The herald., 1896-09-04
Formally Welcomed by the
City's Mayor
ANNUAL ADDRESS
Strongly Recommends Abollshment OF
the Color Line
Buffalo Chosen for ths neetlng Next Year
The Election Of Officers to b
Held To-day

Associated Press Special Wire
ST. PAUL. Sept. 3.-There was big
audience in the Auditorium today when
Mayor Doran made formal address Of
welcome on behalf Of the city to the G.
A. r.
Past Department Commander Castle
made brief response.
After the doors closed on the execu-
tive session, the opening ritual was gone
through with, committees appointed
and reports of officers presented.
In his annual address General I. N.
Walker, commander-in-ch G. A. r.,
said:
"The total membership Of the Grand
Army of the Republic is 1856, ,406, of which
340610 are in good standing, and 42,511
are carried on the suspended list for
non-payment of dues. The decrease in
this list during the past year is 1859.
The gain by muster during the year was
13,467. The total loss during the year
was 11,4O6, of which number 1928 were
by death, decrease Of rs from last year.
General Walker recommends the
payment of all pensions by mail direct
from the department at Washington,
which. he says, would save hundreds of
thousands of dollars over the present
method of maintaining pension agents
in every state.
Gen. Walker says: 1.-THE great success
that has attended the Woman's Relief
Corps has caleld into existence other
woman's organizations, and these nat
urally antagonized the older organiza-
tions in the affection of veterans, until
we have the humiliating spectacle of
comrades who fought for four years in
the same fight and whose comradeship
has been cemented in fifty battles, now
at this late day in life ruthlessly torn
asunder because their wives happen to
belong to different woman's organiza-
tions. 1t Is human nature, and this
state of affairs will continue until the
encampment shall take some action
that will finally settle the matter He
adds that he hopes the report of COM
mittee appointed by him to see if the
trouble cannot be adjusted will produce
| good.
Regarding the color line, the report
says:
This administration inherited from
! the former one the unsettled question
Of the organization of colored post
at Austin, Tex, over the protest of the
department of Texas. The application
for muster, however, was withdrawn If
this action had not been taken, and the
applicants We're worthy Of membership
in our order, the post would have been
mustered. I shall never forget that the
mo -hn ut 1o1
my escape from rebel prison had
black faces. This is a serious problem
In southern departments, but no honor
ably discharged veterans should be
Disseminated against on account of the
color OF his skin. There must be 6ther.
and valid reasons for his rejection"
He indorses the introd S,tion of mill
tary instruction in the public schools.
The matter of the next encampment
was next in order, and the claims of
Buffalo were presented in brief speech
byComrade Mayor Smith of that citv
Past commander-in Chief John M. Pal
mer made motion that the hoice of the
next location be made contingent on the
securing of a one cent rate from rail-
roads, but no vote was taken on the
motion. After the presentra ton of Buff
faio, recess was taken until o'clock.
at which hour no other names were for
mally presented, the friends of Denver
preferring to get the help of all con-
cerned for securing the encampment of
1885, On roll call Buffalo was decided on
for the encampment of 1897 Denver re-
ceiving, however. small vote.
The recommendation of the commit
tee in favor Of the Pickler bill to revise
the pension legislation was adopted
unanimously. The bill has passed the
house and is now pending before the
United States senate.
A recommendation was adopted fav-
oring the union of the w. r. C. and the
ladies of the G.. A. r. as one organiza-
ton, under the Relief corps. The propo-
sition to allow the Sons Of Veterans to
attend G.. A. r. meetings brought out
three reports, the majority favoring it
under certain conditions. one minority
report opposing the whole proposition
and the other favoring certain modifi-
cations in the plan.
The rest of the session was unimport-
ant, the election of officers not coming
up until tomorrow, being made special
order for $3.50 o'clock. The action of New
York in caucus voting by large major
ity for John c. Linehan of New Hamp-
shire, is considered significant and has
had much effect in bringing about the
chief development of the day in the con-
test.
Major T. S. Clarkson is the other chief
candidate.
The ladies Of the G. A. r. and the Wo-
mans Relief Corps were in session all
day but devoted thier time to making re-
ports. They will elect officers tomorrow.
The Daughters of Veterans held bust
ness sessions and elected officers as fol-
lows: President, Miss Alice Ingraham of
Chicago; senior vice-president, Miss
Julia Croft, Cleveland; Junior vice-pres-
ident, Miss Anna Smith. st. Louis; chap
lain, Miss Stephens, Allegheny, Pa;
treasurer. Miss Ida J. Allen. Worcester,
Mass; inspector, Miss Cora Pike, Mas
sachusetts; installing officer, Miss Ella
Adair, Oak Park, Ill
80 up-kA