The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-08
Albert D. Shaw, Chief officer .
Grand Army Of Republic.
SESSION COMES TO END
PENSION QUESTION RECEIVES
ATTENTION OF DELEGATES.
Commissioner Gaines Is Roundly.
Scored For Practices Adopted By
Bureau In Questioning Some of
the Widow Applicants-Appeal to
President For Changes In Rules.

Philadelphia, Pa, Sept. THE thirty
third national encampment of the G..
A. r. came to an end tonight. The
election of a commander in chief, which
it was supposed would be settled only
after warm contest, was conducted
and carried out in the most peaceable
manner imaginable. Colonel Albert d.
Shaw of Watertown, N. Y, was unan-
imously elected to the highest Office of
the organization after Judge Leo Ras-
sieur of ST. Louis had declined to be a.
candidate.
Early in the campaign there were
three candidates. w. J. Johnson of
Cincinnati, who was acting command
er-in-chief, was first mentioned and
the names of Colonel ST. w and Judge
Rassieur later became prominent
JohnsOn's boom was ended yesterday
with his election to the uneXpireds term
of the late commander, Sexton, last
ing two days. This rendered him in
eligible for candidacy, and with the
election of Colonel Shaw, he becomes a
past COMMUNICATIVE chief.
Irvine Robins of Indianapolis was
elected senior vice commanders n-chief;
H. NJ. Minton of Louisville, KY, was
chosen junior vice commander, and
William H Baker of Lynn, Mass, was
elected surgeon general. Jacob L..
Grimm of Maryland was elected chap
ain-in-chief.
Question of Pensions.
Aside from the election of a COM
mander-in-c chief, the pension question
received the major portion of atten-
ton. Resolutions were adopted that
rule 225, now in practice, was a hard
ship in that it required proof of identity
and injury, which many old soldiers
could not furnish, and asking that the
president re-establish rule 164, which
is not so stringent in it's requirements
The resolutions also deplored the prac-
tice of the pension bureau which bars
widows who, have an income of 500 a
year. and asks that the limitation be
increased to $3.50 a year.
Pursuant to the resolutions, a COM
mittee Of five was appointed to seek
relief from the administrative officers,
and, failing there, to ask congress to
amend the law in favor of the vet
Grams.
A Practice Continued.
The majority and minority reports
We're submitted by the committee on
resolutions. Both refer to the examin-
alton OF soldiers widows who apply for
pensions. The majority report stated
that widows were asked if their lives
had been virtuous after the death of
their husbands, and suggested that
such questions be condemned.
The minority report said that if ques-
tons of that nature were asked, this
method of examination should be con-
demned by the Grand Army of the Re-
public.
Delegate Benicke went to the tele-
phone to ask Pension Commissioner
Evans if it was a fact that this cues
ton was asked. Mr.. Evans replied
that where charges were made against
applicants they were. required to ant
swer questions relating to the charges.
Otherwise no question of the nature
mentioned was put to the applicant
Corporal Tanner was of the major
ity of the committee. He made an
address scoring the. practice alleged to
have been adopted by the pension bu-
reau. After much heated discussion the
report was referred to the committee
on pensions.
Later in the afternoon a motion was
made to return to the south flags cap
tured during the war. This was killed,
as was also motion to admit sons of
veterans as members of the G. A. r.