The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-09-09
SEXTON IS COMMANDER
Elected to Succeed Goblin as Head
\ Of the Grand Army Veterans.
A VICTORY FOR PHILADELPHIA.
The Quaker City Defeats Denver For
tho Next, Encampment - Corporal
Tanner Criticizes II. Clay Evans
Management of tho Pension once.


Tanner Criticizes II. Clay Evans
Management of tho Pension once.
Cincinnati Sept. 9.-The business OF
the thirty second annual encampment
Of the G. A. r. and Of its auxlliaries be-
gan yesterday after three days of pre-
linnary demonstrations. There were
1900 national delegates present when
the encampment was called to order at
40 q. m. The welcome address was de-
livered by Governor Bushnell, with u
supplemental welcome address by Gus
tav Tafel, of Cincinnati and NJ f. In
gals, chairman of the citizens COM
mlttee and president of the Big Four
and the Chesapeake and Ohio railways.
There was excellent music for the OPEN
ing session, and the hall was elabor-
ately decorated. In his response Com
manderin-ch chief ]. p. 8. Goblin refer
red most eloquently to the attractions
OF the week and the lavish entertain
ment of the citizens Of Cincinnati.
The principal business of the open
ing session was the address of Com
mander-in-c chief Goblin. in which Presi-
dent Mckinley's conduct Of the war
The report of the adjutant general.
Thomas ]. Stewart, contained the fol-
lowing figures as to the membership:
The members in good standing June 30.
1897 numbered 3l9.4b6. The gain dur
ing the year was by muster in 10,940;
transfer, Arts; reinstatement, 12.6S7;
from delinquent reports. 4,55l total 49,"
463 The losses were: BY death, 1888;
honorable discharge, 1.190; transfer. A.
Al; suspension. 25,033; dlshOnorable
discharge. 1856; by delinquent reports
7,04l; by surrender of charter 1923.
total, 46,306 So the members In good
standing June 80, 1898. numbered $685.
6O3 The number of members remain
ing suspended at that date were 36,66S.
Reports received from departments
showed that 8.610 members previously
reported as suspended have been drop
ped from the rolls.
At the afternoon session the first
business In order was lengthy report
from the committee on pensions. The
report refutes the charge that the PEN
sion roll was roll of dishonor. 1t
cited the fact that Investigations have
been undertaken by the departments of
different states, and on close inquiry
there had not been single case of
fraud discovered which could be traced
to a member of the Grand Army of
the Republic. The report went on to
say that the roll was distinctly roll
of honor. The committee gave figures
showing that the death rate was rapid
ly increasing among pensioners. The
number dying each year now exceeds
10000. 1t is estimated that the increase
In the number of deaths each year Will
be such that in 1920 the number Of PEN
sfoners will he reduced to a little over
250OO0, and in 1910 the list will be OBJ
liberated.
When motion was made to accept
and adopt the report Corporal Tan
ner, of New York. arose to discuss it.
He said that in the main he agreed
with all tho committee has said. But
In regard to that portion Of the report
which dealt with the administration Of
the pension office he did not agree, AMI
he wrnt on to speak in unrestFained
ertticisnr-of the present Commissioner
of pensions. Hon. H. Clay Evans With
evident feeling he said
II stand ready to be responsible here
and elsewhere for all my statements I
may make on this subject. and | de-
clare that Chief Evans calling his
chiefs of divisions together and using
language which indicated intense feel
ing. II not anger, Instructed them to
Disregard totally every application
based on deafness or rheumatism. He
further intimated to them that II any
one declined to accept his suggestions
he would find chiefs who would obey
his orders"
At this point the speaker was inter-
rupted by point Of order that he had
no right to indulge in personal criti-
Casm OF any officer Of the government,
but the commander in chief ruled that
on motion Of this kind. covering the
official conduct Of an officer of the gov
eminent. 1t was in order to discuss the
manner in which he performed his off,
cial duties.
Tanner. continuing, said that In his
opinion it was clear that the man who
could make such an order had never
himself heard the sound of cannon, nor
slept in the open air. and he was not
surprised. therefore to find that the
commissioner Of pensions had an army
record which consisted of three months
and 16 days as d clerk In the commits
sary department.
A delegate from Kansas followed
Tanner in the same strain. The mat
ter was disposed of finally by postpon-
Ing it until after the report Of the COM.
mittee on resolutions is received
1t Is understood that a number Of
resolutions have been sent into the
committee bearing on the conduct Of
the pension office.
Mrs. William Scott, a colorcd woman,
from Lathrop. Mo-. appeared on the
platform and made an eloquent
speech urging that some provision be
made by which colored soldiers could
maintain an organization similar to the
q. A. r. Then came a committee Of
three ladies from the Woman's Nation
al Relief Corps, headed by Mrs. Mar
tin. the national president Mrs. Mar
tin requested the national encamp-
ment to give to the relief corns au-
thority to change its constitution so
that Its funds can be used for the re-
lief Of soldiers serving in the war with
Spain. -, 49,
This was followed by a delegation
from the Sons of Veterans. Senator
Thurston. of Nebraska. being the
speaker. He made brief but eloquent
speech on behalf of the Sons of Veter.
ans. and was replied to by Inspector
General Alonzo Williams, of Rhode
Island.
A still further interruption of regu-
lar business was the presentation to |
ax- -Commander-in-C Chief Clarkson, of
Nebraska, Of magnificent silver set
In an oaken case. The x-commander-
In chief, with deep feeling. made a re-
sponse expressing his thanks for the !
high honor shown him.
The choice OF the place for the next |
encampment was then taken up, the
pending question being upon substi-