The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-06

luuteu tuub uealil " Hu.sO, 80
more has been paid by individual COM
rades, and not appearing in official re;
ports. In addition, the amount paid
Tor the relief Of distressed comrades by
the Woman's Relief Corps during the
same period, as officially reported, and
not including cases OF personal aid not
10 appearing, Is $l52, 1000. Reports
have not reached mo from other aux
iliury organizations, such as Sens OF
Veterans, Ladies of the G. a. R., etc.
The figures given above show large
increase over the amount OF any pre-
yious year.
The Commander then discussed the
pension question, and said:
The subject OF pensions was taken up
bv the Fiity.hrst Congress at its session,
and, after patient investigation by the
Pension Committees of both houses, u
bill was agreed upon, passed, and finally
approved by the President on the 2lth
day of June, 1880. II is known as the
disability bill. 1t repealed none OF the
previous enactments, but was supple.
inentary thereto. The last National
Encampment passed resolutions thank
ing Congress and the President tor this
law, but favoring service pension legls-
lation.
at would be out of place here for me
to enter upon discussion OF the con-
troyerted question as to whether tho
policy OF legislation adopted is the
wisest and best. think that oil will
agree that il the present enactment is
not the wisest, it is liberal, and that tho
number who at first thought it too ex-
trayagant is rapidly diminishing as tho
provisions OF the act become better un-
derstood. The comparative statement
made by Comrade Tracy, the Secretary
Of the Navy, in recent address, show:
ing the amount paid for pensions and
for interest on the bonded debt OF tho
Government between 1868 and 1892, and
that the interest account exceeds the
pension account, has been q great rev.
elation."
The commander then referred briefly
TO miscellaneous, such as the care OF
monuments, national cemeteries, etc;
observance OF Memorial Day, urged all
veterans to join the g. a. X.
Adiutant General ]. II. Goulding's re-
port for the year ending June 30, 1880,
shows that there are in the order forty.
five departments, with 7,40O posts and
39S, ,007 comrades in good standing. The
sum expended in charities during the
year was $S33,6O9, against S2l7,057 the
previous year. There have been 5,5SO
deaths this year, against 8 5,47o in 1880,
The total apparent membership is 444,..
3O7. Suspensions, delinquents and
transfers bring tho number down to
30S,607.
The Adiutant Conceal believes that
il departments select the best men for
adiutants and quartermasters, and
adopt longer tenures OF Office, the order
can be greatly strengthened and the
membership raised to 100000 or 400, 900
within five years, US there are l,20O, 900
old soldiers now living, The question
OF sinking fund to meet the emergen,
cies OF old age, with Its diminishing
membership and dues, isworthy OF con.
sideratlon. 1t is recommended that
National Encampments be held not
earlier in the year than August 90, TO
allow more time for making up the ma
tional reports after department reports
are received.
Ouartermaster.G General John Taylor
reported the receipts for the fiscal year
as $50, 100; expenditures, $50, ,29Gi bal
ance, Sl,sO3. The assets OF the organi-
zation he gave af S24,7ll.
The surgeon.G General reported the
number of deaths in the order as far as
reported during the year to be 3,l57.
A letter from Commissioner Raum
was read, concerning tho number OF
pensioners on the rolls. The total, in
Guiding the Mexican war and the war OF
1872, is 63O,304. To pay these pension
ers will cost, during the present year,
about Sl16,0 100000.
The afternoon session was devoted al
most entirely to the discussion regard
ing the selection OF the place for hold
ing the next tencampmcnt, After long
heated debate the matterw was settled on
the first ballot by Washington securing
majority OF twenty-seven votes over
Lincoln.
Resolutions were unanimously adopt
ed requesting Congress to pass O law
authorizing the Interstate Commerce
Commission to permit railroads to give
reduced rates to all soldiers and sailors
OF the war OF 'Gl-'6l attending national
encampments. The committee on SEN
iority OF departments was continued an-
other year at the request Of certain de-
partments wantedto furnishturther
evidence before final report was made;
A resolution was unanimously adopted
limiting the length OF the parade at all
future encampments to two miles.
Ex-Prcsident Hayes wss stopped at
the door by the sentinel to-day and re-
fused admittance because he did not
have the countersign. General Alger,
who walked behind him said, IL will
vouch that tho gentleman is all right"
and the man who sat in the White
House was permitted to enter. General
Alger escorted ex-President Hayes into
the hall, and tho two were greeted with
applause.
The location OF the next encampment
having been settled, the interest OF
the encampment is now chiefly ceutered
in the election Of the commander.in-
chief. Capt. John Palmer, Of New
York: A. &. Weissart, Of Wisconsin,
and Col. W. P. Smedburg, of California,
arc the leading candidates and 1t is safe
to say that one OF these will be elected.
The long and stubborn contest in the
New York delegation between Palmer
Hedges ended to-day in victory for
Palmer, after several caucuses had been
held. Mr.. Hedges took his defeat good
naturedly and promised to work for
Palmer. In conversation, Mr.. Hedges said
the Ohio delegation would support
the New York candidate after giving
their own candidate, Gen. Hurst, .
complimentary vote. 1t is also well