The Wichita tribune., 1898-09-10
PEACE Day WITH THE GAR.
Cincinnati in Parade Before the
Civil War Veterans.
G0BlN'S ANNUAL ADDRESS.
A Decrease OF $4,000 in Membership
To Invite Ex-Confederates to Join
mander-fn- Chief.


ness Of the Thirty-second annual en-
campment of the Grand Army and its
auxiliaries began to-day, after three
days of preliminary demonstrations
The business sessions were, how
ever, interrupted by a parade of civic
and industrial organizations in the
afternoon, after the labor, naval and
Grand Army parades upon the three
preceding days. This parade included
the floats of all lines of manufacturers
and dealers, and was the most enter
tanning of all the demonstrate 1t
was in celebration of peace, a ju bilee
day. Over 100 concerns were repre-
sented in line, with decorated wagons,
bodies of employees, some mounted, all
in gay uniforms, while fifty secret,
military, political and other bodies
were represented by over 10000 men
as escorts to the peace floats. This
demonstration was followed by high
carnival all over the city, as we'll as at
the summer resorts.
There were about 200 national del
I egates present when the encampment
proper was called to order at Music
hall at 10 a. M, with Charles Vented
as officer of the day
The report of the adjutant general,
Thomas j. Stewart, contained the fol-
lowing figures as to membership: The
members in good standing June so,
1897, numbered 319,456. The gain
during the year was by muster in, 1O,-
n. {,.o-, ,r-fo
687; from delinquent reports, 1851;
total, 81, ,453. The losses were: By
death, 1888; honorable discharge, l.
100; transfer, 4, All; suspension, 25, O33;
dishonorable diso trge, 1853; by delin-
quent reports, 7,O41; by surrendering
of charter 1,025; total, 46, 3O6. So the
members in good standing June 80,
1895, numbered 3O5, ,603. The amount
expended in charity during the year
was $171, ,903.
In his annual address Gener-s4 GvDiit,
commander-in- Chief, highly praised
the President and Secretary Alger for
their conduct Of the war He depre-
Gated the color line that he found ex-
lists in the South. \ lth regar to the
sion rolls, he said: The pension ques-
tion has engrossed the attention of the
entire Grand Army during the year as
never before. Prior to the assembling
of the last Congress there seemed to
be a concerted attack upon the pen
sioner, and among many Of the old SOL
diers the impression prevailed that it
III ~ nr1Cr fa ho -
enemies.
"The proposition to publish list of
pensioners placed the Grand Army in
a peculiar position. No man believed
there was any necessity for it, or that
it would produce any possible "ood, or
that there were any considerable num-
ber of fraudulent pensioners on the
roll On the other hand, the opposi-
tion of the Grand Army to the publica-
tion would at once have been seized
upon and taken advantage of by the
pension opponents as evidence of our
knowledge of fraud and a disposition
to conceal it. Our only recourse was
to suffer in silence or with simple in
dignant denials, and look to the future
for vindication.
Il therefore appoint a committee
to take the matter up in all it's details
and prepare a report. It is evident
that much of the pension agitation,
and in fact, the complaints of unfair
ness arises from the special acts
granting pensions to individuals out
side of the general laws, for which the
Grand Army is in no way responsible
All that the old soldier demands is
that the existing pension laws be ad-
ministered with justice and liberality
in accordance with the inten ton of
the laws when enacted, and which
were to provide for the soldier and
relieve his necessities to the full ex-
tent to which he is entitled This is
due him and there should be no cavil
or question about his receiving
The encampment will have much
work in considering the proposed re-
vision of the ritual, and also in consid-
ering propositions for amalgamation.
1t is believed that the proposition to
make those who participated in the !
HispanO- war eligible will |
not prevail, as the latter day soldiers |
will want separate organization.
There is more sentiment in favor Of |
uniting those who fought on different |
sides in the same war, and resolu- |
tion will be offered inviting the Con-
federate veterans to meet with the |
6. A. r. next year.
1t is now stated that General Siclles
has been named in good faith as
candidate for commander-in-chiefa as !
means of uniting the New York dele
gates 1t is also stated that the name
of |. H. Mack of Ohio will not be pre-
sented by the Ohio DELEGATES.