The Anaconda standard., 1899-09-08
SHAW IS COMMANDER
His Election Unanimous, Judge
Rassieur Withdrawing.
AT CHICAGO NEXT YEAR
Warm Debate Over the Pension Rssolu-
tions-The North Atlantic Squadron
Brilliantly Illuminated-Ex-Pr
oners Have a Camp Fire.

tionaI encampment OIL the u. A. II.
came to an end tonight. The election
of a commander in chief which it was
supposed would be settled only after a
warm contest. was conducted and car
ried out in the most peaceable manner
imaginab BILE. Colonel Albert D. Shaw of
Watertown. n. Y, was unanimously
elected to the highest office of the or
ganization after Judge Leo Rassieur of
st. Louis had declined to be a candi-
date.
Early in the campaign there We're
three candidates W. J. Johnson of
Cincinnati who was acting commander
in-chief, was the first mentioned, and
the names of Colonel Shaw and Judge
RasSieur later became prominent.
Johnson's boom was ended yesterday
by his election to the uneXpired term
of the late commander, Sexton lasting
two days. This rendered him ineligible
for candidacy, and with the election of
Colonel Shaw he becomes a past COM
anander-in-chief.
Aside from the election of a COM
mander-in-ch the pension question
received the major portion of attention
Resolutions were adopted that rule 225,
now in practice, was a hardship in that
it required proof of identity and injury
nish, and asking that the president re-
establish rule 164, which is not go
stringent in its requirements. The
resolutions also deplored the practice
in the pension bureau which bars wild
ows who have an income of 500 a year,
and asks that the limitation be in
creased 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 veter-
ans.
Chicago secured the next encamp-
ment, and it is expected that Judge
Rassieur will then be elected COM
mander-in-chief.
The features of to-day's celebration
were the illumination of the North At
lantic squadron and the camp fire of
the Union eX-prisoners of war, both of
which occurred tonight. The lighting
UP of the fleet drew large crowds to
both the Pennsy lvania and New Jer-
sey shores of the Delaware river. The
ships were literally covered with elec-
trio lights and presented a magnificent
picture. The big searchlights on the
vessels were also in operation, making
the illumination more effective. The
cruiser Detroit received considerable
attention from the crowds by reason of
the sending her to Venezuela to pro-
lecl american interests there
The Academy of Music was crowded
to the doors tonight by G. A. R. men
and their friends to take part in the
eX-prisoners camp fire. Addresses were
made by Governor Stone of Pennsyl-
vania, Mayor Ashbridge of this city,
Ex-Governor Robert E. Patterson Lieu
tenant Colonel James f. Barrett of the
10th Pennsylvania regiment General
John c. Black of Illinois, United States
senator Penrose and a number of
other persons.
There We're numerous reunions held
and the illumination of the Avenue of
Fame and the fireworks display at
Camp James Sexton We're continued to-
night.
The encampment was called to order
at 10 o'clock by Commander-in-C Chief
w. 5, johnson, Past Commander-in-
Chief William Warner of Missouri pre-
sented the name of Judge Leo Ras-
sieur of St. Louis for commander-in-
chief. He was followed by Department
Commander Joseph w. Kay of New
York, who nominated Colonel Albert
ID. Shaw of Watertown, n. Y
Captain Thomas Sampson of Allie
gheny City seconded the nomination Of
Colonel Shaw. and the Iowa, South Da-
kota and Vermont delegations also
made known their intention of voting
for the New York man.
Judge Rasseur asked the privilege
OF speaking, which was accorded him
He said he had not sought the office
or commander chief his candidacy
being the result of the work of his
friends. The desire of the encamp-
ment, he said, seemed to be to elect
Colonel Shaw, and he felt that it was
but proper for him to withdraw from
the contest in order that the business
of the meeting should not be delayed
He then asked that the entire vote of
the encampment be turned over to
Colonel Shaw and the New York can
didate be elected by reclamation.
He was cheered to the echo, and cries
of "Rassieur for 1900" We're heard in all
parts of the Grand Opera house
Acting on the suggestion of Judge
Rassieur, the encampment elected
Colonel Shaw by acclamatiOn
The business of the encampment was
interrupted by the arrival of delega-
tions representing the Woman's Re
lief Corps, army nurses and Sons of
Veterans, and a brief reception was
held.
Jacob l.. Grimm of Maryland was
elected chaplain-in-ch The report
of the pensions committee, which was
yesterday committed with instructions
to the committee to embody therein the
desires of the encampment relative to
the pension laws, was again presented.
The report was accompanied by reso-
lutions drafted by the committee and
the convention at once made them
unanimous. They are as follows:
Your committee on resolutions re-
spectfully presents this supplemental,
pursuant to the instructions of the en-
campment. We respectfully direct at
tention to section All Of the revised
statutes of the United States, which
reads as follows:
:" The commissioner of pensions shall
perform under the direction Of the sec
retary of the interior such duties in
the execution Of pension and bounty
laws as may be prescribed by the
United States
Resolved, that this encampment re-
spectfully presents to the president Its
earnest conviction that rule %, now in
practical effect in the adjudication of
claims for pensions under section .
of the act OF June II, 1890, in the pen
sion bureau. works grave injustice to
worthy eX-soldiers and eX-sailors, and
We express the hope that you will find
il consistent with your duties as an eX-
ecutive officer to abrogate this rule and
Te-eStabljSl the DFiuriDle as defined in