The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-13
WITH A DEAFENING SHOUT.
CHEERS PUNCTUATE THE PENSION
 COMMITTEES REPORT.

COMAuTTEE'S REPORT. It Insists Upos an Honest, Patriotic Con- struction and Administration 1.-the ES- isting Psnsion Laws, and Claims Shall be Settled.
 Pittsburg, Sept. 12.-Standing room commanded e high premium In the Grand opera house this morning when the twenty eighth national encamp- ment of the G. A. R. was formally open ed. In the parquette sat the delegates 10 the highest body of the order. while The three balconies were packed with veterans of greater or lesser distinc- tion. Speeches were made, and then }. when the report of the committee on pensions was read cheers punctuated every paragraph. The reports says:
 "Your committee would reiterate It's sentiment and renew the recommenda- tions touching the rights of the Union veteran and the duties of the govern ment toward him embodied in our re- port submitted to the twenty-seventh national sncampment.
 "Your committee is, however, Of the opinion, that there Is still just cause for complaint in technical rulings and requirements of the pension depart ment which work unfavorable to the applicant and result in unjust discrimi- nation against his interests; that doubts are unjustly decided adversely to the claimant, which under any req sonable liberal construction should have been decided in his favor.
 "Order No. 229 from the department of the interior, bureau Of pensions issued June 1s, 1898, Is especially obnox- ious as establishing needless and hard requirements in the preparation and forwarding of testimony in support or claims. We insist that evidence very often procured after years of effort and at great expense of time and money on the part of the applicant should not be thrown out for mere lack of form or want of compliance with any purely technical or arbitrary rules, and we urge that this order be so modified as to provide that all evidence pre- sented be fairly examined.
 
 call the attention of the national en- campment to the fact that large part of the appropriation made by the Fifty second congress for the payment of pensions for the year ending June 30, 1894, was unused and turned back into the treasury, while hundreds of thou sands of unajudicated claims remained pending in the pensions bureau. At the same time the credit is claimed on behalf of congress and the administra- tion upon the grounds that the az gregate Eppre lions have been re. duced, yet 1t appears the only reduction made has been effected by cutting down the appropriation for pensions so that union veterans alone feel the effects of this spirit of economy.
 "It is a significant fact that while a period of seventeen years elapsed be- tween the war with Mexico and the close of the war of the Union, yet the amount now expended for the pension ing the soldiers of the Mexican war is increasing, while the amount ex- pended for pensions to Union veterans is diminishing. We feel compelled to say there Is evidently on the part of both the administration and legislative departments feeling of hostility to our worthy and suffering comrades, the wards of the nation, who bore the heat and burden of the battle-a feeling which certainly should not exist in country saved by their devotion. While the Grand Army is pledged to purity in public affairs and will therefore sym pathize and cooperate with, any and all proper efforts to economy, we view with extreme regret that false economy which slaves and pares to the quick at the expense of honor, justice and patriotism.
 "We insist upon an honest, patriotic construction and administration of ex- isting pension laws, and that every just claim shall be speedily settled, so whatever is found due shall be. paid while the applicant is alive to receive it.
 We are oonfidsnt that the loyal sen timents of the country will condemn a policy that attempts to recuperate the public treasury at the expense largely of the slender purses of our disabled heroes, widows and orphans"
 The adoption of the report was moved and seconded by a dozen voices. Com mander Adams waited moment as though in expectation of a speech, either in support or dissent. Not a delegate rose. The motion was put and the re- port was adopted with a deafening shout.
 The matter of the location of the next encampment was then considered. Just after the welcoming exercises to- day Henry Watterson had made an eloquent speech presenting the claims of Louisville. Now the invitation of St. Paul, Minn., was presented by ex- Commander-in-C Chief Req and Colonel Davidson. When the question was put the viva voce vote in favor of Louis vile was 50 overwhelming that the op- position instead of demanding a call of the roll bowed acquiescenee.
 On the call of the departments for nominations for commander-in-chief Colonel I. N. Walker of Indiana and Colonel Thomas G. Lawler of Illinois were named in suIogistic speeches. The election was made special order for noon of Thursday and the encampment adjourned.
 BRILLIANT WEDDING.
 
 Rev. William Hanson Sage is Welded to Miss Jane Osvanaugh.