l3, by reinstatement D.
| 500, from delinquent reports 1889, total
gain 1850
The number lost by death was 1896, by
honorable discharge 2,l4S, by transfer 49,
| 1874, by SUSPENSION "a, 1883 by dishonorable
discharge l01, by deliquent reports POOP,
| total loss -, 02j.
Adding the number lost by delinquent
reports and the number suspended who
| are still members OF the ORDER to the mem
/ dot Il iFNoy nj
bership as borne on the rolls July 30, 1889,
| of 4l0.GSj. to which should also be added
nearly three thousand comrades out on
| transfer cards.
For charity and relief the order spent
| during the year $685., b3i, making the total
from July |, 1885, $l,935,935
The pension committee made its report
as follows
The committee regrets that owing TO the
short session of congress and the crowded
condition Of business following the last en-
campment very little in the line of praCti-
cal results has been accomplished in the
work for which the committee was APP
pointed
Immediately after the holiday session of
congress the pension committee held
meeting in Chicago, and from thence, by
appointment, called upon the President
elect at his home in Indianapolis, having
very pleasant interview and receiving
from him the most cordial assurances of
his warm interest in the great question Of
pensions, and his earnest desire for gener-
Gus legislation in behalf Of the defenders
of the union
Immediately after another meeting of the
committee was held in Washington, but
from the circumstances above mentioned,
and from the facts narrated in the last re.
port of the committee IL was found impossi-
ble to bring about any additional legislation
during the remaining days of congress.
Following the practically unanimous ex-
preston of opinion by the last national en-
campment, your committee prepared two
pension bills. The disability bill was so
broadened in its provisions as to include
your Endorsement for a pension TO the
widows of honorab'y discharged veterans.
| The bill as thus enlarged provides pen
sion OF Sl2 per month 10 all honorably dis.
charged soldiers and sailors who are now,
or may hereafter become disabled, without
requiring proof that such disability arose
| from causes actually within the line OF
their service, and as in all other similar
bills prepared by this committee, without
any requirement of dependence in relation
10 such sabled veterans, thus relieving
the bill entirely from the Objectionable
limit of pauperism; pension for all depend
ent parents from the time OF actual de-
pendence, whatever occurring at or subse-
quent 10 the sons enlistment; in case OF
pensions TO minor children from two TO five
widows whether the dece Ised husband was
or was not in receipt OF a pension.
The committee also prepared a bill grant
ing pensions TO each honorably discharged
veteran at the rate of one cent for each
days service. with a minimum limitation
OF - per month.
Is lis containing all these provisions were
then in various forms before the committees
of the last congress, but 1t was found on
consultation with members entirely impos-
sible in the then state of public affairs to
secure any favorable action thereon.
Perhaps following the accomplishment Of
so little in the way Of practical results dur
ing the past year, 1t may not be inappro-
pirate TO note some Of the beneficial legsa-
ton secured through the national pension
committee OF the grand army.
Down 70 the time of the appointment OF
this committee in 1881 little or nothing had
been done by the veterans as class toward
systematic work in relation TO the liberal
ization OF the pension laws. Immediately
afterward it was found that the work of
the pension department was seriously him
dered and the adiudic ltiUn of hundreds of
thousands OF cases delayed from the lack
of a sufficient clerical force in that depart
ment, as well as in the offices of the adju.
tant general and of the surgeon general,
from which later such necessary informa-
tion in regard to pension cases must be
secured.
Upon consultation with the then commits
sioner Of pensions the committee asked of
congress an increase in the force attach ed
to these various Offices BY the then ses.
sion of congress the clerical force in the
pension office was increased from 742 to
1898. To the ad .utant-general's office was
added l61 clerks, TO the surgeons lG6 and
SO TO other departments connected with
this work, a totIl of 1910 additional clerks
at an expense of nearly s., 000, 900 annually.
Following this the committee asked of con-
gress and secured "A law giving the commits
siouer OF pensions the power TO appoint
bands of examining surgeons throughout
the country whenever in its judgement
necessary TO expedite the work of pension
examinations The next recommendation
of this committee which became law was
for the appointment of special pbns on
examiners in the field and 30 wee ap.
pointed to hasten the examipation into
pension cases about which questions arose
Another recommendation which became
law was for the employment of experts as
to special diseases in cases demanding
special examination.
The next recommendation of the commit
tee which became law was the increase
of pensions TO $50, $50 and SO for the loss OF
a leg, arm, foot, hand, or equivalent dis
ability
The committee next found that in the
practice of the pension Office the claim of