Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-07

| future, for 10th Shaw and Robbins are
| among the most radical delegates in the
| encampment on the subject of liberal PEN
I sions. G. A. r. men say they can be de-
| pended upon to use all their power in in
| sisting that the administration comply with
| requests contained in the resolutions to be
passed before the day is over. Grand Army
| men here say that the idea that they are
| pension grabbers' is erroneous; that they
! are not asking for pensions, but merely
! that the law on the statute books be fair
| ly and literally interpreted. They say 1t
! makes no difference if the pension roll does
! not exceed 5000 eco 600, and that the coun-
| try is rich enough to pay it, whatever the
| sum NAV be.
| Some of them also are vigorous in assert
| ing that the action of the Grand Army is
| not the result of work of pension agents.
| but that the demand in regard to pension
administration is from the rank and file Of
the organization.
| The question whether the action of the
| Grand Army will not force Commissioner
| Evans from the pension Office is being dis
! cussed privately by the delegates. Some of
| the more radical men declare that MI.
| Evans, after consultation with the Pres
| ident and Secretary of the Interior, can
| change his rulings to comply with their
| wishes. but the more conservative element
| look upon this course being inconsistent
| and one that Mr.. Evans is not likely to
adopt. Some suggest that the only hope of
| a peaceful solution of the matter is to have
the laws in question referred to the Attor-
ney General for his opinion. and they say
1
| given them by Harrison as President and
| Noble as Secretary of the Interior will be
sustained.
| Some think that such an opinion by the
| Attorney General would allow Mr.. Evans to
| change his policy consistently and remain
where he is
His Enemies Are Active.
Commissioner Evans enemies in the en-
| campment have not given up their inten-
| ton to endeavor to have resolution adopt
e1 condemning him by name and asking
| the President to remove him from Office
| The committee on resolutions this morning
after consultation with the committee
or pension administration, decided by
vote of II to 12, to report a resolution
ccndemning Commissioner Evans admins
tration. Whether they will ask the Presi-
dent to remove him from office is still I'M
der consideration. AS the encampment
progresses the radical element is adding to
| its number, while those who are denoted
as conservative are SO overwhelmed by the
opposite faction that they are but little in
evidence in deliberations.
They will still endeavor to prevent the
passage of a resolution asking for Mr..
Evans removal.
The following have. been elected: Junior
vice commander, Michael Minton. past
commander, Department of Kentucky: sur
geon general DIR. VIM. II. Baker, surgeon,
Post of Lynn, Mass; chaplain, Rev. ia
cob l.. Grimm of Maryland. Just before
the encampment took recess at - o'clock
the committee on pension administration
reported its resolutions, which were unan-
imously adopted. They We're as indicated
above, with the addition of a resolution d-
recting the commander-in-chief to appoint
a committee of five to present the wishes OF
the encampment embodied in the resolu-
tons to the President, and in the event
that the administrative officers cannot give
the required relief to take the matter to
Congress
This last provision was inserted at the
request Of friends of President Mckinley
and Mr. Evans, and it will do much to
save them from an embarrassing position.
1t is regarded a shrewd move on the
part of friends of the administration, and
only put in during the latter part of
the committees consideration of the sub
ject. The resolutions were signed by all
the members of the committee on pension
administration except Case of Tennessee.
who did not come to the convention. and
who has sent minority report which Is
extremely conservative.
The ecommander-in-chief appointed Brown,
Burst Palmer and Adams of this commit
tee. together with Gen. Dan sickles of
New York, a committee to present the res
olutions to the President.
Widows of Soldiers Insuited.
Tho committee on resolutions brought in
a resolution stating that 1t had been al
legged that pension examiners ask widows
Of soldiers before reporting favorably on
their claims for pensions whether they had
lived an immoral life since the death of
their husbands, and declaring the sense of
the encampmert opposed to such questions
if ii is shown that they being asked
The resolution was referred to the commit
tee to present resolutions of the encamp-
ment to the President, with Instructions
to ask that the practice be discontinued, if
found to exist.
The committee resolutions finally de-
cided to leave out any mention of the
commissioner of PENSIONS name in their
resolutions This action disp1ses of the sub
ject of pensions, 50 far as the present en-
campment is concerned. Many members of
the cnCampment declare that, while the
resignation of Commissioner Evans has not
posts throughout the country will take
the matter up, and that there will be a
very widespread demand for Mr.. Evans
resignation before the next national cleo
ton comes off
The encampment has no more work of
special Importance before it, and, after
disposing of routine business, will
probably adjourn sine die late this after
noon or this evening. c. E. K
Auxiliary Elects Officers.
PHILADELPHIA, September THE ma
tonal convention of the Loyal Home Work
crs. an auxiliary branch of the Grand Army
of the Republic. elected the following off
GERS for the ensuing year:
Amos L. Seaman. St. Louis Mo, presi-
dent; Angie NJ Conklin, Mulberry, Ohio,
Canton, Ohio, cha plain: Kate b. Sherwood,
Canton, Ohio, counsellor: +. c. Close Fort
Wayne, secretary; Estella Edgecombe
York, Neb., junior vice president: Andrew
}. Streeter Mingo, Iowa, sergeant-at-arms:
N Warner Hargrove, Brown Mills, N j.,
treasurer.
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