Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-09-15

contests were going on inside the
guarded doors of the G. A. r. en-
campment Thursday, all the demon
STATIONS on the outside in the city
were in accord with the peace 1ubi-
lee. The parade in the afternoon
was the most magnificent pageant
ever witnessed in the city. In the
peace jubilee parade it Is estimated
that 40 900 were in line, and 100000
spectators along the line, With the
river fronts, parks and Camp Sher-
man alb axe at night With a most
elabo ate display Of fireworks, the
demonstration ended, but more en-
tertainments have been provided for
today.
Col James A. Sexton of Chicago
was elected commmder-in-ch to
succeed Gen. Gobn of Pennsylvania
There was only one other candidate
in the field, Ebert d. Shaw of
Watertt wn, N. T., the name of F. A.
Mack of Ohio, the third candidate,
having been withdrawn before the
voting began. Gen. John G. Black of
Illinois placed Col. Sexton in nominal
ton. Sexton received 424 votes and
Shaw 26l. A motion to make the
election Of Sexton unanimous pre-
vailed.
| Col. Sexton returned thanks to the
encampmlnt 1t is understood now,
since Sexton has been elected COM
mander-in-chief, that there will be
no opposition to w. C. Johnson of
Cincinnati for senior vice commander
ln-ch.ef; but there will be con. ests
for all the other places.
Col. James A. Sexton of Chicago,
the new commanderin was born
III Chicago in 1874. He served all
| through the war. At present he is
president of the board Of trustees of
the Illinois state soldiers and sailors
home at Quincy.
The feature Of the days proceedings
was the vigorous criticism of Pension
Commissioner H. Clay Evans by
Corporal" Tanner, ex-commissioner
OF pensions. The attack was made
| during discussion of the
report of the committee on pensions.
| The report d alt extensively in an eff
fort to refute the charge that the
| pension bi | was a roll Of dishonor.
1t cited the fact that expert investi-
cations had been undertaken by the
apartments of diff rent states, and
not single case of fraud was dis
covered which could be traced to a
member of the Grand Army of the
Republic. 1t is estimated that the in
crease in the number CT deaths each
year will be such that in 1920 the
lumber of pensioners will be re-
uced to 0,o00, and in 1910 the list
Sill be obliterated.
Corporal Tanner said that in the
main he agreed with the report. He
went on to speak in unrestrained
criticism Of Commissioner H. Clay
Evans. He declared Evans instructed
al of his chiefs Of divisions to disre-
gard every pension application based
on deafness or rheumatism. The
speaker was interrupted by the point
Ct order that he had no right to in
dulge in personal criticism of an Of
ticer OF the government The COM
mando r-in-chief ruled that it was in
IA H..
which he performed his official duties
| Tanner went on to say he was not
surprised to find that the commission
er OF pensions had an army record
| which consisted of three months and
sixteen days as clerk in the commits
department. Tanner urged the
DEB, .tment to demand that justice, If
not liberalty, be followed by the
government in all its dealings with the
| soldiers. A delegate from Kansas fol-
! lowed Tanner in the same strain.
The committee on resolutions worked
all night and when it makes its report
there will Likely be contest, especi-
ally on the resolutions referring to
Commissioner of Pensions Evans and
| Secretary of War Alger.
Senator Thurston of Nebraska
made a speech in behalf Of
the Sons of Veterans and
was replied to by Inspector General
Williams of Rhode Island. Ex-Com-
mander-in-chie Clarkson of Nebraska
was presented with magnificent sill
yer set
The sixteenth annual convention of
the National Woman's Relief corps, G
A. r., convened Thursday morning.
The morning session was devoted to
the reading of reports of officers and
other routine matters. The roll call
showed a full attendance of delegates.
The national president, Mrs. Sarah J.
Martin of Missouri, delivered her an
nual address. The annual report Of
the national secretary. Mary H. Shep-
herd of Missouri. shows an aggregate
of 1925 members ard 1884 corps,
making a net gain OF 4.096 members
and - corps during the year, The re
| port OF the national treasurer, Isabel
/ T Bagey of Ohio shows the assets