Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-13
G. A. R. ENCAMPMENT.
PENSION REPORT ADVERSELY cRITI-
ClSINC ADMINISTRATION ADOPTED.
Louisville Chosen no Next Meeting Place
on the Eloquent Invitation OF
Henry Watterson.

ut''6'''' ~ tHe Natlonal Encampment |
Of the Grand Army OF the Republic got
down 10 solid business basis this morn
ing. The national encampment opened
this morning In the new Grand Opera
House The commander in chief and
delegates were welcomed on behalf OF
the Citizens Executive Board by Chair
man Daniel c. Ripley, ana by W. c.
quincy. the chairman OF the Committee
on Invitations and Reception. Governor
Pattison welcomed them on behalf Of the
state Of Pennsylvania, while Mayor Nc
Kenna, OF Pittsburg, and Mayor Kennedy.
Of Allegheny. performed the same plea
SAINT duty on behalf OF their respective
cities.
The serious business OF the encamp-
ment proper then began. The election
for commander In chief will not be held
until Tomorrow. Since the withdrawal
Of Judge Charles -. Long, .of Michigan.
the opinion IS rapidly growing that Col
onel T. y. Walker, OF Indiana, VIII se-
c ire the coveted honor. The selection Of
the next encampment city has also been
deferred until tomorrow. While surface
indications are that Louisville will have
a walkover. 1t is hinted that st. Paul has
been doing good work In a quiet but very
effective way
The claims OF Louisville for the location
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic en-
campment Of 1895 were presented to the
national convention by Henry Watterson
this morning. Just as soon as the well
coming addresses were concluded, a mo-
tion TO suspend the rules and give audi
once q the Kentucky orator was adopted
4 NFH1
reception The speaker retired amid a
| storm Of applause. Then the doors were
closed. and the encampment went into
secret session. 10 hear the address OF
Cornmander-in-C n-Chief Adams. anl the as
sociate national officers.
Ia the presentation Of Mr.. Watterson at
the opening session the supporters OF
Louisville stole big march on st. Paul,
and the advocates Of the latter are con-
sderahly dlsgrunted. as It has been in
varahly the practice 10 defer the nomi-
nation Of the place o6 next encampment
until the second or closing day Of the
convention. Speakers for st. Paul will
be heard this afternoon or tomorrow.
When Henry WattersOn wns introduced
TO present the plea Of Louisville for the
next encampment the silvcr-tongued
escort Of the "star-eyod goddess was in
his best mood Among his hearers, from
applause. and when. i'm a pathetic moment,
he allowed n few tears to course down his
cheeks. there was a lachTymOse response
| that would have been appropriate 70
! funeral Before his peroratiOn had been
| reached, the success Of the leading city
Of the Blue-Grass State was assured
and the orator retired amid such an ova-
tion as "A national encampment has rarely
! bestowed even upon one Of its favorite
sons
! Close attention was paid by the dele
| gates TO the report Of the commander
| in-chief.
| PENSIONS
! When the report Of the CoInnittee on
! Pensions was read, cheers punctuated
| every paragraph. 1t was signed by Com
| Iades II. T.. Taintor. 4. VI. Warner, and
| J. w. Walker chairman, and read as fol-
! lows:
Your committee would respectfully re-
] iterate the sentiments and renew the
| recommendations touching the rights or
| the Union veteran and the duties Of the
| government toward him, embodied In our
! report submitted TO the twenty-seventh
national cncampment
! After the adoption Of that report by
| the national encampment there was
! change in the action of the Pension De-
partmeut on its rule for the suspension
of payments without hearings. and many
Of those whOse pensions were suspended
under that unfair rule have been re-
stored to the rolls. Your committee is,
however, Of the opinion that there is
Still Just cause for complaint in techni-
| cal rulings and requirements Of the Pen
| sion Department which work unfqvorably
! to the applicant and result in unjust Dis
| elimination against his interests. that
| doubts are unilstly decided adversely II
| the claimant. which, under any reason
! able liberal construction, should be de-
| cided in his favor.
order no 30 from the Department
| of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions. issued
| June II, 1888 is especially obnoxious, as
| establishing needless and hard require
| meuts in the preparation and forwarding
Of testimony In support Of claims.
| we insist that evidence very often
! procured after years Of effort ond at
| great expense Of time and money ON the
pant of the applicant, should not be
| thrown out for mere lack OF form Or
! want Of compliance with any rurel2
| technical or arbitrary rules, and We
urge that this order be 50 modified as -
| provide that all evidence presented be
| fairly examined.
| call tn attention Of the National Encamp-
| ment to the fact that a large part of the
appropriation made by tho filty-scc1ud
| Congress for the payment of J. nsionS
| for the year ending June 30, lHi was
unused and turned back into the Treasury,
| while hundreds Of thousands OF unad-
| Indicated claims remained p-ndiug in the
| Pension Bureau.
| 'At the Same time circuit II CIdlINtl On
| behalf cf Congress and the admlalStra-
| ton upOn the ground that the aggregate
| appropriations haV- been reduced; yet IL
! appears the only reduction made has been
! Effected by cutting down the apprOprid-
ton for pensions. so that Union veterans
alone feel the effects OF this spirit oI
! economy.
1T Is significant fact that while
period Of seventeen years elapsed between
/ tn. ending Of our war with Mexico ana
the close of the war for the Union, yet
| the amount now expended for the pen
/ sfoning of the soldiers Of the Mexican
war is increasing. while IN amount eN-
! pended for pensions 10 Union veterans y
| diminishing.
I'VE feel compelled 10 say that there IS
! evidently on the part Of both the admin
! istrativc and the legislative departments
a feeling OF hostility toward our worthy
| and suffering comrades the wards OF the
/ nation. who bore the h at ana burden
Of the battle feeling which certainly
should not exist in country saved by
! their devotion.
"Nhilc the Grand Army Of the Republic
| is pledged to purity IN public AFFAIRS,
| and WILL therefore, SympathiZe ana CO.
operate with any and all proper chQrts
at economy, To the end that all pubic
burdens may be- reduced to the minimum.
we view with extreme regret that false
economy which shavcs and parcs 10 the
quick, at the expense OF honor, justice
and patriotism.
I'VE insist upon an honest. patriotic
construction and administration Of the
.xisting pension laws. and that every Just
claim shall hc eedily settled, 50 that
whatever is found due shall be paid while
the applicant IL alive to receive ~.
1--WE are confd mt that the loyal senti-
mant OF the country will condemn q policy
that attempts to recuperate the public
Treasury at the expense largely Of the
slender purs - Of our disabled heroes
widows, and orphans.
The adoption Of the report was moved
and seconded by dozens of voices from the
hodv OF the house. Commander Adams
waited "A moment as though in eXpecta-
tio1 of a speech either in support or dis
sent. Not delegate rose The motion
was put and the report was adopted with
n deafening shout.
Again the order Of business REQUIRED 10
tbe location Of the next encampment.
and the invitation Of ST. Paul was pre-
,sonted in eloquent addresses by eX-Com-
mander-in-C Chief Judge John p. Rea and
Colonel j. y Davidson. But an over
whelmlng majority Of the delegates were
stiu under the spell OF the "star-eyed god
dsss" and her "Old Kentucky Home,
and when the question was put the viva
voce vote in favor Of Louisville was s."