The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-01-03
OLD SOLDIERS BANQUET.
CIeyeIand's Pension Policy Scored.

The annual banquet of r. P. Cummins
Post, G. A. r., IS always a notable local
event. The one in the opera-houss Thurs
day night was the most successful in the
history of the organization.
Division Commander Sample and danght-
er, Of Pittsburgh, were present and added
much to the pleasure of the evening. the
former by stirring and earnest address and
the latter by several delightfully."- rendered
songs.
A large number Of veterans were present
from distant paris Of the county-sons Of
them having travelled % miles through q
peiung rain storm in order to enjoy one
more social reunion with their comrades.
The banquet was prepared By the wives
Of the local members Of the Post, and while
the annual e. \ r bsnque;s of the past
have been noted for their excellence, the
one Thursday night exceliei all Of its pred
ecesSors.
Tne comrades assembledin the Post room
al an early hour and transacted all that re-
manned Of unfinished business for the year
1888. and 81 . O'Clock they adjourned to the
Opera House, where the feast had been pre-
pared and awaited their attack. Unforiu-
nstely Commander Sample and daughter
had missed their train al lockwood and
were compelled 10 make a nine mile drive
10 Somerset through the rain. They arrived
before the comrades had lsfI the tables and
were greeted with a round of chsers and
provided with seals.
After Comrade Sample had been PERSONAL
ly presented to ali present, Capt. Harrison
mounted the stage and called the assembly
to order f. p Saylor delivered the address
OF welcome. He spoke feeling of the rap
idly diminishing ranks of the Old soldiers
and Of the good feeling that resulted among
the survivors from these annual meetings
he spoke also, of the prominence attained
in all walks Of life by the boys who had
carried muskets in defence of their country,
aud intimated in most delicate way that
be had been accorded some measure of
prominence and honor himself
Commander Sample was next introduced
by the Chairman, who said that this was
the first visit r. p Cummins Post had ever
received from Commander since It's organ
ization.
Comrade Sample replied that be was glad
to be there, although his presence had cost
him one Of the weariest rides over the rough
est road he had ever travelled, But be
continued, &" l would have come TO Somer-
set tonight if | had had TO walk" de
complimented the comrades upon their an-
nual social gatherings, and the ladies upon
The interest they manifested in them.
There must be something in this G.. 4.
r. he said, that will bring men and wom-
en- ont night ike this, and there is some
thing in il that IS not to be found in any
other organization. This organization was
founded upon the battle field, among men
who slept under the same blanket, who
drank from the same canteen, who shared
their last crust and who carried the last
messages Of the dying. Il is a comradship
that was cemented ia blood aud that ties
soldiers one to another as nothing else can"
After referring briefly TO the patriotic spirit
that had fired the men Of Pennsylvania in
the early sixties, ComrAde sample declared
that there was never such demand that all
old soldiers stand shoulder 10 shoulder as
now. 1T is necessary that We stand togeth-
er in order that our voice msy be heard at
Washington aud thunder in the halls of the
Capitol, he said with great earnestness. He
criticised the order of Mr.. Cleveland's pen
sion commissioner requiring that pensions
be suspended pending investigation as to
the merits OF the case. he protested fierce
iy against the action Of the Administration
officers in branding comrades as peTjnrers
before they have been proven guilty. He
told Of number Of incidents that have
come under his own personal observation
where the greatest injustice has been done to
disabled and starving veterans. Ia conelu-
sion he eulOgized the old soldiers for the
par. they had taken in saving the country
and in crushing the rebellion, and said he
trusted the day would never come when a
oomrade would be ashamed to acknowledge
that be had served in the army that had
crushed the greatest rebellion the world had
ever known and had preserved the unity of
the states and from the ranks which 50 many
eminent men in all the professions and avo-
cations had sprung simply because venal
press aud more venal public officials we're
attempting to dishonor their record.
The Commanders address aroused great
deal of enthusiasm.
Comrads j. 5. Hsrkey followed in short
address, in which be gave his views on the
pension question. Rev. Hsrkey has stud
led the pension question carefully, and in
his opinion no class Of our citizens have
been 50 grossly slsnderei and misrepresent-
ed and unjus:ly treated as have the Cd sol
diers. DE expressed his Indignation at the
assertion that " the pension roll should be
made roll of honor" and at the people
who reiterate it in every community.
1t is roll of honor now" He
demanded to know the name Of any veteran
in this community who was drawing pen
sion from the government to which he was
not entitled and promised to make it known
at the department in case the charge could
be subStantiated
IL was half past IL O'Clock when Comrade
Harkey concluded his remarks aud the
Chairman announced that the balance OF
the program would be dispensed with.
W. II. Koontz made few remarks in re-
gard to the European Influences during the
rebellion, at the conclusion Of which Com
rade sample led in singing Marching
Through Georgia.
A Remarkable Man Dead.
In the death Of George Miller. at bis home
in Jefferson township, last Tuesday, this
county lost oDe OF her most remarkable
characters. Miller was seized with small
pox when only three years old, and since
then he had been totally blind. s1me fifty
a-o IL -