Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-09-29
THE G. A. R. MEET.
Rough Sketch of the Proceed
ings of the Encampment
at Washington.
A Membership of Over 40O,O 900
Reported by the Adult
ant General.
Resolutions of sympathy fol
President Harrison--In-
dianapolis Wins.
Weissert, of Wisconsin,, is Elected
Commander-in-Chief by
Acclamation.

Weissert, ofWiscOnsin, is Elected
COMMENCEMENT by
Acclamation.
The Goth national encampment,
G.. A. r., begun its session in Al
baugh's Opera House, Washington.
Gen. Palmer read his report as COM
mander-in-chief, and the reports of
various standing and special commit
tees were made.
The official meeting was called to
order by Adjt.-Gen. Phisterer at 1890,
when there were less than 500 dele
gates in the house. He presented
B. III. Warner, of the citizens execu-
tive committee, who introduced Hon.
J.. w. Douglas, president of the dis
triCt board of commissioners, who
welcomed the encampment to Wash
ington. Gen. Palmer replied. At
the conclusion of his address the en-
campment was declared open, and re-
ports of the adjutant general, quar-
termaster general, surgeon general
and judge advocate general were SUBJ
mitted.
AN ARMY OF 407 900.
The report of the adjutant general,
Fred Phisterer, began with the state
ment that when Commander-in-Ch Chief
Palmer assumed Office there were
practically no funds on hand to carry
on the business of the adjutant gen.
erals Office, except $4,000 in United
States bonds, which it was not deem.
ed wise to sell, and no income was ex-
pected until after Dec. 81 last. Con-
s~equently the most rigid economy
was necessary. The total expendi-
lures of his Office during the fiscal
year aggregate S1l, 800, and as the per
capita tax of 2 cents per member pro-
duces an income of but IS. 600, the
adjutant general says that the tax is
plainly insufficient and should be at
least 3 cents per member per aunum.
He said that semi-annual returns
from posts and departments are un-
necessary and that annual reports
Will suffice. He called the present
inspection system unsatisfactory and
cumbersome, and thought that the
installing officer of a post could also
act as its inspector. A revision of
the present rules and regulations was
also recommended. The number of
persons entitled to seats at the pres
ent encampment was stated at 1,I4S,
Of which 453 were representatives at
large and apportioned according to
membership Dec. 81 last.
The adjutant general devoted a
page of his report to a history of the
events attending the refusal of the
officers of the department of Louis
lana and Mississippi TO recognize as
entitled to membership nine colored
posts, duly organized and chartered
and recognized as valid by Comrades
Alger and Veazy, preceding COM
manders in chief. The adjutanu gen.
eral told how the department officers
were suspended for characterization
and how finally a reorganization was
effected with the loss of five posts.
He said: ''The suspended officers
have not yet been brought to trial for
disobedience to your orders as in your
fraternal feeling you believed that
their course was dictated more by
prejudice and bad counsel than by
wilfulness."
During the last calendar year, as
shown by the report, there was a gain
of 229 in the number of posts, making
the total number 1868. During the
calendar year there was a gain in
membership of 64,401; but the losses
were &c, 100, leaving the number of
members in good standing Dec. 81
last, 4O1 ,7S1, an apparent loss of 1,T08.
This loss is said to be apparent be-
cause in one department it was found
that nearly 5000 had been added
without authority and the returns
previously made were incorrect, so
that there was actually a gain of
about 1000 in the total strength of
the organization. During the year
the deaths numbered 6,404: honor
ably discharged, 1,S29; transfers,
9,460; suspensions, 34,367; dishonor-
able discharges, ACT, and delinquent,
1852. The acknowledgement COM
ments shortly on these losses and
says:
practically it may be said that
the membership of the G.. A. r. is
now at its highest point. 1t no doubt
will remain about the above numbers
for a few years to come when, neces-
sarily, it must decrease, and the de-
crease will be rapid.
The report closed with a statement
compiled from departmental returns
that from July /, 1891, to Dec. 81,
1891, S96,01l was expended by the var
ious posts for the relief of unfortu-
nate comrades, soldiers, widows and
orphans, and the total expenditure on
that score from July /, 1871, to June
80, 1891, was 1921, 704. The adult
a%nt-general believes thatthese figures
are not correct, and says that there
is no doubt the actual amount was
larger
SYMPATHY FOR HARRISON.
A feature of the session was the
presentati on of the following resolu-
tion by Junior Vice Commander
GARRISON:
Resolved, by the members of the
Goth national encampment of the
G. A. r. and through it of 500, 900 of
its members, that their most sincere
and heartfelt sympathy are hereby
extended to Comrade Benjamin Har-
rison in the deep affection which has
kept him from our midst, and we
earnestly hope and pray that his no
bic wife, that true American woman.
may be spared to him and to us for
even greater opportunities for good"
Ex-President Hayes, who was pres
ent as a comrade from Ohio, arose
and simDly said: 81 second the raeo-