The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-09-09
GRAND ARMY ENCAMPMENT
Annual Address Of Commander-in-
Chief Weissert.
Strong oisapproval Of any Tampering With
the Pension Laws...Report Of Adiu.
tant General Ray...Crant Mon.
umsnt Fund.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept 1.-THE
annual convention of the e. a. r.,
opened Tuesday. Commander in
Chief Weissert delivered his annual re-
port in manuscript form. The report
OF the committee on legislation laid
stress Oh the fact that laws should pro-
vide that those discharged from mill
tary service by reason of wounds or
sickness incurred in tho line Of duty
should have preference in appointment
to public Office.
The report Of Adjutant General Ray
shows that the order had gained So,
members during the year and lost by
death, discharge and suspension, SO, ,o25.
The total membership in good standing
39T,223. Thirty-fve thousand veterans
were suspended for various causes.
The death rcll call exceeds that of any
previous year. Seven thousand and
two comrades had joined the fright
wing" of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, which has gone into camp
across the river. During the year the
order has disbursed S397, 900 in char
tiles.
The Grant monument fund has bal
ance on hand of $1,000. The report of
Surgeon General VIM. c. Well, NJ. d.,
says that the ranks of the Grand Army
was composed, us a rule, of las hardy
and sturdy set of men as can be found
anywhere, age and condition taken
into consideration" Consumption, how.
ever, and grave lung troubles seem to
have great footing in the ranks,
which is due probably to the exposure
of camp life. He recommends that n
home or hospital for the treatment of
these cases be erected by the govern
lnent in the long life pine region of the
south.
The address of the colnmander-in-
chief comprised over 5000 words. On
the pension question he said:
Pensions are paid by all civilized ma
tions, and are the natural results OF war
They arc recognized in this country by
enactment of law, and they are granted
under law on complying with certain re-
qulrements and when the require.
ments have been fully complied with
and the pension certificate issued, it was
supposed and justly believed that was'
final and that tho pensioner was not sub
lect to the whims or caprice Of officials.
Recently, however, we find scores of
worthy veterans, some above the age of,
three score and ten, yes, four score years,
many suffering ron wounds received,
on the battle field, or disease
incurred while in the service of their
country, or other disab Utilities which are
covered by law, cut off from the pension
roll without first making proper investi-.
CATION; BY very large majority the
Fifty-frst congress passed what is known
as the disability bill, which was supple
nentary to previous enactments of n sim
liar nature. The vote was one which con-
vinced everyone that tho country
wanted the bill to become II law.
1t received the signature of the presi-
dent and became Il law on the 9th day of
June, 1890. The Law was considered a
wise one and has given general satisfnc-'
ton AS you are aware, during the past
three years, some of those who were not
the friends of your country during that
mighty contest from 1851 to 1865,
have taken every means within
their power to create Il public sentiment
against pension laws anl pensioners. 1t
IS hardly necessary to state that many of
these who wore and still are the most Bit
ter in their denunciations and abuse, do
not contine themselves to facts, ard most
of them were not in the army on either
side