The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-04
LOYAL LEGION IN SESSION
Many Amendments to the Constitutions Ara
Up for Discussiou.

Detroit, Mich, June "A hundred men,
oers OF the military order of the Loyal Lee
sion, ali more or less distinguished as army
or naval officers, discussed important olies-
tons relating 10 that order in the Ho;s,
cadillac To-Day. General Alser. secretary
OF war. was among those present. Rear
Admiral Gherardi. L. s. N. who is com
r'onder-:n-chief OF the legion, opened IN.
conference by introducing Mayor Mayh,,rv
also companion 10 the legion, viii made
an eloquent address of welcome The r,ayor
referred TO Grant, Pope, Alger and other
noted members OF the Detroit ccmmandery.
living and dead, who would have joined in
the welcome II they could. After some
delay the conference proceeded to business,
taking up the much-mooted question of
what the legion's membership shall con-
s.st OF when its present membership shall
have passed away. still preserving the he
reditary distinctions which characterize the
order. A dozen amendments had been Of
fered and the opening session was almost
wholly devoted to discussing them.
The discussion turned chiey on the re-
port of committee of the New York COM
mandery, by which il is proposed 10 elimi-
nate collateral eligibility for membership.
instead Of permitting soldiers who had been
conspicuous by their loyalty. but who had
not served as officers. to become members
1t is said that the sons of the latter class
are seeking to acquire the hereditary DIS
tinction which membership in this order
confers. The matter was referred TO a
committee
The number of companions precent was
largely increased this afternoon by incom-
irE delegations. Although the congress
itself consists of three members from each
state total of thrice that number has ar
rived. The ladies of members present
escorted by an equal number Of Detroit
ladies, were gwen long drive about the
city during the afternoon.
Several amendments to the constitution
OF the legion were offered at the afternoon
session, but nearly all of them failed to
receive the vote of three-quarters Of the
state communicates, necessary for adop-
ton.
Amendments regarding forfeiture Of mem
tership which were offered by the Califor-
MIA and New York communicates were 10.
jected.
Amendments were submitted by the COM
panions from Massachusetts,, California,
Kansas and Washington. by which uniform
rosettes would be worn by all classes in the
order, instead of the present provision for
rosettes for non-orig.nal companions OF the
first class. and for companions of the Sec
ord and third classes of a different design
from those worn by original companions Of
the first class. All these amendments
We're rejected by the congress, after more
or less debating of the questions.
The congress also declined to adopt the
amendments from the California comman-
gerry to alter the rulessunder which amend
uients TO the constitution may be adopted.
new section was added. providing for
reference to the commander-in-chiefo OF cleo
tons of officers in which there has been any
suppression of facts in reference to the can
didates membership.
An amendment submitted by the Illinois
commandery was adopted. providing that
boards of officers, instead of comma nders.
shall have authority in cases of dismissal
for arrears of members.
A resolution was adopted. declaring that
the constitution as amended shall take ef-
feet July l.
y general reception was held al the Hotel
Cadillac this evening, at which the veterans
and their ladies met many of their old and
new acquaintance.