The San Francisco call., 1897-08-28
An Election of Officers
Concludes the Buffalo
Encampment.
Congress Asked to Pass G
Service Pension Law for
All Veterans.
Text Books Used In Public Schools
Commented Upon in Com
mittee Report.

BUFFALO. N. Y, Aug. 27-The Grand
Army has elected Its officers for the ensu-
ing year, and the encampment OF 1897 has
adjourned to meet at Cincinnati next
year.
To-day's session lasted from 9:15 O'Clock
this morning until 3:45 this afternoon.
without intermission. Opening under the
order of business, the encampment look
up the election of senior vice-comma mander-
in-chief. Comrlde Alfred Lyth of Bid
seil-Wilkson Post of this city was place d
In nomination, and was elected unani-
mously, there being no other nominations.
The election of a junior vice comman-
der-in-chief was not accomplished until
after noon, there being four candidates
and several Interruptions to the proceed
ings of the encampment by speeches and
the admission OF a commission from the
Woman's Relief Corps.
On the first ballot. F. B. Allen OF Con-
necticut the candidate OF the naval veter-
ans, led, with G. w. Carpenter of South
Dakota second; c. L. Knapp of Kansas,
third; D. E. Ross of Delaware fourth, and
]. B. Cummings of Oklahoma fifth.
There was evidently no desire 10 contest
the election beyond the first ballot. as on
the second bal OF the delegates began
going over 10 Mr.. Allen rapidly, and be-
fore the rollcall had been completed the
adjutant.general was instructed to cast
the vote of the enca mpment for him. DR..
David Mackay of Dallas, Tex, was elected
Frank G. Bruner OF the First Methodist
of III,
elect. cha plain-in- chief.
Post Commander-in-Chie Walker of In
diana was presented with Z silver service
by the encampment, the address being
made by William M. DIN of Boston. A
committee from the Woman's Relief Corps
was admitted to the hall and presented
the convention with several beautiful
floral emblems and made brief report OF
the work of the W. r. G. for the
past year. Mrs. Woodley, National
president of the Army Nurses, was also
admitted to the convention, likewise
Mother" Ransom OF California, 80 years
of age, the oldest army nurse living, and
Mrs. William Scott, who spoke for the
colored Veterans who were unable to at
tend the encampment.
Among the reports receiving favorable
consideration from the executive session
of the encampment was that OF the pen
sion committee. II recommended re-
adjustment OF widows pensions and pre-
sented a form OF proof ana applica ton In
pension claims substantially the same as
that embodied in the Pickler bill, which
has passed the House of Representatives
but has not passed the Senate. The re-
port stated that the present Com missioner
of Pensions had consented to adopt new
rules substantially the same as those in
force during the Harrison administration.
The report also recommended that Con-
gress pass service pension law 10 apply
to all veterans who have reached the age
of 90 years.
The report OF the committee having in
charge the memorializlng of Congress to
purchase several of the most important
battlehelds about fredericksburg, Vir-
ginia. and connect them by Government
roads, was adopted. The invitation of the
Young Mems Business Association of
Richmond, Virginia, to hold the encamp-
mt of 1899 in that CITY was received and
tanks extended, and .he association was
informed that the question could only be
considered by the encampment of 1898.
Another committee reported iavorably
the proposition 10 establish National
parks at the battlefields OF Vlcksbu
Stony River and Appomattox.
The report OF the com mlttee on text
books used in the public schools was
adopted.
The report deals severely with some of
the histories used in the South, charging
that they misstate the facts as to the cause
Of the rebellion and present them from q
Southern standpoint of view. A regret is
expressed that, after an examination of
all the histories used in the States that
were loyal to the Government in the opin-
ion of the committee, none merits the un-
qualified Endorsement of the organization.