The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-09-17

tNew Department Commander @. A RI
The members In good standing June
80, 1897, numbered Sls,456 The gain
during the year was by muster
in, l0,94O; transfer, 4,2T5; reinstate-
ment, 12,6S7; from delinquent reports,
1851; total, SO, 45S. The losses were: BY
death, 1883; honorable discharge, L.
100; transfer, 4,47l; suspension, 25,03s;
dishonorabie discharge, 1855; by delin-
quent reports, 7,O41; by surrendering
Of charter, 1,Os5; total, 46,3O6. So the
members in good standing June 80,
1903, numbered sOs, ,6Os. The amount
expended in charity during the year
was sl71,9
The report Of the committee on PEN
sions is as follows:
Your committee TO whom was referred the
| resolutions relating TO the pension question
reports that It has considered all resolutions
respecting the subject matter. and recommends
the adoption Of the following
Resolved. That in view Of the repeated COM
| plants Of the unfair construction OF the PEN
sion law aud OF the making and enforcement OF
| rules which are In violation OF the law and in
imical to the interest OF applicants impels this
encampment to call upon Comrade William
Mckinley, president Of the United States, to
exercise his authority and to see that the law
Is executed in a spirit Of fairness. justice and
| liberality.
Resolved, That all rules which tend to hinder
and embarrass the allowances OF honest pension
/ claims should be repealed and we ask the
| president that he use his authority TO cause
those whose duty II Is to execute the laws to so
perform their duty as to do justice to the SOL
diers and administer the law SO as not TO OBJ
struct the prosecution Of pensions by technical
requirements not within the province OF the
law and which are only calculated to hinder
and obstruct In the effort TO obtain lawful PEN
sions
Resolved, That the rule OF the pension once
by which widow Is dcbarred from pension II
she has an income OF 800 per year is unjust
and we ask the president that the order be alb
rogated and the minimum income debarrlng
from pensions be fixed nj not less than $500 per
annnm Ia this connection wo desire TO inform
the president that very early In his adminls-
tratlon II was announced by high oficial IN
the pension ONCE that the widows limit would
be raised To e30O but II never materlalized
Resolved That we ask for the re-establish-
ing OF order i6i. which was enforced under the
Harrison regime This order. In simple terms,
took cognizance In rating mans pension OF
all the disabilities he suffered under. IL was
abrogated by the last administration and II
was held that to DO entitled 10 the lowest rate
Of 10 per month q comrade must have one dis
ability which is rated at that amount II he
has three disabilities rated ut u each he gets
no pension at all This iniquitous ruIo is
maintained up to this hour, and we submit II
IL not such treatment Us we had right TO ex-
peet from Comrade Whliam Mckinley.
The report was adopted.
The encampmente eulogized President
Mckinley and Secretary Alger in the
following resolutions:
Resolved. That from knowledge formed OF
our experience as soldiers during four years OF
active service we reeognlze the unfalterlng
energy aud patriotic devotion with which. as
secretary OF war. Gen Alger has borne the
weighty responsibility and performed the i'm
| portant dWies suddenly imposed by the recent
war with Spain, creating and maintaining so
large an army under such unfavorablo condi-
tions, the deeds OF which not only shed luster
on the American soldiers but also challenges
the admiration OF the world
Resolved. That the Grand Army OF the Re-
public has watched with pride and satisfaction
the wise. conservative, unselnsh. patriotic and
stAtesmanlike manner In which our honored
comrade, William Mckinley, rs president OF
the United States. has met every demand
which the recent trouble with Spain Imposed
upon our country; that his wisdom and pru-
dence In his endeavors TO preserve peace with
honor as we'll as the vlgor and patriotic order
with which our army und navy were equipped
for the conflict wnen the war became lmml-
nent, have won our hearty and unreserved ap-
proval and commendatlon; and, rejoicing In
the glorious terpination Of the conflict in
, which our country has been engaged, we here
by express our gratitude not only to our dis
! tinguished oomrade, the president, but also Ia