The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-01

sGEx. ALcg1 nA4Es DKMAGOOUK
~. yb~ws = P~nsssos-Ths Q. 4. -
! EEEKsssrnG, April MA large eroud i
in he CITY In sttendance q the g. A. r
sncsmpment- The eouncA It administra-
ton mes Ills nornine- Assistant Acju-
tans General Smith ; report shows ten new
posts organised IN - past yer, including
one II Jansaa, Alaska. The Women's ke-
lses Corrs also mes dis morning. The ~
porf Of the ysssidsnt shows seven nev
corps sstahiisAed during the last year.
too suspended and oas surrendered char
ter. While S52s vss expended for relief.
connASpxn cossncyx's EXPORT
Following Is synopsis Of the address Of
8. g. Cosgrove. department commander:
The Department Is % - ecngrasuiassd On TIE
iaeresss Of nemhsrshfp for she past rear. Com
,s1e caxresson had - disciplined the depart
neat sAas ~ the besinnsng Of the past year
there we're no dsiir4uens pnsss % recruit from.
Every rnsx had reported. 30 hat the gain in
nenaersAip this rear II sn shooaute addition 20
the department The great ases Of Seattle,
Riiersoury and Spokane Falls destroyed the
ssupersy and records sf six Of the mast energetic
posts Of sne department For months these
po<ss were anAbse 20 recruit 81 all 10 i safe 20
ssy that asd 10 not been for these dres several
20 csr number by these po<tsL Bat am pleased
10 report taAs faese posss are taking on tneEr
wozsed eigcr. and thar during the coming year
AL Of them. except T. 8 Grant, No. - mustered
ous viii be among the active poets in the de-
partueak
stevens, U. Grant and John r. Miller
posts al IN the city Of Seattle were the 6rxt 70
be overwhelmed Dy this calamity. and the de-
rartment. fearing that many old comrades
might suffer for The neccmar.es Of life, issued .
circular calling for aid 20 be sent 20 the relief
committee at Seattle The amount sent WAS
Sl.e$o.
The new posi- at juneau. Alaska. ID In most
prosperous condition. its returns reaching head
quarters one day before those of any other posi-
Thirty three posts were visited during the year.
and were generally In . nourishing condition
II recommended that the sam of $50 be set
aside - . fund TO pay the travelling expenses OF
department officials.
The report complains Of the tsriiness Of post
cficiais in forwarding returns. etc. recon-
mends that hereafter the quSrfermsxter ser
geanf receive 10 per cent on the amount Of
supplies, instead Of salary; recommends the
employment OF . clerk TO transfer from the files
into q large book the entire history OF each
post. recommends that COM lese roster OF the
department be published and that the journal
of each year be bound with e. making . ready
reference book for comrades: recommends that
q committee of ave be appointed 10 look after
the interests of old soldiers in connection with
the soldier home.
The commander 10 pleased 70 note that Ne
mortal Day 10 growing In popularity with CON-
rsdes wherever there II . Grand Army post He
urges economy in the conduct of department
Affairs. owing TO the large number OF comrades
who are laboring men. During the past year
every cent Of Indebtedness contracted mp to
date has been paid, and balance of xll5 70
mains. To the best Of his knowledge and be-
lief the only debt OF the department IL S1s7E.
This could be repudiased. bat ono seldom finds
. repudiator among the Grand Army men.
During the year several corps OF Womens Re-
lief Corps have been visited There was found
great enthusiasm existing, and they should re-
ceive the fullest sympathy aud cooperation.
Provisional organizations Of Sons Of Veterans
have been established, and win probably soon
be made permanent
The commander takes Q radical stand against
service pensions. and says every comrade should
be classed A. laboref, and II physically un-s
able to perform manual labor should be pen
stoned. The only proof be should be required
70 make is that he IL an honorabiy discharged
soldier. Is no physically unable to perform
manual labor Should we ask for such iegisls-
ton a. this we would get IL. This Is what Gall
legitimate pension legislation. Ask for more
and we get nothing. To ask anything more
than this is unwise. The report closes with
thanks TO oil the department officials, and ex-
presses pleasure at laying down the burdens Of
the Office.
GENERAL ALsER ON PENSIONS.
General Alger rose at the conclusion of
the reading of Commander Cosgrove's re-
port and said he proposed TO criticise so
much of the report as referred to pension.
matters. The general differed with the
department commader as to the debt due
by the government to those who risked all
that the nation might live. He hated
demagoguery rs much a. he hated the devil.
But the fact that some demagogues en-
deavored 10 pose as advocates of pension
legislation was not conclusive as TO the
wrongfulness OF such legislation. The
general went on to show why the service
pension was not practical, because of the
great expenditure Of money to give II effect.
A service pension bill becoming q law
would create an annual deficiency of 500
1000. and any party favorine legislation
creating such deficiency would be killed
dead as door-nail. A disability pension,
but with service clause after the appli-
cant had reached g. years Of age and only
requiring proof OF honorable service and
discharge. viii. In al probability, become q
law before the close of the present con-
gress.
KvKSrs OF THE EVENING.
The meeting ct the wigwam in the even.
Ing was called to order by Commander Cos
grove. who introduced the mayor. The
latter made the speech Of welcome, which
was received with loud applause Com
mander Cosgrovs 81 the close of the mayors
speech introduced General Alger, who
arose amid load applause and made
speech characteristic of himself. He paid
q splendid tribute to the ladies Of the relief
corps. referring TO the noble work done by
them during the bloody scenes of the eos.
and exhorted the Sons of Veterans to 30
on in the good work which would soon be
entirely in their hands. He closed by pay
ing beautiful compliment to the enter
prise exhibited by Eilensbarg in rebuilding
after the great contlagration of last July.
He spoke, too, in glowing terms of Wash
ington. and predicted that she would take
the front place of all the states Of the
Union. The remarks were received with
loud. long applause from the large audi
ence.
General Alger was followed BY Allen
Weir. secretary Of state. who made q few
appropriate remarks. Marching Through
Georges" was sung by the audience with a
will. and then Colonel Visscher kept the
audience ia a roar with a humorous speech.
lie was followed by Senator Parkinson,