Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-09-06
Il Listens to the Reoorts from Oh.
GERS and Committees.
STATEMENT CT ADJUTANT GENERAL.


Grand Army 1t was day Tor anything
and everything but business. From
morning until night the convention
labored at its work in Studebaker
hall, listening to numerous reports
from officers and committees, while
the vast majority of the old soldiers
went to the parks, took boat rides on
the lake and those who had not seen
blood enough in their younger days
accepted an invitation from the pack
ers to visit the stock yards, where
they beheld more slaughter than had
taken place at the "bloody angle at
Spott,ylvania and in the "Bloody
lane" at Antietam combined.
The convention opened at 1890
o'clock and from the start business
was pushed with energy. The open
ing session was entirely of a social
character and was open to the public
The afternoon meeting was of an ex-
ecutive character.
The report of Adjt. Gen. Thomas j..
Stewart was in part as follows: "rhe
total membership of the Grand Army
of the Republic in good standing
June 30, 1890, was 6,o05 posts, with a
membership of 2S7,9sl; on June so,
1900. 6,77s posts, with a membership
of 27G.662 Reports received from de-
partments show 1860 members were
dropped from rolls, having been pre-
viously suspended. The losses from
all causes reported during the last
IL months have been 11,319-less than
in any year since 1893. The death rate
has increased from 2.7S in 1899 to $50
in 1900 The aggregate of total re-
ceipts for the year ending with the
encampment in 1900 is Sl3,330-an in
crease of 1892 this year over last.
The expense account is Sl,sS7 greater
for the year 1900 than for that of
1899, and this does not include any
salary whatever for the adjutant gen
eral"
When the convention met in the
afternoon the first thing taken up
was the report of the pension commit
tee This would contain, it was gen
orally thought, some warm state
ments, but there were none. There
was not in the report a specific deca-
ration or recommendation upon any
subject. The committee in the out
set went at length into the history
of the work done by &. A. r. commit
tees in obtaining from the last con-
gress increases in certain classes of
pensions, It then discussed the diff
ferences of opinion existing between
the pension office and those members
of the Grand Army who hold the
opinion that the old soldiers have not
received sufficient consideration. The
report argued at length against the
statements that have been made by
the pension office, in reply to the
Original criticisms made by members
of the Grand Army, but offered no
suggestions as to a direct line of pol
Icy to be pursued. The report was
ordered printed and will be the spe-
cial order of business this morning at
nine o'clock, to which hour the CON
vention adjourned.
After the pension committee had
presented its report silver services
were presented to Adjt. Gen. Stewart
and Past Commander johnson as a
token of the esteem in which they
are held by their comrades.
The committee which had taken the
annual message of Commander-in-
Chief Shaw under consideration re-
ported approval of all his suggestions
with the exception of that relating
to the change of the date of Memo
rial day from May 80 to the last Sun
day in May. On this the committee
reported adversely and their report
was adopted by the convention.
Resolutions were adopted by the
G. A. r, denouncing the school his
tories of the war and calling for their
Punishment from the schools of the
country,
II is reported now that the work of
the encampment will be over by noon
to-day unless there should be a pro-
tracted debate over the report of the
pension committee and this is not
considered probable, No opposition
has developed TO Judge Rassieur, of
st. Louis, in his candidacy for the po-
sition of commander-in-chief and It
is practically certain that he will be
elected on the first vote. There has
been very little talk regarding the
place of the next eucanpment, but
two places, Denver and Salt Lake,
have been mentioned.
The chief feature of the programme
to-day outside of the business meet
ing will he a sham battle in Washing.
ton park, in which detachments Of
the local militia will take part.
The Association of the Army of
the Frontier elected David Murphy,
anu in this position Russia and France
seem to agree. On the other hand,
while there is nothing definite indi-
eating territorial expansion. yet the
aNaha hnta lal A.. .