Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-09-14

.N.s4N
OF the EssnIutions Adopted-women'
Relief Corps Business Hampered by Liti-
CATION over Mrs. Clark's Rights-The
Gathering About at an End, Today Wit
Messing the Final Features.
LOUISVILLE, Sept. 14-So far as the vet
Grams are concerned the twenty-ninth an
nual cncampmcnt closed last night with
a. many attractions as on any other night
of the week. The ladies, however con-
tinuc in session today. Yesterday there
Were over 1900 at the old kentucky bar
bccuc, and last night the campfres were
largely attended, with the principal events
q, Music hall, Phoenix Hill garden, and
National park. Among the speakers We're
Generals Gordon, BUckncr, j. w. Burke,
Ca,ius NJ. Clay, Senator Burrows, and
CoIonci5 VI ID. Wickersham, Samuel Nc
Ecc, u. G. Russell John II. Leathers and
others. The veterans remain longer than
usual this week, as many are going to
other army events further SOUTH and to
the Atlanta exposition. General Lawlcr
and staff leave tomorrow night to spend
the first part of the week at the national
rncampncnt Of the Sons of Veterans, and
the last of the week at Chattanooga and
the ChickaHauga battlefield.
Grand Army Hall of Records.
Independence Hall will be the pcrma-
ucnt depository of all the books, records
end relics of the Grand Army Past Com
mdrdcr Wagner, Of Pennsylvania, offered
this famous old building i'm the name of
the people of Philadelphia to the cncamp-
mcnt and it was accepted. An effort was
made to abolish the ''house of lords ut
all future cncampments. By this all past
commander -in-chicf would lose their
right To, seats in future cncampfhcnts. The
proposition created lively discussion, but
was defeated. DR.. J. i. Whiting. of James
vile, Wis, was elected surgeon general
by acclamation. Rev. T.. j. Hill, of New
Jersey, and the Rov. Thomas &. Iliff, of
Utah, were nominated for chaplan-in-
chief. The vote resulted in the election of
llin.
Committee Report on Pensions.
The report of the committee on pen.
s'on-, after reviewing the work accom-
plish"d by thc soldiers of the Union dur
ing the wnr and the laws passed in their
behalf, says: I'm some quarters the old
soldier has come to be looked upon in the
Light of u burden instead OF great and
patriotic privilege. as ne should still ap-
pear, when viewed in his true character
Ei"rring to this visw-whOlly unworthy
of great and patriotic pcoplc-construc-
tions have been put upon the laws, wise
and irst in themselves, by and under
which burdens and restrictions have been
imposed upon those lily able to stand up
under them. The just provisions author
Il. II.
though the law passed in the interests of
the pcnSioncr a. u just recognition of the
obligations of the country Were criminal
laws to be strictly construed and the pub
lie hcncHciarics thereof Were public enc
mics para sites seeking admission To the
treasury uf the United States"
Insist ON tho Full Measure
After commenting further upon tho
Justice of the pension laws. and the pur-
pose for which thcy Were passed, the report
continues: we dcmand for otSr comrades
the Just due which the country gladly con
codes No niggardly cutting down of pen
sions under the gusc of reissue; no partial
and grudging allowances that cut here and
thrrc--wili meet the full measure of duty
that the country owes to its surviving
heroes Nothing short Of full measNrc,
dealt with un honest hand, u liberal heart
will ever meet with the appreciation of
the American people. Fer this we appeal
To the grateful patriotic sentiment OF the
whole people. and We earnestly believe
that our appeal will not be in vain.
Demand a Liberal Construction.
.Rcccding from no position that We
have heretofore taken, rcailirming all our
previous declarations on the subject, we
specially demand liberal and just con-
rtruction of the laws passed for the benefit
cf the pcn-ioncr to the end that in his de-
c!ining years he may not be harrassed with
doubts born of distrust or the difficulties,
thrown around him by n rigorous or re-
-trictcd construction of the laws passed in
the past To relieve his condition" The re-
port was unanimously adopted.