The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-10-05

At the conclusion OF the address the re-
ports of the Adjutant-General, Quarter
master-General, Surgeon-General and
Judge Advocate General were submitted.
The report of Adjutant- General Fred
Phisterer gives the total expenditures Of bis
as the per capita tax of two cents per MEM
ber produces an income Of but $4,000, the
Adjutant- General says that the tax should
be et least three cents per member per an
mum. He says that seni-annual returns
from posts and departments are uuueces-
sary. and that annual reports will suffice.
He also calls the present inspection sys-
tenn unsatisfactory and cumbersome, and
thinks that the installing officer of post
could also act as its inspector. A revision
of the present rules and regulations is also
recommended. The number Of persons en-
titled to seats at the present encampment is
stated at 1l45, Of which 453 are representa-
tives-at-.arze and apportioned according to
membership December 81 last.
During the last calender year there was
gain of 229 in the number Of posts, making
the total number 1868 There was gain In
membership Of 81, 40l, but the losses were
66, 100, leaving the number Of members in
good standing December 81 last 407, ,7s1, an
apparent loss OF 170S.
ibis loss is said to be apparent, because in
three thousand had been added without au-
thority and the returns previously made
were incorrect, so that there was actually a
gain Of about twelve hundred in the total
strength Of the organization. During the
year the deaths numbered 6404; honorably
discharged, 1870; transfers, 946O; suspen-
sions, "a, 337; dishonorable discharges, 467.
and delinquents, 1852. Commenting on the
losses, the Adjutant-Genera says:
"Practically it may be said that the mem.
bership Of the Grand Army is now at It's
highest point It, no doubt, will reman about
the above numbers for few years to come,
when, necessarily, it must decrease, ana tne
decrease will be rapid"
Departmental returns show that from July
/, 1891, to December 81, 1891 500, OIL was ex.
pended by the various posts for the relief OF
Unfortunate comrades soldiers widows and
orphans and the total expenditure on that
score from July /, 1871, to June 81, 1891, was
S222l,7O4 The Adjutant- General believes
that these figures are not correct, and says
that there is no doubt the actual amount was
larger.
The annual report Of Quartermaster::
General Taylor to the Adjutan tant-General
shows the total expenditures Of the organi-
cation during the last year to have been
S3O,21e, leaving balance on hand Of s154S.
The amount realized from the caput tax was
sl3O51, and from sale Of supplies S22, lF.
The largest item Of expense during the year
was s12,357 for postage and incidentals.
The total amount to the Grant Monument
Fund Is S11,57S.
B. F. Stevenson, Surgeon. General of the
G. A. r, in his report says that at the close
Of the fiscal year June 80, 1892, thers were
s7e O7S pensioners on the rolls. and that the
appropriations aggregated s1ss, s,1aa,ss7. In
addition to these vast expenditures She an
nual appropriation for the numerous Gov
ernment homes was 81, 633, $40 There are
also 173 Government cemeteries kept up BY
Government appropriation. -.
The most important and interesting fea.
turs Of the afternoon session was the selec-
tlon Of Indianapolis as the place where the
next annual encampment will be held;
Lincoln, Neb., announced that she would
not make a contest and after Governor
Chase, Of Indiana, had made an address e1'
tolling the advantages OF Indianapolis
that place was selected by reclamation. The
encampmsnt then adjourned till soclocs
next morning.