The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-29
Annual Meeting of the Grand
Army Called to Order.
Mayor Harrison Welcomes the
Veterans to Chicago.
GEN. SHAW REPLIES.
Illinois Welcome Extended by
Department Commander.
Session Closes and a Reception
is Held.


Chicago, Aug. 29.-In Studebaker hall
this morning the veterans of the G. A.
R., who yesterday marched in parade,
turned their attention to matters of bus
mess The annual meeting was formal
~ called to order at 1880 by Comman-
der-in-Chief Shaw. The hour originally
set for the meeting was 10 o'clock, but
so many of the old soldiers We're late in
answering the roll call that it was found
impossible to commence on time.
General Shaw announced that the
meeting would be opened with prayer by
Chaplain Grimm. The audience arose
and remained standing during the
prayer.
Mayor Harrison then came to the
front of the rostrum to formally well
come the soldiers to Chicago. His adj
dress was happily received.
Commander-in-Chief Shaw of the
Grand Army replied to Mayor Harrison
for the members of his organization, ex-
hospitality shown them. His address
was as follows:
The comrades of the Grand Army are
deeply touched by the splendor of Chi
cago's welcome and the wealth of her
boundleSS hospitality. Your eloquent
words find an echo in every heart before
you, and over all this broad land they
will charm and delight the aging heroes
of other times and other scenes, when
wars hard sacrifices filed the nation
with mourning. Such unexcelled evil
dences of the patriotism and apprecia-
tive gratitude OF your citizens, as we see
on every hand on this great occasion
of the thirty-fourth encampment touches
us almost to tears, for it is sweet to be
remembered
On behalf of the Grand Army of the
Republic thank you from a fun heart
for your noble hospitality, and through
the bright days prepared for the many
thousands who bore the burden Of war IN
the saving of the nation to full liberty IN
the sixties Over all the wide borders of
our united and happy country the sweet
music of concord and commerce fall upon
the ear, gladdening all hearts and pro-
noting a concord as beautiful as it IS
zenship and national. glory We now have
one emblem of our nations peace and
destiny Lincoln prophesied when 6O0, ,OCO. 900
of free and happy people should possess
our land
Flag of the seasl On ocean wave
Flag Of the bravei Thy folds shall fiy
The signal of hope and triumph high.
And may the blessings Of Almighty God
rest upon all our people henceforth.
NJ. Longnecl1er, commander of the depart
ment of Illinois, arose to greet the. vet
He made a happy little speech, which
evoked much applause. General Louis
Wagner, who responded for the members
of the army, was no less felicitous in his
reply, expressing the gratitude Of his COM
fadeS Fh to the m men 1b OF nTn n9ls ans eosfa
ately after the conclusion of General
er, Mayor Harrison and General Shaw
held an informal reception lasting half an
hour.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
mi I1l ID
o'clock in the afternoon and this time
there were no preliminaries. The busi-
ness was opened at once by General
Shaw, who read his annual report which
was in part as follows:
Comrades: The honor conferred by
my unanimous election as your COM
mander-in-chief one year ago, placed me
at the head of the greatest patriotic Or
ganization in the world, and it has been
my ambition to Worthily discharge the
manifold duties of this great office. To
this end have devoted all my time to
the demands of the position in the en-
on entering upon the work that would
try and make "a busy year among COM
radeS.'
My first official act was to send out a
fraternal circular letter to the comrades
of the nation, calling upon them to unite
in an earnest effort to build up our
membership through prudent and wise
consideration of the claims of comrade-
ship. Special reference was made to the
dropped and suspended" members,
and the need of Fraternity, Charity and
Loyalty, in the largest sense, in the line
of securing the aid and comfort of all
veterans of The Great War
The result Of this appeal has been
most gratifying as a whole. Department
commanders, aides-de-camp, and faith
full comrades have done much to
strengthen our noble order, through per-
sonaI efforts in behalf of this great or
ganizatiOn.
rrt41r pENrSTOnT oTrEcTroN
Your administration from the first re-
garded the pension question as one of
paramount Importance, and to it's con-
sideration brought the best available re-
sources of the order. 1t was believed
that unless wise and deSira BILE amend
mentS were secured to the act of June
27 1890, during the year, there would
be grave doubts whether these could
ever be obtained With this view of the
situation a plan of campaign was early
agreed upon, and the work begun. Your
chief appealed to the
public conscience of the nation in two
addresses-one delivered in New York
and the other in Washington-in behalf
of right and righteousness concerning &
the pension problem and demanding the
fulfillment of the pledged faith of the
people in all pension matters. These
addresses were widely distributed and
witho-t much expense to our organiza-
tiol.
The result of f141 ublication of the
addresses was a deepen-1 interest in
this much discussed problem. Your PEN
sion committee formulated such amend
ments as bore out the recommendations
of the thirty third national encamp-
ment, and pressed them upon the atten-
tion of the congress with resolute cour-
age and unfailing dignity and earnest
ness To keep alive the interest in this
work, your COMMUNICATIVE chief made a
tour Of visitations through southern de-
partments and constantly pressed to the
front the objects sought in the legisla-