The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-04
FORT WAYNE E~NCAMPMENT
Grand Army Members Prepared for o
Great Gathering This Week.
Many Important Matters TO BE Discussed
Soldiers Home, Rebel Strength, Correct
Ing Records and Other Points.

next in Fort Wayne. and continue over
Thursday. A reception will be rendered
Department Commander Walker. Governor
Chase. the staff officers ard Commander
in-chief Palmer. of Albany. n. Y, on Tues
day night at the Aveline House by the citi-
zens of Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne has
made great preparations for the distin-
gulshed guests. The train for the delegates
and others from this city will be the regu-
lar Lake Erie N Western train. which
leaves the Union Station at l:20 p. II. Col.
Walker and staff and department OIL GERS
will leave on the regular morning train on
Tuesday. There will be no special trains.
The encampment promises to DO one OF
the most important in the history of the
organization In this State. Commander
Walker Will press a number of important
recommendations upon the delegates. Hs
has been very sick during the past two
weeks, but has recovered and expects 10
be able to attend. His annual address will
congratulate the organization In Indiana
that in spite of the advancing iniirmities
of old age. the membership still shows q
net gain of about seventy over the previous
year. The number of members who died
during the year was 33l. The financial re-
port will show "a very decided increase of
assets over any previous year.
One of the most important
tions will be that relating TO the estab-
lishment of q State soldiers home,
where the wives of veterans will
be admitted. Commander Walker will
point out the injustice of sep
aratlng old soldiers from their wives in
order TO give one the advantage of the lib
erality or the national government in one
of the national homes. and perhaps making
it necessary for his wife to be sent to the
poor house. or To become dependent upon
her friends OF the Women's Relief Corps.
1t Will be shown that q ghteen States have
State homes. and that all are doing a
needed and noble work successfully. The
suggestion Will be made that the cottage
plan be adopted The ground, il is thought,
could be secured by donation in the locality
of some one of the lakes in the northern
part of the State and with 800 q year al
lowed out of the national treasury under
an old law for each inmate IN n State home,
the expense to the State would be small.
The recommendation will no doubt take
shape in a resolution calling upon the
General Assembly for an appropriation. \
committee will be appointed in furtherance
OF this purpose.
MILITARY ECoRDs
Another important feature of the COM
msnder's address Will be his stand in re.
gard to the mass of petitions thrust upon
Congress for the correction of military
records. There lie, il is said,
much dissatisfaction among the hon.
orably discharged veterans. who claim
that these ex-soldiers now ask
ing for q correct record are In large
part the deserters and bounty-jumpcrs.
whose only hope of profiting by the disa-
bility pension law is TO get Congress 20
clear up their military records. lt is the
the Department of Indiana will DO
CESSATION of the abuse. Colonel
Walker holds that this indiscriminate cor
rnoftAn Of vnnar1n e nm of,,. - @hA
faithful soldier. and throws great discredit
upon the pension system, besides being a
characterless loot of the treasury. He
says this will be his only recommendation
touching upon the general subject of the
pension laws. The servIce-pension aRita-
tion has collapsed.
The encampment will also be urged to
take NJ the Investigation of the strength
OF the rebel army. Colonel Walker believes
that the statements now made In the South
of the Southern army being greatly IN
ferior in numbers is on q par and piece
with the slanderous stories about Camp
Morton. A will be appointed
for this work. General Carnahan. chair
man of the committee on the Camp Morton
affair, Will make his report. showing the
righteousness of DR.. Wyeth's charges. liz
seventy printed pages in pamphlet form.
There may be some reference TO
Congressman Harter's celebrated anti
free-coinage circular to the posts
Il In the address,, out no commentator,
for the reason that the subject is n political
one, and In that opposed 10 the cOns;itu-
tion of the organization. which forblds the
consideration OF political topics IN It's
meetings. Colonel Walker, while believ-
ing that nine-tenths OF the veterans III
dorse Congressman Harters views of the
result of free coinage. has advised such
posts as have referred the circular to bim
for instructions. to give it no consideration.
There Is an lnciplent movement IN Grand
Army and Sons of Veteran circles of tue
State for a union of the two organizations.
There 10, however, no crystallized senti-
mont as yet upon the subject. and while
the address will give 1T consideration, no
recommendation will be made. Concern
ing the efforts of Indianapolis TO secure the
National Encampnent. IN 1898 for
this city, Commander Walker will urge
that the encam pment T. every assistance.
and join In the proposed memorial TO tue
next Legislature for an appropriation for
the ex pense that will be incurred. Ii IS
reported that Massachusetts appropriated
500 Tor the entertainment OF the Nation
al ~Encampment. In this connection il Is
pertinent To recall that tho Commercial
| Club has interested itself in the enterprise.
and the committee of indianapolis gentle
men who were appointed TO 40 To Fort
Wayne and labor TO bring the next depart
ment encampmeDJ here In 1898. will take
occasion TO secure u pledge OF vote
and influence from COMMANDMENT
chief Palmer. and from the de-
partment commanders of Ohio. MIchi-
gan, Illinois and Wisconsin,, who have
promised to attend the e-ncampment. This
committee consists OF Captain Armstrong.
chairman; General Carnshan, j.. l.. Nc.
| Master, Stanton j. Peelle. Horace Mckay.
NJ. G. IcLain, w. NJ. Cochran, William IL.
Roberts and J. NJ. Payer.
ORPHANS HoME.
The encampment will give much atten-
ton to the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home at Knightstown. in which the organ
ization takes much pride. A report upon
the legal status of the last appropriation
will be received from a committee consist
| ing ot Judge j. b. Black, Judge Marsh, of
Winchester, and senator Howard, of South
Bend. The soldiers and sailors monument.
which is rapidlyDearIng completion. willalso
the death of Gov ALVIN l.. Hovey will be
adopted and the first report of the COM
mittee soliciting funds for u monument
will be received. The monument Will adorn
the south portlcO OF the east front of the
Capitol. This site was selected BIZ Gov.
Hoyey himself "a few months before To
died. General Manson was one day talk
ing of the shortness OF life vet lett 10 him.
when Governor Hovey rallied him upon his
fore bodlDgs and said:
"Pshaw. General. Won will ~outlive me.
Come. 20 with me TO the window and We
Will select d place for our monuments.
There are the places. on the east porticoes.
/ will take tho south one. where &c Is
to a monument 10 Governor Hovey. and
the encampment Will glv tho movement
all the assistance within Its power.
The Woman's Relief COrps will hold ira