Evening star., 1900-09-25
Survivors of the Conflict in Session in
This City.
ADDRESS OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF
Union Of All Spanish War Organi-
cations Recommended.
THE PROCEEDINGS TODAY

The convention i TO continue tomorro"
aud Thursday. The sessions are being held
in the armory hall of the Washington
Light Infantry Corps. at 18th and E streets.
The proceedings this afternoon included the
reading of the reports of the commander
fn-chief and of the adjutant general, the
appoiutment of several committees and the
transaction Of routine business. Owing TO
tbe fact that a number of the delegates
from out of town had not arrived, an ad-
iournment was taken at an early hour un-
III 7.3o o'clock this evening. Business of
an interesting and important character Is
on the program for this evening. and the
hope and expectation is that the attendance
will be large. 4 reception and smoker IN
honor Of the national officers is to be held
in the Washington Light Infantry Hall to-
morrow evening, beginning at O'Clock
All who performed military service in con-
nection with the recent war, as wen as
members Of the Spanish War Veterans, are
invited 70 attend.
status of the Troops in China.
one important question IL come before the
convention is the status Of the troops in the
campaign in China. The constitution and
bylaws restrict membership 10 regular and
volunteer members of the army and navy
and the marine corps who participated in
the war with Spain or the insurrection in
c.deut thereto. As many Of those were or
dered 10 China also operated in the Philip
pines or elsewhere. 1t i not unlikely that
the in the Chinese campaign Will be
admitted.
The organization comprises 25.oO0 mem
berS. with department corps in twenty
eight states. President Mckinley IS an hon
0rary members and William j. Bryan and
Miss Helen Gould are members Of the ad-
mnistrative council.
The COmmdnder-.n n-Chief was escorted
from his headquarters at the Ebbitt House
% the place of meeting by representative
committee The hall was found to be a
mass Of color. the decorations being in
honor of the occasion.
After rapping for order Gen. kiefer in
yi;ed Col. Harrington Of the United States
marine corps TO invoke Divine blessing.
Annual Address.
The commander-in-chief then read his an
nu4l address. in part follows:
As commander-in-chief of the National
Army II Spanish War Veterans it becomes
my duty t. call this meeting To order. The
National Army constitutes the supreme au-
thCrity Of the organization. The member
ship of the National Army is composed
under article Y, section :. Of the rules and
regnlatons-of the national officers. includ-
ing the national council Of administration,
the corps commanders uf the states and
territories and the District of Columbia and
the duly elected national delegates.
This. the first annual national delegate
meeting, was called by me- at this time and
place. in general orders NJ. q, on the aa-
vice Of the council II administration
CONGRATULATE YOU and the Spanish War Vet
Grams on the good state Of the order and
the stability Of the work already accom-
Plished The future strength and growth
81 The organization is assured, and | eX-
press the hope and belief that in time the
eligible veterans may all be harmoniouSy
united in one organization. under one name
with the same common objects, and thence
forward become the only existing one as
sembling the soldiers and sailors Of this
ninn who in our recent under it's
faC Went forth TO battle TO inculcate the
principles Of freedom, patriotism and hu-
uanity.
At a representative meeting held in the
National Guard armory. Washington, y c.,
September :, lS.s, pursuant previous
call, II was, among other things, as set
fOrtn IN general orders No. L.. from head
quarters Spanish War Veterans, made the
duty Of the national council Of administra-
Ti"n t. frame a constitution and ritual to
b- submitted to the ommander-iIl-chief
which on being approved by him. should
lecome the law Of this associa tion. and
remain 50 until the next session Of this as
sDciation. when ii shall be submitted for its
action. on the Goth of November 1899 the
c"unt II Of administration. al meeting
held IN Washington, D. -. adopted rules
and regulations as the constitution Of the
organization which was, November -
'A:t9. approved by me- in general orders No
] Of that date. Later a ritual was agreed
upon. Under this constitution and ritual
the spanish War Veterans have been or
ganzing ard working.
1t may be assumed that the work of the
council imperfect in some particulars
but it i submitted TO you for your action
Experience may show manifest errors and
omissions but 1t is believed that under all
the circumstances il contains the funda-
mental principles of the great organiza tion
:. Was designed TO serve as charter for
Attention was called by the commander
lr-chisf to but few If the provisions of the
CanStitution 10 the objects Of the order
membership and other collateral points
and he then said:
These will serve to show the high, pure
and patriotic purposes of the order and who
are eligible TO membership. and that it Is
wholly non-partisan: also set forth its edu-
cati"nal and charitable character. l repeat
here what | said in paragraph Of general
orders No L. dated September ~ 1893:
:. The cOmmander-in-chief voices the
universal wish Of the delegates assembled
~ the Washington meeting that in one or
gdEIzat atiun, under one name, all Americans
who served honorably III the Spanish war
may be permanently united for the common
purpose of keeping alive comradeship. of
promoting their best interests and that OF
the widows. orphans and other dependents
incident 10 the war: also to foster fraternal
feelings among comrades in war that
marks a great epoch in country's pro-
gressive history The organization is an
tagonistic 10 no other. 1t will be nonpar-
tisan, nOn-sectional and second 10 none in
patriotism.
Freedom. Patriotism and Humanity.
The order has, under my administration,
been conducted and governed solely TO ac-
cpmplish the objects and in pursuance OF
the principles thus determined and pro-
mulgated. If partisan purposes were toll
Grated in the order 1t would be. and should
hc, short lived. The principles of freedom,
patriotism and humanity, on which the or
gduization is founded. can have no party
or geographical dividing lines.
The badge 10 be worn all proper oc-
caSiOns by the Spanish War Veterans is a
striking and handsome one, and 1t seems to
give almost. II not quite. universal salts
faction The same may be said of the but
ton
Some diversity of opinion seems to exist
to the ritual, but this now comes before
you FOR your revision. A committee on
ritual should be appointed, empowered TO
revise the ritual.
The Finances.
a call was made from national army
headquarters for per capita tax of 20
cents. under article VI. section IL. This
deemed reasonable and necessary un-
der all the circumstances.
The aiiutauf general iIIaurx- A Ax,ipat