The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-22
INDIANAPOLIS NEXT.
The Grand Army Delegates Vote
to Meet There Next Year.
THE REPORTS OF THE OFFICERS.
mmander-in- Chief Palmer Presented
With Two Handsome Gavcis-Inci-
dents and Gossip About the Great
Encampmcnt at the Capital.

dents ana GOsbip ADoue tho uHoos
Encampmcnt at the Capital.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-The 26th an
nual cncampment of the q. A. X. opened
with 1147 delegates, one chosen from each
of tho various departments, Others ai-
lotted on the basis of membership OF the
departments, and others still members OF
the encampment by virtue OF present or
past Office in the national organization.
Tnc encampment is the legislative BODY
or congress of the order. lt eiects tno
comman der in chief and other national
officers, receives their reports, reviews
their administration and outlines the
policy to be followed by the Grand Army
OF the Republic acting as unit.
Albaugh's Opera House was the seems
of the encam pment and IL was beautllul-
ly decorated inside aud out. Gen. Phist-
erer presided. Hon. j. w. Douglass,
president OF the district commissioners,
welcomed the delegates.
Gan Palmer responded. A beautiful
gayel. silver mounted and made from
woods take from Fort Sumter, Gettys-
burg. Five Forks, Chickamauga, Appo-
mattox Court House and from the frigate
X KearsarQe. was presented to Commander
in Chief Palmer by his aides OF the De-
partment of the Potomac. General Pai-
mer made brief address OF acceptance.
Another gavel, representing the home
OF Washing ton, was presented by the
citizens committee. Gen. Palmer cor
daily responded and was loudly ap-
plauded.
Gen. Palmer then delivered his annual
address, which was loudly applaudeo'
Then came the reports OF officers.
Reports OF Oficers.
The report OF Adjutant General Fred
Phisterer begins with the statement that
when Commander In Chief Palmer as
sumed offic. there were practically no
funds on hand to carry on the business OF
the adjutant generals office, except $4,000
in United States bonds which 1t was not
deemed wisc to sell, and no income was
expected, until after DEC. 81. last. Con-
s,quently the most rigid economy was
necessary. The total expenditures OF his
office during tho fiscal year aggregated
ali 800, and as the per capita tax of two
cents per member produces an income OF
but $4,000, the adjutant general says that
the tax 10 plainly insufficient and should
be at least three cents psr member per
annum.
There has been gain OF 229 In the num-
ber OF posts, making the total number
1868. During the calendar year there
was gain In membership OF 81, 401; but
the losses were t6, ,103, leaving the num-
Der of members in good standing Dec. 81,
last, 407, ,7sl, an apparent loss of 17oS.
During the year the deaths nnm bered
6404; honorably DISCHARGED 1879; trans
iers 9aS0; suspensions 34,367; dishonora-
bic disc charges 467 and delinquents l,oSz.3
The annual report OF Quartermaster-
General Taylor shows total expen ditures
during the last year of $50, ,216, leaving
balance on hand of S754S. The amount
realized from the caput tax was Sl3, ,Ool,
and from sale of supplies s22,147.
b. +. Stevenson, surgeon general, In his
report, complains that many posts failed
to make any sanitary aud mortuary re-
turns, so that statistics on these matters
are very incomplete. Blanks were sent
TO the several departments, but the only
ones to return reports, embracing the
period from January to June, were Ari-
zona, Massac chusetts, New Hampshire and
the Potomac.
The department of Massachusetts, re-
port shows: Numbcr OF deaths, 25Si pre-
sumably from wounds contracted In
service, a; presumably from disease con-
tracted in service, 81; presumably from
other causes, II; cause OF death not re-
ported, 112.
The report says that according to Com
m ssioner Raum, at the close OF the ds-
cal year, June 80, 1892, there were 676,67S
pensioners on the rolls and that tn the ap-
preparation aggregated e139, ,132 ,37. In
addition to these vast expenditures tho
annual appropriation for the numerous
governmsnt homes was g, ,533 $40.
A resolution of sym pathy for President
Harrison was adopted and followed by
cheering which lasted several minutes.
Later the commander chief held
hundred places which, he said, exhibited
the temper and warm feeling with which
the late commander-in-chict OF the de-
partment of Louisiana and Mississippi
had surrendered the charter OF his post.
The committee on resolutions was an
nounced. 1t includes John A. Reynolds.
New York; w. II. Pierpont, Connecticut;
A. 8. Rowe, Massachusetts,; II. II. Bur-
bank, Maine; p. 8. Chase, Rnode Island |;
Joseph Foster. New Hampshire, and A.
b. Valentine, Vermont.
A recess was then taken. At the after
noon session Comrade Allen OF Virginis
said his department had come into pos
session OF large number OF letters
written by inmates of Libby Prison dur
ing their confinement. These letters
would be distri but ed to the different de-
partments whore tn, writers IRE supposed
to live SO that they might bs returned to
them.
The committee appointed to pass upon
the report OF the surgeon general brought
In report conCratulntinS the u. n. N
upon tn, increased efficiency OF that bu-
reau. The rerort Was adopted, as was
the report OF tho committee on pensions,
which simply recitts it's accommodation
to the pension committee OF the House
that the defect In the law OF June ~,
1890, permitting the decision that death
on the battlefield is not equivalent to an
honorable dhchnrge, be remedicd and the
submission to the commissioners OF PEN
sions OF requerts tt 1t pension agency
be cstablis ned in O;.gon and that the
clerical force OF the pension bureau bs In
creased.
Greetings were received from the Union
Veterans Union, the ladies' OF the q. A. r.
the Daughters OF Veterans and tho Wo-
mans II ilict Corps. Thcn came the ques-
iion of where the next encampment
should be held. Lincoln, Nsb., an
nounced that she W wNuld not make con-
test and after Gov. Chase of Indiana, bad
made an address extolling the advatages
OF lndianapol 3, that place was selected
by acclamation. The date OF the en-
campment will be fix ID later by tie coun-
Gil ot administration. Tho encampment
adjourned till today.
Meetings OF afii lated or ancillary or
gan cations and reunions almost without
nambsr were held throughout tho city