The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-09-06


as long ~ We have heads on our shoulders and
legs on our bodies Those old soldiers who
marched seainst the enemy in those trying days
, sEfateiai @ country tries It's best to assist aud
when you get old al that is necessary. But
Keep young as long as you can, and do not 40
into . soldiess home II you can helpit.
BOSTON CHOSEN FOB 1890
This afternoon Boston was chosen as the
next place Of nesting. Saratoga. Indianap-
oils aud Warrington 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.
The pension committee, composed Of
George E Merrill. John Il Kountz, ]. T. H.
Buret, r W. Blue aud Luoius Fairchild, sub
mttted the following report:
The committee regrets that owing to the short
session OF congress and the crowded condition OF
business following tho last encampment very
little IN the line Of practical results has been
nttt.e was appointed. Immsdiately after the
nG,nttasy sScsioa e q ESnsrss. q ~ psn.ion CON.
thence by appointment, called upon the presi-
dent-eicct at his home in indianapolis, having .
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 tn 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 report Of this committee 1t was found i'm.
possible to bring about any additional leeisla-
Following the practically unanimous expression
Of opinion by tho last national cncainplnent,
your . !, committeo @ prepared two pension bills.
stons - to include your endorsement for
PENSION TO THE WIDOWS
OF AZ nonorabiy discharged veterans. This bill.
month to all honorably discharged soldiers and
sailors who are now. or may hereafter become
disabled. without requiring proof that such dis-
line. Of their service. and. ~ in all other
similar sn,t Sis prepared by this commit
srans. thus relieving tho bill entirely from the The
objectionable tafnt OF pauperism: . pension for
81 dependent parents from tho actual time Of
to minor children iiom '' So u t to Gas IS per-
wSsh:r .IS sSe for ~
not in receipt Of . pension. The committee also
prepared bill granting pension to each HON
ofa6iy dise9aIeed , & veteran % st tho monthly rate
mum limitation Of SO per month. Bills contain
Ing Ing al Of these provisions were then in various
members. entirely impossible in the
then state OF public affairs to secure
campmcnt reaffirm Its opinions Of ono year ago.
these bills arc ready for carly presentation to
both branches OF conRrcss at the opening Of the
attitude Of the administration and the liberal
views Of the secretary Of the interior and tho
commissioner Of pensions. tho latter being ap-
EIGHT YEARS FAITHFUL SERVICE
on this committee Of the next session Of con-
toward the completion Of the full measure Of
the nations indebtedness to the men who de-
Tended her flag. Down to tho timo Of the ap-
nothing had been done by the veterans rs class
toward systematic work In relation to the
liberalization OF pension laws. Immediately
pension department was seriously hindered. and
the adjudication Of hundreds Of thousands OF
cases delayed from the lack Of q sufficient cler-
| eeon general, from which latter much
mus. in regard
Upon consultation with Tho then commissioner
Of pensions the committee asked Of congress an
increase In the force attached to these various
mesa BY the then session Of congress tho cier-
| ical force In the pension office was increased
from 742 to 1850: To tho adjutant generals
and ffty-two to other departments connected
with this works. total Of 1910 additional
| clerks. at an expense Of nearly &2.O0O.OOO an
congress- and secured . law giving tho commits
sioner Of pensions the power to appoint boards
Of examining th:ouGhoat the
to Sns.sssf lie si
| examination. The next recommendation of this
committee that became law was for the appOint-
ment OF special pension examiners In the field,
and $50 were appointed to hasten the examina-
tion into pension cases about which questions
arise. Another Recommendation that became
lo thn r,f
special diseases In cases demanding special cx-
animation.
TIE NEXT RECOMMENDATION
Of the committee which became q law was tho
increase Of pensions to $50. $36 and $4I for the
loss OF let. 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. nnd he was COIN
pel'cd to prove that he was IN sound health
Pension agents had been permitted to charge
pcnsioners whatever sums they saw fit for their
services III connection with such pensions. In
many cases these amounts were enormous
Upon recommendation OF the pension commit
by law. Still later. tho Recommendation
| gress increasing the pension of widow
from $9 to &l2 = month. 1t was upon recon-
mcndation Of this committee that laws have
for the severer disabilities. The disability bill
prepared by this committee and which passed
both houses Of congress. but was vetoed by the
Soldiers. without ~ reference ~ to to ''ess cause
Of disability: to parents in all cases
where re, they ,,o became ,s, !, in needy eirc9m:
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 tho
pension Of minor children. The committee had
other bill providing pensions for all Widows
without reference to the cause Of tho death
Si 9vo1a sher ,se ,eSa S" for tho
ior tho re-enactment Of the arrear. law
While the foregoing does not comprise all that
has been accomplished by the Grand Army pen-
sion committees, nor indicate by any means tho
entire amount Of their work, II IL sufficiently
comprehensive. and exhibits enough accomp-
lished fact to justify the original appointment.
and we recommend that the w0rx b0 vigorously
pushed tor the year to como upon the line
marked ont by the national encampment
ADJUTANT GENERALS REroHT
The following points are taken from the
annual report of Adj:. Gen. Eugene +.
Weigel:
AZ the time Commander Warner assumed
command in 1888 the were forty departments.
comprising $3.50 posts. with total member
ship in good standing of 3Gl.l40.
and and now. low after the lapse Of year,
Va
posts. and . membership tn good standing Of
| 1882, being q net gain Of two departments,
351 posts and 21 431 comrades in good stand.
ing. The two new departments are those Of
Alabama and Georgia, where posts were FORM
erly included In the department Of Tennessee.
Gained by muster ...................... 44,249
Gained BY transfer. Observation-Disclosures. S,9l3
Gained by reinstatement. t..,............ 2259g
Gained from delinquent reports. ........ 1888
Total gain. ........... 8a, ,45o
Lost BY death. ........................ 4.69G
Lost by honorable discharge. e.............. 2.l4s
Iost ~ ~ .Hs,,an.,n
Lost by dishonorable discharge ........ IG7
Lost by delinquent reports. 0.Olg
Total loss. 100000. ............. .....72o4o
The loss by delinquent reports Is caused
chiefly by the negligence Of the post officers in
| Of these posts reported Is required Of them by
the rules and regulations, the total MEM
bership IN good standing would have
been 3ss.653 Adding tho number
nni,,,- Lost by Delinquent % reports and the
the order) TO the membership In good standing,
gives total membership rs borne on tho rolls
June 30. 1889. of 41O,6sG. to which should also
be added nearly $4,000 comrades out on trans
fer cards. For charity and relief the order spent
during the year 1927. .637, making tho total
from July !. 1871. IL, ,935. .935.
THE woMAS's RELIEF CORPS.
Those who were fortunate enough to at
tend the convention Of the national depart
men: of the Womun's Relief corps at I'M
manuel Presbyterian church to-day, have
higher appreciation of tho work done