Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-09-07
THE c. A. R.
The National Bnoampment For
mally Opened.
GOOD WEATHER AND BIG ATTENDANCE
Ex-President Harrison Congratulates the
Veterans on the Glory of the Old
Days-Iliuminationsa At
Night.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept 5.-Thanks
10 the weather and the successful car
rying out Of the admirable arrange
ments perfected by the local commit
tees, the twenty-seventh national en-
campment of the q. A. r. opened most |
auspiciously. So far as the number of !
visitors from outside points Is con-
cerned, the success Of the encampmeut r
is already assured. All day long the
railroads poured stream Of people
into the Hoosier capital, and some
where in the neighborhood of $4,000
people must have been turned loose
into the streets of indianapolis.
Almost on the very spot in Military
park where, thirty-one years ago, the
citizens presented TO Col. Harrison
and his newly organized SEVENTEEN
regiment of volunteers the standards OF
Indiana and the United States TO carry
before them TO the war, the ex-presi-
dent yesterday afternoon dedicated
Camp Wilder, the name bestowed upon
some 300 tents in which reunions of
regiments and old soldiers societies
will be in full blast for the remainder
OF the week. About 5000 people par
tioipated in the exercises, which in
cluded addresses by w. A. Ketcham,
Gen. @. T. Wilder, for whom the camp
is named, and Gen. Harrison; patriotic
music by the band and the raising Of
the stars and stripes to the top OF
towering pole.
When the ex-president was intro
duced he was greeted with volley of
cheers that was thrice repeated. He
apologized to his fellow-citizens for
having remained so long at the sea-
shore, while they were working hard
for the success of the encampment; ad-
mitted that he felt in some degree "a
shirk;" INDUCED in some interesting
"reminiscences regarding the park and
surrounding neighborhood in the days
of the war, and eulogized the bravery
and devotion TO country Of the Indiana
troops.
mo Indiana soldier" said he, "need
be ashamed to open TO the world, in
friendly competition, with the records
of sister states, the story of Indiana's
part in the great rebellion. But the
beauty of it all was that these rcgi-
ments from Indiana and these from
Illinois, and these from Ohio were all
one. They were not Indiana's soldiers,
Ohio's, or Illinois soldiers, but soldiers
of the United States. The cause was
one, the glory is one, and, visiting COM
rades from other states, we are not
here to exalt ourselves, but to take your
hands as comrades and share with
you the glory Of the greatest result
thatwas ever achieved by war in human
history. II there Ii any man anywhere
who does not honor the union veteran
he does not live In Indiana. II there is
any man anywhere who suspects him
or would detract in the smallest degree
from the merits of his service he is not
here to-day. You will not meet him on
our streets. II there is anyone who can
ever find IL in his heart to speak of the
wounded or disabled veterans OF the
war or of the veteran who has now
fallen by the way, after brave
struggle for nearly thirty years
in the pursuits Of civil life, he
does not live here. My comrades
these tents about us are pitched many
days march nearer home than those in
which you dwelt here in 1891. They
will stand but for day and vanish.
You go to your own homes, to the shell.
ter Of those roof trees, to the compan'
ionship of those families from which
you separated yourself in time of wal
and 10 which you returned with an In
creased love and conservation. You
will go back to pick up the duties Of
your citizenship, with a higher sense
of these duties of the glory and sweet.
ness of this flag, than you had befor,
you came here TO mingle with thes,
comrades, to listen TO these stirring
songs and to stir each other by the re
membrance of those bloody days"
II is probable that the encampmen
will indorse the action of Com. Weis
sert In suspending Farnham post
of New York, for its action in adopting
and circulating resolutions approving
the pension policy of the present ma
tional administration
At the afternoon session of the con
vention of naval veterans a motion l.
incorporate the organization under tn
laws of the state of New York was de
feated. The object of the resolution
was to enable the body to prosecut
any Of its officers who might be charge,
with embezzlement or other irregular
tiles
There was contest for the position
of rear admiral commanding, and Os
borne, the present incumbent, wa
finally chosen by vote of 83 TO ~ owe
Francis Ballen, of Hartford, Conn, tn
present commodore.
The reception rendered by the citi
Gems committee at Tomlinson hall I
the officers and delegates TO the nS
tional encampment was brillian
social function. Gen. Harrison d,
livered the address OF welcome, an
Commander-in-Ch Chief Weissert made I'll
response.
As finale there was a dancing pr,
Rramme of twelve numbers Later
the evening Gen. Harrison attended
reunion Of comrades OF the army of III
Cumberland.
Ten thousand people packed Nom
ment place and the adjacent blocks
witness the inaugural electrical illun
nation of the soldiers monumen
Sixty-flve incandescent lights, borde
ing the base and tower of the shat
circling the approaches and arrange
In flags and other devices on the fol
sides combined TO produce an effect q
most eclipsing the gorgeous illumin
ton of the administration building
the worlds fair.
Operatives Kick.
FALL RIVER, Mass, Sept AT
large and excited meeting Of spinner
To discuss the question of a strike Il