The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-29
FIGHTING AGAINST EVANS.
Grand Army Men Attack the Pension
Office Administration

OiHce administration.
CHICAGO Aug 29-The thirty fourth
annual meeting of the Grand Army of the
Republic opened in Studebaker Theatre
this morning The feature of the occasion
was fight over the pension question. The
general sentiment of the members of the
Grand Army appeared to be that the ad
ministration of affairs il the hands Of
Evans. of Tennessee has bsen faulty II
is claimed he's has followed too closely the
policy of Commissioner Lochren under
CIeyeland's Administration.
The fight on the administration of affairs
in the Pension Office was begun by the
committee on pensions. composed Of f. b.
Brown, OF GAINESVILLE, Ohio; A G. Weis-
sert, of Milwaukee; John Palmer, of Al
bany, n. Y; Gen. Daniel Sickles. OF Nsw
York city; ]. W Burst. of Sycamore, III,
and Charles Clarke Adams, of Boston.
The report of this committee advocated
forming a court OF pension appeals PEN
sion Commissioner Evans was supported
warmly by Major Dick. of Ohio
Shortly after TO o'clock General Shaw
called the session to order. The invocation
was delivered by aplain-in-Chief ]. L,
Grimm. After the rollcall, Mayor Harri-
son. for the city and Judge j. NJ. Longe
necker, for the Department of Illinois. de-
livered addresses of welcome. Commander
Shaw and Gen. Louis Wagner responded.
The remainder of the time to the noon re-
cess was taken up by the reading of Com
mander Shaw's annual address
Commander Shaw covered the events OF
the past year. He gave pension statistics
showing that on July /, 1900. there were
993. 500 pensioners on the rolls, an increase
of %, ,01O for the year He said he greatly
regretted the criticism that had been made
in this direction.
Speaking of the Dewey Day trouble in
New York when the Grand Army of the
Republic refused to march, General Shaw
said:
Your commander in-chief fully en-
dorsed the right OF action of Department
Commander Kay and desires 70 thank
comrades for their objectIesson Of loyalty
to the Grand Army and to the dignity AMI
hcnor of the saviors of the Republic. Tn
less the survivors of the great war mar.n
at the front in all such pageantry, they
shall not consent TO appear in line. No
sophism as 10 troops carrying arms can
have force in the light of the glorious SER
vices of the veterans of the Union so far
as the place in line is concerned Regard
ing the change in Memorial Day, General
Shaw said:
Profoundly impressed with the weak
ening way Memorial Day is being observed
in the element of games and diversions OF
one sort or another. which are more and
more coming into view, your commander
in-chief strongly recommends that IL fall
on the last Sunday in May If this change
is made. it is believed that from wide con-
suitations and interchange of views the
Holy Sabbath Day will preserve it from
dissertations which now largely pervert
the tender associations of this unique
memory day from its original significa-
tiCn.
TIE membership on June 80, 1900, Com
mander Shaw said was 276, 662- The net
loss for the year from all causes was H.
319, 1870 comrades having died since the
last encampment. In conclusion he said.
We are all nearing the final sunset of
our lives and our work is mainly done.
Let us so live as 70 inspire our youth with
safe ideals OF patriotic love of country;
and thus secure the culture of citizenship
worthy of our age and one that Will domi-
nate all future along Ioftiest plains OF
enduring liberty"
Following Commander Shaw's address.
the reports of committees were read and
officers handed in their records of the
year.
But little interest is taken in the fight
for election of officers which comes to-
morrow morning. The election, Of COM
mander-in-chief is practically settled
There is almost no opposition to Major
Leo RaSSieur of ST