The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-09
GRAND ARMY %ENCAMPMENT
The Most Important and Significant
Meeting the Department Has Held.
Contest Over the Peryersion of the Monument
Interest in the Soldiers Home-A Fresh
Alignment of the Order in Indiana.

N1aS "AA&S -
ally been larger than at Evansville. In
none of tits predecessors hasthere been such
q unanimIty of sentiment and evidences of
q greater appreciation of the value Of gen.
uine comradeship. Upon no subject was
there q contest. much less q controversy.
If there were differences of opinion regard
ing the method of dealing with different
subjects. the desire to arrive at the best
means for attaining the desired end led 90
unanimity of action.
In regard 10 the monument, there were q
few at the outset who privately expressed
the opinion that it might be better to drop
the contention with the Langsdale coterie.
but when they learned of his insults to its
committees and petitions. and when he ig-
noredthe monument committee by issuing
areport as the report of the committee, aud
sending it aroun through the mails. ana
to an Evansville member of the Grand
Army to circulate, they at once went over
to the majority. and made the action unan-
imous. and alphabetically so. All the active
men in the organization are pledged to an
effort TO lave the dates in the upper
astrsgsl removed. Those persons who have
been declaring that the opposition TO the
AoukoQ6lo OCkNCiolOu VI tuo mOuuLucut
comes only from q few cranks. or con-
t~entious persons, who represent no real
element in the Grand Army or the COM
munity, would have come to a different
conclusion had they attended the Evans
vile encampment.
The matter of O State soldiers home was
as much talked of as any subject Veter-
ans in every part of the State see the neces-
sity for it. and there Is a determination TO
carry out the work which has been begun.
The experience OF eighteen States sustains
the scheme on the ground of economy. At
the encampment George II. Thomas Post.
OF this city, made the first pledge TO build
second. If the officers of the Woman's Re-
lief Corps could have been present they
might have made the first pledge, since. by
q vote. they pledged the money TO build q
cottage. Col. ID. n. Foster. of Fort
Wayne. was the first man TO announce.
In behalf of a citizen, q pledge TO build a
cottage. At the same time, w. II. Tucker
was on his feet TO announce that. as the
spokesman OF O citizen of polls. he
pledged q cottage. speaking OF course. for
himself. Action was taken to have every
part OF the State. canvassed TO obtain
pledges for cottages, costing $500 or moro,
the purpose being to have the posts In each
county, as far as possible. raise money for
a cottage TO be named therefor. The en-
csmpment voted to go TO Lafayette next
year because the home has been located
tleTt. lie memDeTS u6blTo 10 zee Tue plaC6
and to hold a meeting there to give tho
movement an impetus.
The PENSION QUESTION.
| One feature of the action of the enoamp-
ment deserves to be emphasized, because il
dIsproves the charge that the Grand Army
is an organization whose only purpose of
existence is to raid the treasury for pen.
sions. Past Commander Cheadle empha-
II c,-a =. &-lA. " H4c-roIo- - -As-l
Weisserr to posts to make careful inquiry
in their various localities to ascertain and
report cases. if such could be found, where
persons are receiving pensions to which
they are not entitled. Action was taken
to the end that pensioners whose habits
would lead them to spend their money in
inebriation should be put under guardian
chip to the extent that the bounty 40
corded them by the government should be
paid to their families. Speaking of the
phrase "riotous living" used by q report
referring To this subject, q veteran re-
marked that SO long as the average of sll
pensions paid Is Sl33.40 per annum. q great
many could not live very riotOusly q very
long time upon the money received. Col.
Zollinger, the popular pension agent under
Mr.. Cleveland. tells of a pensioner who. re-
ceiving 81 per month, appended q note 70
his quarterly voucher for 50 requesting the
pension agent TO send his money as soon an
possible. as he wanted TO buy @ farm with
It."
There Is probably moro unanimIty and
real comradeship in the Grand Army In In.
diana to-day than at any previous period.
1t has been assailed as mercenary, as q
burden like the grasshopper." Predictions
have been made that 1t would 90 to pieces
when 1t could not raid the treasury or be
used as O political machine, and that in this
State the dissensions over the monument
would break 1t up. Its enemies ave de.
clared that the organization In lndIanapo-
lis is hostile to the entertainment of tho
National EncampmeDt. All such slandera
and abuse have come TO its mem bers, and
as O result the ranks are reforming and the
elbow touch has been taken anew. while
the motto, Charity, Fraternity and Loyal
ty," has q greater significance. The truth
is. the encampment was enthusiastic over
the prospect of the National Encampment.
When the commeDder-in-chlef predicted
in his speech that Grand Army men would
be here in thousands the announcement
was received with enthusiastic cheering.
The delegates went home TO organiz and
Uniform for the great parade. so that the
Indiana Department., bringing up the rear
of the column. will march through tho
streets of Indianapolis fifteen thousand
strong. Scores of comrades spoke of the
generosity of Indianapolis. and of the rare
Army had q man like Colonel Lilly 60 or
Ranize success. well see you in Septem.
Der at Indianapolis" was the parting word
at Evansville.
THE NEW OFFICERS.
While the Department of Indiana has al
ways been well served by its officers IL was
the remark that il had never selected q
better set of officers than those elected st
Evansville. James I. Johnston is well
known throughout the State. He is o ready
and effective speaker. which is q special
qualification for q year in which the Ma
tionsi Encampment will be the guests Of
the Depar tment of Indiana. G. J. Murphy,
of Evansville, is q man of high character,
and one whose influence will be felt upon
the organization in the Pocket
w. K. Medsker. junior vice command
er. of Cambridge City. Is one of tho
youngest of Indiana soldiers, who could
not have got into the service if the war
had ended In 1St2. but did get into the
Seventy-fifth Regiment later, where be did
faithful service. He is now q successful
attorney and an active Grand Army man.
Dr.. j. Y. HIT, Of Greensburg, is one Of the
veteran physicians of the State. a comrado
who takes an active part in Grand Army
affairs. Chaplain Reed served four years
in the United States signal service. and 10
now pastor of the Christian Church in
Noblesville. Phil ii. Dickinson is the
alternate delegate at large TO the National
Encampment
Perhaps the most significant feature at
tending any encam pment was an informal
conference held the Night before the ses-
sion. Ii was not secret; but every man
could enter and have his word. IL was
catlad far aonaulfatian. huf IN afaas 81.