The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1894-02-23
KANSAS e. A. R.
Thirteenth Annual Meeting Of tho
Department Encampment.
NEWTON ALL ABLAZE WITH FLAGS.
Department Commander Kelly's Speech
A Grand Campfire Held at Which
Three Thousand People Are
Present.

NEWTON, Kan, Feb. 2L-This city Is
all ablaze with flags and bunting.
Streamers and flags overhang the
streets at every crossing and from all
the prominent buildings The occasion
of all this demonstration is the thir-
teenth annual meeting of the depart
ment encampment of Kansas, Grand
Army of the Repu bile.
Last night there were receptions in
all the halls and lodge rooms of the
city; each organization keeping open
house and trying to entertain their
delegates and friends The Grand
Army has its headquarters at the Ar
cade hotel, where also the w. R. c.
state officers are quartered The Sons
OF Veterans and other organizations
have their headquarters at the Clark.
The sessions of the encampment
were formally opened at o'clock in
the afternoon in the large opera house.
After the formal opening of the en-
campment the reports of the depart
ment officers were presented. Depart
ment Com. Bernard Kelley read his re-
port, and spoke as follows:
On assuming command, with gavel in hand
i promised to give the Grand Army in Kansas
the very best possible service. How well and
faithfully have redeemed the pledge shall
leave with my comra les to decide My effort
has been to save the Grand Army from appall-
ing losses and dsin egration. caused by the
opening OF the strip, the W rlds fair, failure OF
crops, financial panic and the attitude of the
government toward the soldiers to unite and
thoroughly blend all its kindred organizations
. and all soldiers in n close bond Of affection
and sympathy. knowing that If united we are
invincible, but il divided, then certainly de-
stroyed.
Had the,Grand Army of the Republic and the
soldiers OF the entire country remained in unity
our enemies, north as well as south, would not
now be triumphng over us, rilling the land with
falsehood touching the character CT The meu
who saved the nation from ,raitrous hands
who sought Its destruction, and who now hold
high positions In authority; but we can retrieve
the past IL we will
do not deem 1t necessary to discuss the PEN
sion question at length, as every phase Of II is
thoroughly under stool By most Of the soldiers
and the nation at large There Is no class of
men so deeply interested in keeping the PEN
sion rol pure and free from any taint of fraud
as the men who compose the Grand ARMY Of
the Republic and it is q source OF pride that
through the commander -iu.chief and the de-
partment commanders, the Grand Army has
been urged TO promptly report any case Of
fraud coming within its knowledge
The broad statement made BY the chief exec
u:ive of the nation that there are hundreds Of
thousands OF well known cases OF fraud upon
the pension rolls has not been justified by the
facts. based upon q thorough investigation of
the rolls Of the various ag encies Out OF about
1900 suspended ut one agency not one Of the
suspensions was based upon fraud
1hs-notices now being sent out by the rom.
missioners Of pensions to MANY pensioners.
saying that their names would be dropped
from the pc sion roll in thirty days unless they
could reestablsh their claims and right to a
pension by additional proof, as cruel and
unjust as they are uApltriotic The attitude
OF the present administration toward the sol :
diers Of the late war, and especially the PEN
sioner, is, to say the least strange and un-
patriotic.
A grand campfire was held at the
rink last evening, where nearly 5000
people gathered to hear the exercises
The campfire was presided over by Di-
vision Commander Bernard Kelly, of
Topeka. Speeches were made by Col
Hallowell, Gen. Gray, Maj. Morrill,,
Adj Gen. Campbell and others. Every
speaker dwelt at length upon the pen
sion question. The veterans declared
that it was their right to receive pen
sions as payment of debt owed by the
government to it's defenders Ex-Com-
mander-in-Chief Warner will be here
to-day and make the principal address
ut the campfire. The grand parade
e. will be held in the afternoon and will
be participated in by all the school
children of this CITY