Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-29
TIE GRANDAR WORK
The Business Session Of the G. A. R.
Encampment at Chicago
Held Today.
Commander. in. Chief Shaw Delivers
the Annual Address Officers
Reports Made.
Feature Of TodaY,s Amusement pro.
Feature Of Today's Amusement Pro.
gram Is Bicycle Race-Re.
unions, Etc.

Chicago, Aug. 29.-In Studebaker hall
this morning the veterans of the G. A.
II. turned their attention to matters of
business. The annual meeing was for
mally called to order by Commanders
in-Chief Shaw. 1t was opened by prayer
by Chaplain Granin. Mayor Harrison
then formally welcomed the soldiers to
Chicago. The address was most
happily received. Commander-in-C Chief
Shaw replied and expressed the thanks
of the Grand Army for the hospitality
shown them.
AS Gen. Shaw resumed his seat j. NJ
Lonsenecker, commander of the de-
partment of Illinois, arose and greeted
the veterans on behalf of the soldiers of
Illinois. Gen. Louis Wagner responded
for the members OF the army. This
closed the morning meeting.
The convention reassembled at .
O'clock Gen. Shaw then read his am
nual report.
Communicative Chief Albert d. Shaw,
IN his annual address, said:
" first official act was to send out
a fratsrnal circular letter to the COM
rades of the nation, calling upon them
To unite in an earnest effort to build uI,
our membership thru prudent and wise.
consideration of the claims of comrade-s
snip. Special reference was made to
the dropped and suspended members.
and the need of Fraternity, Charity and
Loyalty in the ,argest sense in the line
!cf securing the aid and comfort of all
the veterans of the great war The re-
suit of this appeal has been most graft
flying as whole. Department COM
manders, aide-de-camps and faithful.
comrades have done much TO strength
en- our noble order thru personal efforts
in behalf of this great organization
While the Grand Army of the Re
public is traternal and reminiscent
order, and one that has no equal In its
unique objects and membership. the
fact is that constant effort is necessa-
ry to insure its highest usefulness. We.
are growing old, and with increasing,
!nfirnities there is urgent need of a
closer touch and larger sympa thy with
and fli; each other. Kind words are
more than curonets,' and the conrade-
ly cheer that knows no shadow of turn
ing on this side of the grave should be
the unfaiiing basis of our relations TO
the Grand Army. 1t is a source of PEE
Gulial qualification to your commander
mischief TO know that during the past
year a remarkable record of concord
has followed this policy OF fraterniay in.
all departments.
The finances of the order are in ex-
celient condition and the Women S Re-
lief Corps is entitled to cordial praise
for its generous aid.
1T is believed that With liberal and
just execution of the present pension
laws little further in the way of pen
sion legislation Will be necessary TO se-
cure for the great majority Of the de-
pendent saNiors of the nation the full
tillment of the pledged faith of the peo-s
pie in behalf of those who perilled their
all in the morning Of their lives for lib
erty and union. During the year the
issues We're io.645. restorations,
4.G92; total names added To the rolls,
i5.33S. The increases, re-ratiGSs, etc,
We're: Act of 1890 34.lo2: general laws,
- POS old wars, SOB. The total number
of certificates issued We're sl05.591,
against S9,054 during the year ending
June 30 1888 The number of pension
et-s onthe roll July /, 1900 vas ,036,S6
As .ii33i having been dropped during the
year. 35,S09 by deaths. 90s by remar-
4riages and 6.616 from all other causes.
The disbursements for pensions and
maintenance of system from July /,
IS65. 10 June 80, 1900. had been s2,5l2,-
329 $50 divided as follows: Pensions,
$2,5gS33I3.li7 medical examinations
$i6.5,l,gy..929; salaries and all other ex-;
5penses of the bureau, siS,S0S,62S; sala-
ries and other expenses of agencies,
Sl2.6l399O.
f lit is a source Of great regret that the
pension department is widely critisisad
by a large number of worthy applicants
for pensions, under the belief that their
claims are not treated IN liberia: and
just Way. under the present administra-
ton of the pension laws. Such state
of feeling is greatly to be deplored. for
it gives ris,a to irritations of an sunfor-
tunate and UNHAPPY sort. The impartial
and worthy execution Of our pension
laws ssunquestionabiy calls forsgreat pru-
dence and wisdom on the part of those
charged with the duty Of their adjudi-5
cation. The great weakness undoubt-
ealy to be found g the faulty present
system in force in the pension office.
Nothing should be left to individual In
sterpretation. 1t is not SO much the
question of officials as it is of a proper
judicial system, in the execution of our
generous pension laws. With the pro-
posed pension court of appeals once
duly organized the whole atmosphere of
the pension Office would be quickly
changed into an harmoniOusfand popu-
lar branch of the government as are
those of the departments of the treas
ury, the postotiice and of justice. For
then the law would be. effective under
biuI, i,,I3n;oI i,,t nfinp vot,r cp,,,