Evening star., 1893-10-07
ANNIVERSARY EXERCISES
Corporal Tanner Addresses John F. Rey-
nolds Grand Army Post
A Defense of Veterans and Pensions
Pheasant Musical Exercises.

The silver anniversary of John F.. Rey-
nolds Post No. 6, Department Of the Poto-
mac. G. A. R., was celebrated last night at
Metzerott Hall with eloquence, melody and
applause. The stage was flanked with
plants and flowers, and the rear Of the
platform was hung with a mammoth Union
ensign In the midst Of whose folds was an
oil painting Of Gen. Reynolds. Blue and
gold. red. white and blue were the predom-
mating colors. The star attraction of the
evening was Corporal Tanner. He was at
his greatest intensity and spoke with his
usual telling vigOr. A tincture of politics
pervaded his remarks, and he several times
laid violent hands on the pension policy Of
the democratic party. His sentiments
evoked storms of enthusiasm. He prefaced
his speech with the remark that it was a
mistake to dignity it by the word address.
He had been invited to talk on the subject
of the Grand Army Of the Republic, and he
would refrain from the popular issues Of
silver and the tariff. Few people properly
appreciated the beginning and the deeds Of
the Grand Army. Abraham Lincoln, next to
Almighty God. had relied on it to redeem
the nation. 1t had redeemed the nation.
This fact was history. 1t could not be blot
ted out by the vituperation, villification and
damnation Of enemies. 1t would be ac-
knowledged when the snarlers and the
GROWERS had passed the dust and merted
oblivion. In 1861 the promise had been made
that If they would bring back the unity of
the land, the earth and the fullness thereof
should be theirs. They did not want the
earth. They asked but for food and shelter
for those heroes who had grown lame and
halt in their countrys cause. They asked
protection for their aged and infirm COM
rades.
Young men could not appreciate the days
of 81. Then the hopes Of men ran as high
as now: prospects were as bright then as
when this wave Of reform had struck the
country; the bloom on maidens' cheeks was
as brilliant as 1t Is today and the lips OF
the sweethearts tasted just sweet, yet
the boys Of that period yielded up all these
things upon the altar of their land The
thunder of the guns of Sumter summoned
them to prove themselves the worthy sons
of worthy sires He was willing that others
in after years should say whether they had
stood the test. When they fell into those
graves which were yawning for them he
was willing that their records should be
searched. The soldier was not content with
the condition Of affairs today. Public senti-
ment had been educated against him. The
democratic press had been cowardly abu-
sive and the republican press had been
cowardly silent.
Take your choice according to your DO
Htical belief" He cared not very much
whether the country was under a repub-
Ecan or democratic administration, he
Grand Army posts were scattered through
out the land In every city, town and ham,
let. These comrades. next to their loyalty
to God, were loyal to their country, and the
nonor OF the land was safe in their keeping.
He then compared the readiness with
which the soldier had quilted military life
and returned to his civil duties with the
angry waves Of the ocean as they recede
and once again merge into the placid deep.
The nation could never repay the debt it
owed Its saviors. The total amount of pen-
sions paid since 1866 was less than one-half
the sum which had been paid In interest to
bOndhOlders.
When Secretary Carlisle was sending out
checks as interest on coupons, nobody had
heard that the rights of the owners of those
coupons had been suspended. He then told
some stories tending to ridicule the present
conduct OF the pension office. He said he
had been told by an attorney that the claim
OF the widow of a soldier, and who was
working for ten cents per hour. had been
withheld till she furnished additional evi-
dence as to whether she possessed real es-
tate, bonds or stocks. One veteran who
was the victim Of gunshot wounds in the
arms and legs was called on to furnish evi-
dence that he had not come to grief by his
own vicious habits. He stigmatized this sys-
tenn as Infamous. and with italic accents
said, "Oh. the infamy Of it," The
APPLAUSE APPLAUSE was deafening; He had
brigadter who represented his peo-
pie. He thought the south could teach the
north lesson in the payment Of honor to
those who had fought with them. Political
preferment was not open to men in the
south who had not fought and suffered in
the lost cause. Corporal Tanner then paid
a tribute to the southern women. The
confederacy would have been beaten within
two years but for the southern women
Every man in gray who stood in the rank ks
knew that IL he did not fight like a fury he
would return home to have heaped upon
him the contempt and scorn Of the women
Soldiers must stand shoulder to shoulder,
or they must fall. II they wanted to pro-
tect their comrades they must keep in rank
charity. They asked only for that honor
and consideration which was due them.
They had filled the bloody chasm that part
ed the sections with 1000 of their noblest
sons, and had brought back a beautified
and unified nation. They had riven asun-
der the infamous doctrine that man had
personal property in man; that a master
mothers breast or part man and wife. He
was confident that when the last call of
nations was sounded, the United States
would answer Here" at the front Of the
procession.
| Other Proceedings.
Chaplain w. H. Gottwald rendered the
invocation, and a drummer and ffer from
Kit Carson Drum Corps sounded reveille.
Seven numbers were sung by the Grand
| Army Musical Union, with Mr.. E. d. Tracy
as director and Mrs. Tracy as accompa-
| man, Proctor, Garmon, Hodgkin, Player.
Sayles. Callen, johnson, Wheeler Edison.
W!nans. Rose, Helyer, Hawkins, Calver,