The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-09-26
LAWLER is COMMANDER.
Grand Army Veterans Elect Him by
Small Majority.

Grand Army Veterans Elect Him by
a Small Majority.
A Pittsburg, Pa, special says: After
one of the most heated contests in the
history of the order, Col. Thomas G.
Lawler, of Rockford, ILL.,, was elected
commandment chief of the Grand Ar
my of the Republic, defeating his only
opponent, Colonel Ivan N. Walker, of
Indianapolis, Ind, by the narrow ma
jority of eleven in total vote OF 649.
Considerable excitement attended the
balloting, the two candidates fire.
quently running neck and neck, while
twice the Indiana man was in the lead.
His friends had figured out that he had
won by six maj ority until the result of
the ballot was declared and the boys
from Illinois, in the theatre as well as
in the lobby and out on the sidewalk,
went fairly wild with enthusiasm.
Lawyers election marks the down
fall of the Pennsylvania and eastern
element that has long been all-power-
full in the high councils and control OF
the order, and will lead to the appoint
ment of new quartermaster general
to succeed General Louis E. Wagner,
of Chicago. Lawler was offered the
support of the Pennsylvania delegates
on condition that the appointive power
was given to the east, but he declined
to enter into any bargain, and so the
eastern strength was thrown to Walker.
The western and southern delegates,
however, voted solidly for Lawler. He
was nearly forty votes ahead when the
calling of the roll of delegates was
concluded, but twenty-nine votes from
the officers and council of the admin
istration went to his opponent and the
Rockford veteran was literally pulled
through by the skin of his teeth.
THE OTHER OFFICERS.
The other officers elected by the en-
campment were: Senior vice comman-
der, Major A. P. Burchfeld, of Pitts
burg; junior vice commander, Charles
H. Shule, New Orleans; surgeon gen.
eral, O. w. Weeks, Marion, O.; chap
lain-in- chief, Rev. t. H. Hagerty, st.
Louis; representative to council OF
administration, Charles W. Gerwig.
The southern members of the coun-
Gil elected are: Virginia and North
Carolina, August Hagen; Tennessee,
H. W. Veasey Arkansas, A. d. Thorn
as; Georgia, Joseph H. Thibadeau;
Alabama, G. H. Patrick.
Hearty applause greeted the resolu-
ton directing the incoming command
er in-chief to endeavor to secure the
reinstatement of discharged from gov
ornamental service, and also to protect
such veterans as yet remain in office.
AS a rider to this resolution the fol-
lowing was also carried amid vocifer-
Gus shouts:
''That the Grand Army of the Re-
public, in the twenty eigth national
encampment assembled, respectfully
request the president of the United
States to issue an executive order to
the heads of the several departments
of the government, and through them
to its subordinates having the power
of appointment, employment and re-
tention of persons in the public serv-
ice, that due consideration be given to
the claims of veterans of the war, and
that in letter and in spirit any laws in
reference thereto. which give them
preference, be faithfully carried out. !"
Breaking all previous records, in
beginning and ending its business
within two days, the twenty eighth ma
tional encampment of the Grand Army
of the Republic adjourned sine die
Thursday night. A year from next
Monday the boys in blue, crossing
Mason and Dixon's line for the first
time IN the history of the order, will
fraternize with their opponents of the
sixties and thus make visible demon
stration of the oft-repeated assertion
that there is no longer north or
south, but one country, free and I'M
davided. And, if but 1.-THE of the
pledges and promises made by the
visiting Kentuckians are redeemed the
encampment of 1895 will never be for
gotten, either by the union or confede-
rate veterans, that are fortunate
enough to be among the participants.
DDInTADTES IN NALROTINA