The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-13
AT The HELM.
Colonel Walker the Choice sr IN,
Veterans For Commander.
NEXT REUNION AT ST. PAUL.
Commander LAWYERS Views on
Pension Matters,

|
tional encampmcnt of the Grand Army
will be held In st. Paul in 1896. with
Colonel i. n. Walker of indianapolis as
commandcr-in-chief.
With the Seventy-third Indiana volun-
teers he took part I'm the battles OF Perry
vile and Stone River. Colonel Walker.
with "a others, in February, 1864, tunnelcd
their way out from the Libby prison pen
To liberty, but he was recaptured four
days later and returned TO tho prison.
In the contest for senior vice com.
mandcr, General Hobson was elected.
>. u. Cosgrove was elected vice com
mander-in chief Then the encampmont
proper, the Women's Relief Corps and
Ladies' Circle all began their proceedings
at 10 "a. w.. and kept in session all day.
| Tho Confederate veterans, General Bucl,
ncf and Mr. Watterson. took part again
In the receptions and campnres. Mr.
Watterson last night delivered his lecture
on Abraham Lincoln, and tonight Gen.
eral Gordon delivers his lecture on "Tbe
Last Days of the Confederacy"
Colonel LAWYERS Address.
Tho commander-in-chief in his address
said that during the year he had travelled
10000 miles in the interest of tho organ
ization; that he had attended 3s out of az
annual department encampments. and
had attended meetings In every state and
territory in the United States. save two
Florida and Arizona. Veneration and es
TEEN for the comrades and love for "the
old flag" was manifested everywhere. and
especially through the beautiful south
land, from nearly every schoolhouse and
public building in the cities where the de-
partment encampmcnts were held "Old
Glory" was flying.
On the subject Of pensions, the com.
mander-in-chief said: 1--WE all know that
all the Legislation enacted by congress in
the interests OF the old soldier has been
brought about by or through the influence
OF this great, powerful organization. the |
Grand Army Of the Republic, and those of
us who are more fortunate physically |
than others propose to keep 1t up as long |
as we live"
while we are not asking for any now
pension legislation, we do insist that
when law is passed by congress that its
provisions shall be carried out and NOT
misco nstrued by any party who may be In
power. / know the verdict of any court
of loyal mon would be that after n man
has furnished proofs and been granted n
pension, that pension cannot be- taken
away from him without due process oflaw
Il know that this thing is being done. for
have seen the evidence Of il in every de-
partnent In which have been-pensions
from sig 10 SIS and from IS to az
ma many cut off entirely. A man who
applied Tor pension two or three wears
ago Will receive notice that his claim is
rejected, then notified that his case Is re-
opened and allowed, but only from the
lime OF reopening, thus cheating a worthy
nan out of $500 or So Many of our com
AIDES thus dealt with are not able TO bring
uit TO test the constitutionality of this
ort of ruling i would, therefore. recon-
mend that the incoming counsel of adj
hlnstration be empowered to select a case ,
nd prosecute it. {
III mas been the custom of encamp-
nents to appoint "a committee TO prepare
oihe testimonial for the retiring com
lander-in-chief. / recommend that no I
hch committee be appointed this year. Z
ut that the money be used in making n
sst case As TO the constitutionality of the 4
ct of June %, 1890"
The speaker recommended that the in N
lming commander appoint committee
thrce to urge congress to inclu dc In the I
)proprlaiion for the care of national p,
meteries sum sufficient to defray tho
'pcnses of holding Memorial day services l.
each OF the southern cemeteries. He
ld the day should not be made one of "
easure and recreation. Praise was be.
owed by the commander-in-c chief upon q
c Women's Relief corps.
lie urged all posts TO appoint a special o'
nmittce on reinstatement to call ON
cry suspended comrade and settle with
IN In some way and get him back into T.
r ranks
In many departments he heard, he said T..
delegates talking about ESTABLISHING
'ket posts, and believing that consolida- u
IN oil many OF the smaller posts must :.
IN take place, recommended that rho ~
hmlttee ON rules and regulations be i'm. la
ucted 10 prepare plan of organization
d report the same to the next national Ca
'ampment, by which this question of
lsolldatlon and the establishments of r..
Set posts may be uniform and in ac- ~,
uancc with rules and regulations ~
Accident on Reviewing stand. III,
Nhiie 100000 people were watching the >,
WORKS along the river last night. nor. -,
ot the grand stand, on which were Ma
'oo at losst 10000 people, gave way. and j
ny were injured. No fatalities were rc. T.
tea. The part of the grand stand which
was The lower part and only elevated lar
ut two feet. Immediately beyond this s
7, on an elevation of TO 10 feet there NJ
g ooVoJ. The exact number OF peonle D.,
ireu VIII probably never be known i
iccihen who were standing at that Ha
oil the stand say that they saw from 40 =
. persons taken away by friends Jof