The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-25
WILSON Is COMMANDER.
The Hawaiian Government
Condemned for Having
ExiIed Comrades.
A GRAND BANQUET ENJOYED.
The Old Soldiers VIII Visit Folsom
To-Day and See the Prison and
Deserted Mines.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, April 4.-The
encampment of the Grand Army elected
officers for the ensuing year as follows:
Department commander, Charles E. Will
son of. San Francisco; senior vice-com-
mander, w. B. Maydwell of Sacramento;
junior vice-commande, George Hopkins OF
Arcata; musical director, E. E. Russell of
Marysville department chaplain, W.
Acton of Dixon; assistant adjutant-gen-
eral T. G. Mastellar (sixth year); quarter
master-general, Eugene Weigand.
Council of Administration-Coh Bur-
CESS, Miller, Sullivan and Dodge.
Delegate to the national encampment-
A. w. Barrett of Los Angeles.
Delegates at large-C. Elderman, Mr..
Burbank, G. w. White, ]. P. Lauck, H. c.
King; alternates-Ford, Simmons, Wal
lace, Hilliker. Shuck and Baker.
Memhers-elect of the Veterans Home
Association Gridley, Backus, Kennie,
Garnett and Todd.
A resolution was passed unanimously
asking the enactment of the law making
all honorably discharged Union veterans
of the Civil War pensioners when they
shall have reached the age of 60.
The following committees were ap-
pointed:
Transportation-Fuller Arbuckle and
Boskowitz.
To confer with Woman's Relief Corps
and Ladies of the G.. A R. with relation to
the union of the organizations-Wa Walling,
Buckles and Warfeld.
On department badge-Kinne, Fuller
and Ticknor.
On Sons of Veterans-Arbuckle, Bowman
and Blackmer.
On Ladies of the G.. A. R.-Jacobs, Full
ler and Sullivan.
The courtesies of the floor were rendered
to Clarence Ashford, brother of ". V. Ash
ford. once Attorney General of Hawaii and
commander of George w. de Long Post, G.
A. r. Mr.. Ashford made very interest
ing address on matters in the Hawaiian
Islands.
In accordance with his remarks resolu-
tions were submitted condemning the ac-
tion of the Hawaiian Government in ex-
pelling American Grand Army men and
imprisoning others. The matter was re-
ferred to the authors post.
There was nothing in the arrangements
of the annual campfire and banquet held
this evening in the Sacramento Agricul-
tural Pavilion that would tend to recall
the old army regime of commissary pork
and black coffee to the minds of the
veterans of the late war. Long arrays of
tables, covered with snowy cloths, china
and glassware, interspersed with huge
bouquets of crimson roses and white
callas, bear but little resemblance
to the battered and smoke-begrimed
tinware of field life. Crab salads,
turkey, chicken, wines and other delicacies
were presumably not furnished by Uncle
Sans Commissary Department in war
time to be partaken of, while soft strains
of orchestra music soothed the mind and
dissipated the cares of life; bright eyes and
loving smiles, with their setting of bril-
liant costumes and stunning spring bon
nets, were certainly not an adjunct of camp
life; and yet, despite the absence of rem
iniscences, the old veterans seemed to
thoroughly enjoy themselves.
Over 700 plates had been provided by the
committees from the local G. A. R. posts
and failed to meet the requirements of the
occasion by several hundred, and yet after
the second tables had been refilled there
were no signs of dimunition in the sup
plies of the commisary department.
At the conclusion of the banquet Com
rade Frank Miller, who otficiated as toast
master, introduced the newly elected de-
partment commander, Charles E. Wilson,
who delivered an eloquent address on the
formation and fundamental principals of
the organization.
"Twenty-nine years ago." said the
speaker, "the department which 1 have
the honor to command was formed, the
object being to strengthen the ties that
bind together the soldiers, sailors and ma
rines who give up the comforts of home to
meet the foe on the field of battle. An
other object of our brotherhood is to honor
the memory of the dead, provide for their
widows and orphans and assist the needy
among our living comrades. Annually
we hold our parades and reunions, which
tend to inculcate principles of honor and
loyalty to our flag in the hearts of the
children.
Comrades, our ranks are yearly being
decimated by the attacks of death, and, as
we close the gaps in the line and touch
elbows, we fully realize that the G. A. R.
must become a thing of the past, but the
principle we inculcate will live forever"
The address concluded with glowing
tribute to the ladies of the R. G. and G.. A.
Mrs. Alta Comstalk, the newly elected
president of the Woman's Relief Corps,
followed in a neat speech on the objects of
that adjunct, and Mrs. Nellie Gunlock,
national president of the Ladies of the
Grand Army, responded to the toast of
that organization.
She was followed by L. c. Schroeder,
division commander of the Sons of Vet
erans Owing to slight indisposition
Governor Budd was unable to be present,
but was ably represented by that eloquent
young orator, Jud G. Brusie, who rendered
glowing tribute to the toast California"
The .sVolunteer" was ably represented
by J. r. Laine, and General Charles A,
Summer responded to the toast, "The
ladies'" with eloquence that will ever
endear him to the feminine portion of the
assemblage.
Z. D. MCCabe. Governors Badd's p.i.