The National tribune., 1899-05-25
WISCONSIN EyChMPMENT.

The SD annual Encarlpinent of the Dc
partment of Wisconsin, held in Milwaukee
| last week, was largely attended by vet
Grams from all parts of the State. Com
mander c. II. Russell, of Berlin, presided
In his report he briefly reviewed the work
of the year, and paid high tribute to the
W.R.C., whose loyal members have been
of great assistance to the veterans. Com
mander Russell depf5red the tendency to
make Memorial Day d day for sports, and
appealed TO the GAR. men to assist IN
making the day sacred 10 the memory OF
those who gave their lives for the Nation. or,
The report of Asst Adj't-Gen. j. W.
Curran showed a net loss'i in membership
during the year of q. The number OF
members in good standing Dec. 81, 1898,
was 10,S0S.
Gen. Henry Harnden, of Madison, was
chosen Commander by acclamatIon.
Other officers are: S. V. c., Samuel II.
Tallmadge, Milwaukee; j. V. c., b. N.
Robinson, Baraboo; Chap, ). Z. Noyes'
Oshkosh Council of Administration,
Wade II. Richardson, Milwaukee; EdWafd
McGlachlin, Stevens Point; II. Miles,
Chippewa Falls; VIM. Wilson, Appleton,
and Henry c. Putnam, Brodhead.
West Superior was chosen as the next
place of meeting. Resolutions were
passed indorsing the plan to make e. lhe
battlefield of Vicksburg a National Park.
Many Campfires and Reunions were
held during the Encampment. Coh-
mander-n-C Chief johnson was present. a
in which 5000 participated: Of these
nearly $50 were veterans OF the spanish
war.
CALIFORNIA SPEAKS.
In his annual address Comrade Cahen,
Commander of the Department OF Cali
fornia, GAR, said
at is clearly apparent to my mind that
the intent of the act of June, 1851, was 10
make it possible for every old soldier ana
sailor to receive a pension. And TINS IS
as it should be; but by the system in
vogue it seems to be the purpose of the
present Commissioner OF Pensions 10
barrcade his Bureau against many
worthy applicants, and by his arbitrary
rulings regarding impossible requirements
set aside and completely cut OIL many
well-defned claims of the most deserving
character. The only remedy that sug-
gests itself would be by replacing Com
missioner Evans with another whose con-
ceptiOn of official duty would accord a
more generous consideration OF the CLAIMS
of Union veterans.
NEW YORK ENCAMPMENT.
The New York Encampment in session
at Syracuse, last week, took vigorous
action on the pension question, adopting
the following resolution:
ReSOlVed, nat 1t IS the SENSE vi tiiS
Department that the administration oil
the Pension Department by IL. Clay
Evans meets the emphatic diSapproba-
ton of the Department, and OF every
veteran who is entitled to a pension under
the law, and we ask that he be removed
and the office filled by man who vii!
administer the Pension law according to
the intent of the Trainer of the law, the
Congress that passed it and the President
who signed it.
Commander Anson S. Wood, of Wolcott,
in his report gave the membership of the
Department as "a ,52G. loss of 1,991 dur
ing the year. Commander Wood de-
nounccd the anti cxpansionistS in vigor-
Gus terms. 49,
Jos. W. Kay, of Brooklyn, vas elected
Commander without opposition. John D.
Maxwell was chosen Senior Vice Com
mander; Jere S. Gross, Of Owego, Junior
Vice Commander, and Rev. John V. Fer
geSon, of KnoxbOro, Chaplain.
Commander Kay announces the follow
ing staff Asst Adi'ttGen., Nathan Nun
ger, Port Byron; Asst Q. NJ. g., Frank G.
Jones, Rome; Judge4Advocate, Lewis l..
Griffith, Troy; ms, Geo. B. Loud, New
York; Chief NJ. o., Norman b. Thompson,
jamestown, and Chief Aid, Thos. Bell,
Brooklyn.
Jos. W. Kay, Department Commander,
was born in Brooklyn, and at the begin
ming Of the civil war enlisted in Co. +, 22d
n. Y, better known as the strawberry
Grays." When that regiment returned he
enlisted for a period Of three years in the
10Th N. Y. Later he served in the 10th
battalion of the N. Y. Vet Vols.,t and
acted as Mounted Orderly to Gems. S. S.