The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-04
GRAND ARMY VETERANS,
They Will Be Entertained Next
Year in Buffalo, New
York.
Report Of the Pension Committee at
the Present Encampment
at ST. Paul.

ST. PAUL, MINI, Sept. 8. - Buffalo
will entertain the Grand Army of the Re-
public next year. 1t did not take the Ma
tional encampment long to settle that
question, which in other years has pro-
voked lively contest. Denver. the only
other city which presented q request,
withdrew before ballot was taken.
Admiral Meade's name will not be pre-
sented to the encampment tomorrow.
He realized to-day that he had no chance
of election. New York is now solid for
Linehan, but Pennsylvania is divided,
and it looks tonight as though the COM
mand of the G. A. R. until next Septem-
Der will be placed in the hands of Major
Clarkson of Omaha.
AT the afternoon session of the ehcamp-
ment the report of the pension committee
was presented and referred to commit
tee to report on its recommendations.
The report referred to the act passed IN
1894, providing that pensions should not
be withheld until after judicial hearing
by the Commissioner of Pensions, and
added: 1.-THE administration of the
Pension Bureau has continued as though
the provision referred to was but waste
paper, and the feeling of uncertainty and
doubt has been but slightly, if to any ex-
tent, allayed. 1t is in vain that wise, Just
and patriotic laws be passed if they are to
be administered with an evil eye and an
unequal hand
The committee reported that it had
urged the speedy passage by the Fifty
fourth Congress of the House bill, which
was drawn Cor the purpose, so far as pos
sible, of restricting the hostile sdministra-
ton of the Pension Bureau and of COM
pelling fair and liberal construction and
enforcement of the laws of Congress on
the subject of pensions. The House passed
the bill, but the Senate failed to act on it.
and on that account the unsatisfactory
condition still obtained in the administra-
ton of the bureau. 1t was recommended
that the encampment speak clearly and
distinctly, so that its meaning cannot be
misunderstood by any one, urging upon
the Senate the necessity for the prompt
passage of the bill in all its essential fea-
lures as passed by the House.
The committee made no recommends
ton as to the two sections IN the bill. One
provides that soldiers who lacked honor
able discharge from pay or service should
be entitled TO pension if they had been
honorably discharged from a later term
of service. The other section extends q
pension to those who were forced into Con-
federate service at the opening of the wal
by the severe CONSUMPTION law, but joined
the Union army as quickly as they could,
being Union men at heart. 1t is designed
to bar the soldier of fortune who fought
on both sides; also such Confederates as
were released from Johnsons Island
! toward the close of the war, on condition
that they would join the Union army.
Such men the Grand Army will not admit
to its ranks, and it does not want to see
them pensioned.
The special committee which was ap.
/ pointed last year on the extension of the
army membership and privileges to the
! Sons of Veterans reported in faver of al
/ lowing them to visit G.. a. R. posts and
accord them membership after a proba-
| ton of six months without the right to
vote, and give them the latter power when
| 1t was seen the Grand Army mem bership
was seriously diminishing.
| A minority report was presented modi-
| flying these privileges.
! This committee considered the service
pension proposition, which allows q
monthly pension to all qualified veterans
at the rate of one cent for every dav oi
actual service, emitting time spent in hos
| pitfalls.
The second session of the Ladies of the
G. A. r. convention was held to-day
There was a contest for president. Mrs
Catherine E. Hurst being elected. Mrs
A. D. Anderson of Minneapolis was Sc
lected senior vice-president and Mrs
Sarah G. Mason OF Nebraska junior vice.
!