Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-09-15


New Department Commander G. A. RI
with all the illustrations Of peace and
prosperity and happiness that could
be produced, was the most magnificent
pageant ever witnessed In this city.
The old demonstrations under the
order Of Cincinnalus at the opening
Of expositions and on other occasions
were eclipsed by the peace jubilee
parade yesterday, in which II Is esti.
mated there we're 10000 in line and
over 500, 900 spectators along the line.
The river fronts and the parks and
Camp Sherman were ablaze last night
with a most elaborate display Of fire.
works.
The national encampment elected
only Its commander.in-chief yesterday
and will elect its other officers to-day,
adopt Its resolutions and attend to
other business. The delegates state
that they will complete their work to.
day, even II it Is necessary for a night
session. The auxiliaries elect their of.
fcers also to-day and complete their
annual encampment The G. A. R. en-.
campment convened promptly at 2:SO
o'clock. The first business in order
was lengthy report from the com.
mittec on pensions. The report dealt
extensively in an effort to refute the
charge that the pension roll was a roll
OF dishonor. The committee gave
figures showing that the death rate
was rapidly increasing among pen.
sioners. The number dying each
year now exceeds 10000. 1t is est.
mated that the increase in the number
OF deaths will be such that in 1920 the
number OF pensioners will be reduced
to little over $50, 900 and that in 1910
the list will be oblterated. The re.
port recommended that just and lib.
eral provisions should be made for ad.
Indicating the claims now pending in
the department, and that no relaxation
OF efforts on the part of the Grand
Army of the Republic be allowed to
interfere with this duty.
The choice of the place for the next
encampment was then taken up The
pending question was upon substitut.
ing Denver for Philadelphia. Com.
mander May of Denver, spoke for his
locality, saying that $4,000 had al.
ready been pledged for the entertain.
ment of the encampment, lie prom.
ised to the delegates and their wives
three days trip through the noun.
tains about Denver free of cost, and
gave alluring promises for favorable
railroad rates. lie was followed BY
delegate from Pittsburgh, who made
an equally eloquent plea for philadel.
phia, balancing the seashore against
the Denver mountains, and naming all
the natural advantages of philadel.
phia When the time came for voting,
1T was suggested that instead of yot. /
ing to substitute Denver for philadel.
phia, votes should be taken directly
by calling the roll and letting the
delegates vote for their choice, This
was done, and the result was AN.
nounced, Philadelphia, S95; Denver
2Q5.
a motion was made immediately
afterward to go into the election OF
commander-in-chief. Although 1t was
then late in the afternoon the motion
was adopted and Immediately the
name OF Albert D. Shaw, of Water.
town, N. Y, was presented by a dele.
gate of that state. In the closing part
OF his remarks he twitted Illinois with
having for the fifth time asked for the
election of commander-in.chief while
her chief city had never yet invited
the encampment to en- Joy its hospi.
tally,
Gen' John c. Black. of Illinois, plac,
ing in nomination James A. Sexton.
OF Chicago, called attention to the
fact that Illinois was the foster mother
OF the organization and in tina, wav
mad the first commander. Subsequent.
ly, that typical American volunteer
soldier, John A. Logan, mad Deen
elected commander, but for s5 wears
Illinois had seen the scepter of an.
thority placed in the hands Of com.
rades from other states. He then. in
most forcibly eloquent manner. pre-.
scented the claims OF his candidate.
Commander Pugh. of Ohio. an.
nounced Isaac c. Mack, of Ohio, had
directed him to say that he declined
to have his name presented as a candi.
date, because the senior vice com.
mander was to be chosen from the
city where the encampment is held.
according to the usual custom