Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-09-08
VETERANS WELCOMED
BY MAYOR HARRISON
Ioday's Meeting Of the Grand Army
Is Devoted Mainly to
Business.
COMMANDER IN CHIEFS REPORT
Suggests "a Solution of the Pension
Problem -. Reports or Vari-
Gus Officers aud Com
mittees.

Chicago, Aug. BIN Studebaker
hall this morning the veterans of the
q. A.. II. turned their attention to
matters of business. The meeting
was formally called to order by Com
mander in Chief Shaw, and opened
with prayer by Chaplain Grainer.
Mayor Harrison then formally well
coined the soldiers TO Chicago. He
said:
/ esteem it "a high privilege 10 be per-
mitted, on behalf OF the city of Chicago,
10 eXterd it's offlcial greeting TO the q. A.
r., and in It's name TO welcome each and
every member OF your historic association
TO our hearts, homes and hearth. Chi
caEo Is at all times a ~hospitable city, and
II ner greeting TO the stranger within her
gates be always warm-neartcd and spon-
laneouS, what must II be when the guest
Is the great organization OF men who for
four years brayed all the dangers of dis
ease. wounds, death all from pure, unset
fish devotion 10 the best interests OF our
country.
Since the dawn OF civilization patriotic
devotion to ones native land has led to
splendid acts of heroism and the display
OF ofty patriotism. But nowhere can We
find a counterpart TO the record OF this
nauon during those days OF civilization
when an almost countless army OF pa
trlots left home and fireside that Il gov
Sllliutll il Tree men, the lISl III All lie
history Of the world, might remain
mighty and intact. The people OF chi
caso, being part and parcel OF the great
state OF illinois, a state that gave To
the union a Lincoln "A Douglas, a Grant,
a Logan, could not be other than patriotic
II they would. Nothing inspires "A people
like III and with sucn Illinois has
again ana again been blessed, and so to-
day | speak Tor all our citizens in voiclng
tneir thanks for the services Of the Grand
Army as well as their congratulations on
Inc success mat has attended orr aI-
forts. In every corner OF our land the
nag stands for one and the same idea, In
clty and hamlet, on farm and plantation,
II receives equal reverence ana devotion.
The people OF Chicago, in common with
all nations, appreciate your services and
bid You a welcome so hearty, so warm,
that IL the thanks of a grateful commu-
nlty count for anything you may feel in
some measure repaid for the trials, dam
gers and sufterings OF the past. Chicago
Is yours, not only for today, but Tor all
DAYS.
Commander in Chief Shaw replied,
expressing the thanks of the army
for the hospitality shown them.
When General Shaw resumed his
seat j. NJ. Longenecker, commander
Of the department of Illinois, rose to
greet the veterans in behalf of the
soldiers of Illinois. General Evils
Wagner responded for the members.
This closed the morning meeting.
shaw's Annual Report.
The convention reassembled at 2.
General Shaw read his annual report,
which is in part as follows:
1t Is believed that with a liberal and
just execution OF present pension laws
little further In the way OF pension legls-
laIlop Will be necessary to secure Tor the
great majority OF the dependent saviors
L the naIlCn the fulnilment or the
pledged ialtn of the people IN behalf OF
those who perliled their All in the morn
ing OF tneir lives for liberty and union.
During The year the original issues were
4U,oio; reStOIatlonS, 1850; total names
auded to rolls, 4o,33S. Inc increases. re-
ratings, etc. were. Act OF 1899, "a, lo2, gem
eral Jaws, Z5,lJ5; old wars, SOS. The total
number OF CertlrcateS issued were 100, 0yl,
against $1,000 during the year ending June
30, 1893. Ine number Oh pensioners Oh the
ron july 4, 1900, was 1880, 500, Al, 354 having
been dropped during the years., SUJ by
deaths, yJ Dy relnafriases ana 500 from
al other causes. Ihe disbursements Tor
pensions ana maintenance OF system from
JuIy /, LOCO, 10 June 80, lSOv, nau been
$z,ol2, 313, bsv, divided as tonows: Pen
SONS, 5000, 3I5,liG medical examinations
Slo.OoL,SLS; salaries anu ali other expenses
OIL bureau, sio, $40 ,6Z5; salaries ana oIner
expenses or agencies, $l&,ol3,99O
IL Is d source OF great regret hat the
pension department is wIaeiy criticised
ny a large numDer or worthy appnCdnIS
Tor pensions uHuer the DellCI lndt their
Ciallns are not treated In a liberal and
just way under the present auminisIra-
LUn oil the pension laws. Sucn a state
Oh leeilnS Is Sledly 10 De ueplored, IOr
IL gives llse 10 lfrltatlons OF AL untortu-
mace ana unhappy sort. with the pro-
posed pension court OF appears once uuly
organized the WnOIe atmosphere of the
pension ofliCe would be quickly changed
INTO as harmonious ana popu!ar a branch
OF the government as ae those OF the
departments Oh the treasury, the post
once anu OF justice. tor tnen the law
WouId be etleclIYe under hign judicial IN
terpfetaUOn.
Froroundiy impressed with the weak
enlnS way memorial Jay Is being OBJ
served IN the eleinent OIL games ana diver
siOl4S OF one sort or another, winch are
more ana more coming into view, your
commandments strongly
mat II IAN on the last sunday IN May.
III this cnange Is maze II Is peiIeyed from
consultations n interchange OF views
that the hoIy Saobaln DAY Will preserve
IL from the reservations wnicn now large
~ perNert the tender associations OF TINS
UNIQUE memory uay from It's original sig
nIuCdtion.
Ine Woman's Relief corps-a noble or
gdulzatlon-nas been a tower OF strength
uurIIg the past year and stands Tor me
IaT9esL influence as an au&llary or our
Oruer. IA is true or the Woman's
teilef corps applies largely 10 the Ladies
OF me Granu Army
The nearest approach to privileged sons
OF our son is tound In the Sons OF Vet
erahs. 10 be the worthy son or a worthy
Veteran or the UNION army or navy Is In
qeeu a proud distinction. All the en-
I~ouIasenlent possible at our hands rs aue
10 oar boys.
We are az nearing the final sunset Of
our lives and our WORK is mainly done.
Let US ave as 10 inspire our youth with
sdIe lueaIs or patriotic love or coun-
tLy, ana thus insure the culture OF a
CIIzeIsnlp worthy OF our age and one
lnaI VIII dominate all the future along
the loItest planes OF enduring liberty.
Various Rcports.
Following the address came q long
list OF reports submitted by minor
officials and various committees, in
Guiding the committee on legislation
and committee on pension legisla-
ton.
The report of the committee on leg
islation says in part:
During the year the chairman of
your committee has many times had
occasion to go to our comrade, Will
liam Mckinley, president of the Unit
cd States, in the interest of other
comrades who needed help or protec-
ton, and never in vain. Numerous
reservations to the public service of
veterans wronged, gave needed help
and ONE sweeping reforms i'm ideas
of administration adopted by him for
the protection of other veterans in
their rights, have produced good re-
suits for our people in other direc-
tions.
THAT the war for the union and
what it cost in sacrifice may not be
forgotten nor it's survivors be BELT