New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-16
GRAND ARMY BUGLE-NOTES.
CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION AROUSED.
SHALL THE MEMORIAL COMMITTEES OR THE
POST AUTHORITIES DISTRIBUTE
CHARITY FUNDS7

fpU
the meeting of the post commanders and quarter
letters held on sunday afternoon. March Z, at No 1oo
povery. and the subject matter which was so warmly
debated there. The point at issue was whether INC
Memorial committees OF New York and Kings counties
mr. the post authorities the proper mediums through
bch the sums raised for charity under the act OF the
legislature OF 1883 should be distributed. promi
nent comrade who has held high official places III tic
organization gave his views about it yesterday in TINS
way: ,.,
The comrades who Joined in the meeting OF sunday
afternoon feel that they being Overshadowed ana
their rights dsregarded by those who have cohtroi
in the Memorial committees. The commanders u
pts are responsible men and the post quar'efii''e
are bonded officers. The law OF the State requires
This In all the other counties OF the state except
New York and Kings the money raised by act OF the
legislature FOR the relief fund OF the Grand Army IS
turned over by the supervisors to the quarleFlScIS
of the respective posts TO be expended uhdef 'nc VI
recon of the post commander and the POST keie 'oh
mittee In this county and Kings this fund goes 10 ,c
Memorial committees and il is spent as the TWO co'eIe
which run them decide. If post commander ana Ills
officers are not sufficiently plant they are likely 10 ScV
little or nothing poor and inhlm comrades lo
ing 10 them for aid. ,
Besides, the men who took part IN the SUM-
meeting think that more money should be voleu pS '
Newlork Board of Estimate, to be placed III INC i'i
fund. The posts of this city devoted during hst !''
the sum OF SlI 200 TO assist lndIScnt NCtcld' "''
families. The city ought 20 add at least Slo'ooo TO
this amount / think the taxpayers of the city wo'ua
not. object If the Board of Estimate made the sum
equal that given by the posts themselves lhslcu
of this il seems that only $1,000 was obtained we
ask that the posts OF the city, and not the Memorial
Committee, be made the almOners OF this luhu "h''-
ever it is. The officers of the posts know better thah
the officers of the Memorial Committee who OF ther
membership need relief and assistance. Tie Memorial
Committed Ourht n continue its work TO du uu-
fortunate comrades from Other places, who may he
stranded in NewYork and stand in need OF ao' Ihe
committees pension bureau through which veterans
or their widows and orphans may secure the pensions
them without the cost and intervention OF claim
agents. is an excellent thing and should be sustained
Bnt the relief of local veterans should be in The
hands of the posts TO which they belong. We there
fore desire that the law be made uniform throughout
the State
There are always two sides to every disputed case.
A well-knowG coinrede, of the stuFdiest Grand
Army men in the whole country, who has devoted
twenty years to the labor of obtaining employment
for veterans who wanted work. relieving the needs OF
The sick ard destitute among them and those de
pendent upon them, and trying to get pensions for
those entitled TO them without fee reward. made
these observations on the situation the other day.
I'VE Of the Memorial Committee have been taking
care OF the distressed and ntrm among ont comrades
and of their widows and fap;ns. for many long years
credit than blame Eut there hae audGeN'v arisen
lot of statesmen who thiuk that now is the time 10
distinguish themselves. Although the great United
States Government has at host forward ana with
the Dependent and Disability pension laws promises
10 take care of tie destitute and disabled in our ranks
a. IL originally agreed II do when we went INTO Inc
war, these great WHO did nothing to relieve us
Of our burden while il heavy. now that it to
be SO much lessened believe that there IS glory for
them somewhere by holding meetings and making
speeches abusing the Memorial Committee. Now
that the time is coming when we shall not need thclr
services or any relefmOney they can raise they are
anxious TO make themselves conspicuous Before there
is any change the law the Legislature should take
the advice of all the posts Of the city. know that
a large majority Of the New-York posts don't want
any change. Their verdict in the matter VIII be
sensible and just and am willing to abide by It,"
Past Department Commander ClarksOn touched upon
some of the points involved in his annual address
follows:
In many OF the counties Of this State provision has
been made by the posts Grand Army for the COM
rades needing assistance " having the superVsos OF e
county obtain the money through the tax levy which
money under the requirements of the law Is paid out
by the commander and quaIteimastcr.
In this connection would call the attention Of the
encampment and thus Of the entire department TO
decision OF Judge Fursan, OF the supreme Court OF Us
State by which no ordered mandamus 10 be issued on
the application Of George L. Willard Post a. through
Conorado Lewis E. Griffith directing the fiscal oilcels
o. the CITY Of Troy countrsIgn and pay draft drawn
by the commander Of Post "a on the CITY Chsmoefa'h
70 relieve tho wants several INDECENT veterans ana IN
the course of that decision he declares that the feI
committee NJ the post is made sole judge Of the
for aid and that the commander and quarter
master are authorized to upon the fund to supply tho
necessary assistance certified BY the committee
That the pubc authorities know the exact nature
g, the relief Afforded and investigate the CIRCUMSTANCES
# they 80 DESIRE the requires 1.-THE COMMANDER u
file annually detailed statement OF the reei iur9H'u
during the preceding year, and that IN case any ioN
is dishonesty Improperly applied the oonI VI 4
and ouartermaster lie prosecuted Tor It's
recovery" ,. q.
To do this work Of the Grand ArHiy-chalS ~
seems 10 the Department Commander that stronger po
arr more desirable and better accomplish what 10 70
~ d. ,bov can the better affect general sentiment
O, the peoole OF the yicinage they have smaller i"o
Q. expense and hence larger proportion oil Ac i'0D
can 70 70 the legitimate work OF the ordef. H., ,,,
Comrade Joseph W. Kay publishes Ill o'e ia a'..
number Of Home and Country" some interesting
s,at,tics in an article headed War Veterans III INC
Customs service Comrade Kay las had access u
the official records of the New-York Custom House.
and he finds that the total force in the customs |
vice Of the Port of Newlork (Which docs not iI'.1
that Of the Naval Office is 1,2o2. Oh ths hui'Ooi
364. or a little rs per cent, are veterans VI
the war for the Union. OF the whole l2o2' ia arc
exemnted from and O58 come within the purNlcw
of Civil Service rules. OF those exempted the veterans
number seventy five, or about - per CENT Vi ','
ffty-seven have been appointed by the present ooco
tor. while OF those whom lie fOand IN the service
when he entered on the discharge OF his duties sAceh
have been retained. The number OF veterans VIM
come within Civil Service ralcs Is 2oo Oi ti!S array
nineteen were appointed and forty three reilstated
under the present regime, while 227 are what arc
called followers Employment in the public service
for veterans is better than pension The letter ana
spirit of the statutes confer 1t on those WHO er'cu
tie county when 1t needed defenders
nar,nont ~ Vev York lost exactly 700 comrades
by death: more than an average regiment after SIX
months service.
From June 80, 1871. to June 80, 1890 said Depart
nent Commander Clarkson in his annual report. made
at Rochester last MONTH the large sum Of T2lo3'o"
has gone from the post, Of Inc Grand Army Oh INC
Republic to help and bless less fortunate 'onr"u's