Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-09-06
TIE c. 4. R. MEETING.
OGcars Elected and Denver Chosen
for Next Encampmsnt.
TIE yiXED QUESTION OF PENSIONS.


officers were elected at the national
encampment Of the Grand Army of
the Republic yesterday: Commander
in-chief, Leo Rassieur, of st. Louis;
senior vice commander. A. 4. c. Mill
ken, of Portland, Me-; junior vice
commander, Frank Seamon, of Knox
vile, Tenn; surgeon general, John A.
wilkins, of Delta, O.; chaplain-in-
chief, Rev. A. Drahss, OF San Quentin,
Cal. Denver, Col, was chosen for the
national encampment of 1901. The
programme as mapped out by the re-
ception committee includes two days
more before the veterans are supposed
to return to their homes. Nothing
in the way of business remains to
be transacted, the next two days be-
ing occupied entirely in excursions,
patriotic concerts in the parks and
other affairs of social character. The
convention was called to order
promptly at nine o'clock by Com
mander-in-Chief Shaw. The commit
tee appointed to consider the annual
report of the COMMUNICATING APP
proved of it with the exception of his
recommendation of an effort to secure
the change of the date Of Memorial
day from May 30 to the last Sunday
in May The report was adopted and
the delegates took up the vexed ques-
ton of pensions. Over the report of
this committee and over various
amendments and substitutes which
members had prepared to offer a
rather warm debate was anticipated,
but the report as submitted by the
committee was adopted without
amendment and practically without
debate. The main feature of the some
what lengthy report was the petition
to congress to pass bill providing
for court of appeals to act immedi-
ately on the thousands of pension APP
plications now pending and which
court of appeals shall have final jurs-
dictioh. Later in the day pension
matters were again brought before
the delegates by the report of the
committee on resolutions on the sub
ject of service pensions. Over this
question the COMMITTEES was divided
and majority and minority reports
were presented. The majority re-
port, which was adopted after some
what lengthy discussion, recommend
ed that the whole matter be referred
to the committee ON pensions, thus
practically burying it until the next
annual encampment. The minority
report, presented by Past Commander
Hurst, of Ohio, recommended the pas
sage by the encampment .: 4 resolu-
ton favoring service pensions based
on length of service.
Pension matters being disposed of,
the election of officers was taken up,
and in an eloquent speech Maj. Will
liam Warner, of Kansas City, placed
Mai. Rassieur, of st. Louis, in nomi-
nation for the position of commander
in-chief. Judge Advocate General
Eli Torrance made a brief secondng
speech. There were no other nomina-
tons and motion to suspend the
rules and declare Maj. Rassieur elect
ed by accamation was carried amid
much applause. The new commander
in-chief was escorted to the platform
amid hearty cheers from his COM
rades and returned his thanks for the
honor. The other officers were also
elected by reclamation.
When the delegates reconvened in
the afternoon the report of the com.
mittee on resolutions in regard to the
various auxiliary associations was
taken up. Over the recommendation
of the committee that the Daughters
of Veterans, the Women's Relief corps
and kindred associations be recog
nized a debate lengthy and at times
acrimonious took place. A substitute
offered by John L. Gilman, of Massa
chusetts, limiting an auxiliary asso.
cations recognized by the G. A. r. to
the Women's alliance was adopted by
an overwhelming vote. A resolution
was then adopted eulogizing the work
and character of Miss Clara Barton
and authorizing cooperation with the
Red Cross society. A resolution was
also adopted asking congress to make
an appropriation for the purpose OF
erecting suitable monument at
Washington to commemorate the
services of the soldiers and sailors of
the army and navy of the civil war,
4 resolution was unanimously
adopted asking the railroads center
ing at the point decided upon for the
next annual encampment to grant a.
rate of one cent a mile, If this should
be refused by the railroads power
was by the resolution vested in the
commander to remove the encamp-
ment to some place where the rate
could be secured ~ to abandon the
parade entirely. As the parade is the
feature that draws large numbers to
the annual encampments, none but
delegates will attend unless a rate OF
one cent a mile is granted.
The installation of the new officers
then took place and shortly before six