Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-06
The Natter Referred to q Special Com.
mittee-. e-..Gen. Yealsy'S GiVsls.
Commander. H. Chiefs Speech. Report
Of tho Adjutant General.


encampment &. A. Il. met in formal ees-
sion Wednesday morning in the Mammoth
Hall, that bad been set apart for the busi-
ness dt libers.ions Of the veterans. All that
art sni cultured taste could do to make the
the building attractive. had been exefted in
the decorations which adorned the interior
in emblematic order. Despite the immen-
sity Of the hall, it was crowded to its
utmost seating capacity by the multitude Of
veterans.
It was fully understood that the race
question might be participated in the delib
erations At any moment and become the
subject of an acrimonious discussion and
this impending problem. together with the
projected revision Of the constitution, com
bined to heighien the general interest Ia the
proceedings.
A few minutes before opening, General
veszsy and his staff entered the hall and
were escorted to the grand stand. The ap-
pearapce Of the commsnder-ia-c chief was
the signal for generous applause. and .
minute later the bAnds burst forth id an in
spring military air io harmony with the
martial scene.
Rsppipg the assemblsge to order, the
commander. in-cbieA announced the formal
opepicg vf the a5th annual encampment of
the G. A. X and directed the adju,ant gen.
eral to cali the roll of departments. Every
state aud territory in the union was repre-
sented ard the roll showed the fullest
attendance Of delegates in the history Of
the organiz stion. The opening address Of
the commander in-chief was listened to in
rspt attention by the assembled veterans.
An sbstract Of the address is here given
Gen. Veszey, after = brilliant opening
referred to the death Of Senior Vice Com
mander in-Chief Richsrd y. Tobin, Past
Commander III Chief Charles Devens,
General Sherman, Admiral Porter, and Ex-
Wee President HsmliD.
The female support Of our order, both In
hAracter and magnitude, il too familiar to
require explanation. They bring supplies
to the relief futd, and aid most sfIeciually
in bringing recruits into the post; they gen
orally sssist the posts in their entertain
ments; they sustain them nobly in the OBJ
servaoce of Memorial day they are invalu
able when sickness and death invade the
hous, hold Of the comrsde. They are in
cd our auxiliary and are entitled to cur
gratitude.
The Sons Of Veterans received special
recognition At the 23i NAtiosAl Encsmp-
ment have endeaxored to give it cordial
support on this account and also because
believe ia its present and prospective use
fuiness. Ii has hsd rapid growth within
the past year; more than 30 900 have been
musts red since June 80, 1890. Thirty-two
states ard territories have beeh organized ss
divisions, with more than $500 subordinate
camps.
The present administration encountered
the same disturbances in the department Of
Louisiana and Mississippi that had troubled
my predecessors. The difficulties there
had existed ever since Posts . to IL, in
elusive, Of that department were chartered
and Organized. This wss in 1889, The
charge has always been from different
sources that the organization Of tbs se posts
was 90 tainted with irregularities -
to be utterly destructive Of their
legal existence. Our rules and regulations
provide plain procedure for depart
ment to pursue in order 10 test the validity
Of such charges. A. the department Of
Louisisna and Mississippi has never. since
90 far - I am informed, resortsd to that
procedure. l have held, in dealing With
those posts, that they must be regarded -
having a legal existence until otherwise
re gulariy sdjudicated.
The subjec. Of pensions was taken up by
| the 51st Congrets 1t its fret session and.
after patient investigation by the pension
committees Of both houses, q bill wss
agreed upon, parsed, and finally approved
by the President on the 27th day Of Jure,
1890 1t is known - the disability bill.
II repealed none Of the previous enact
ments, but was supplementary thereto
| The last National Eecampment passed res
olu.ions tbanhinR Congress and the Presi-
dent for this Law, but favofing service
pension legislation
Before the assembling Of the second
session Of the same Congress on the 6fsi
Monday Of December, 1890, l appointed
the usual pension committee OF fvs com
rades TO present to Congress ard the Pfesi-
| dent the views Of the National Encampmeni
| 90 expressed in said resolutions upon the
policy Of legislation that should be adopted.
They consisted Of Comrades X. W. Blue Of
Kspsas, L. T. Dickson of Illinois, Alvin
| T.. Hovey Of Indiana, Warner Miller oi
| New York and Seldtn ConnOr Of Maine.
| The chairman, ComYsde Blue, came to
Washington during the second ses.ion Of
the last Congress and, upon bis iavitation.
I went with him to see the Commissionef
Of Pensions and the President 10 advise With
them generally upon the subject Of pension
legislation, We also appeared before
the joint committees of the House and
Senate. and G ,mFade Blue vigorously pre-.
sented to them tie ssguments in favor Of {
service pension. The committee listene
patiently, but ssid that the whole suetec'
had been sxbaustiveiy considered as the
previous session with the result sbbv,
stated, and thss IL would BE- impossible II
obtain reconsideration before the efficacy
and operation of the Lass eoac. mess b-s
been tested. Uad,r it, for some monsL,
pact, pensions have been allowed ~ III.
Ysts Of more than 1000 per day, and il IL
expected that tbis averaae ell be main
tanned until The docket Of applications Il
substantislly cleared.
Il would be out OF plsee here for me :.
enter upon discussioo Of the contfovefsed
question - to vhssbsr sbs policy Of isgis
lafiou sdopeed 10 the vissss snd bess.
think that ill sgrse that IL the present eo
actmeDt 10 not the wises', il 10 liberal, and
that the number who u fisst thosSns il tos
extrsvsgsns 10 rapidly diminishing ~ th'
provisions Of the sct become better urder
stood. The comparative s.ssemsnt msds
BY Comrade Tracy. the secretary Ct thi
navy, in . recent 'sddress. showing th'
;. amount paid for pensions sni for intef.s