Evening star., 1901-09-12


Adjutant Generals Report.
The report Of the adjutant general. F. M.
Sterrett, showed that the total membership
June 80. 1901. was 2e9,5O7 in 6.67s posts.
The gains during the last year were 80. 0.019
and the losses 37,172-by death. S,l66 and
by suspension 16, 262. The number dropped
from the rolls. having been previously sus-
pended. was 7,722. The number on the rolls
June 30. 1901, including 25.550 suspended,
was 295.057.
The states in which there are over two
thousand members are as follows:
California and Nevada, 4.792: Colorado
and Wyoming, 2,117; Connecticut. 4,597;
Illinois. @. 1872: Indiana. 1850: Iowa, Il. .S7S:
Kansas. 1881: Kentucky, 2,5S8: Maine.
SAL: Maryland. 2,52s; Massachusetts,. 49,
O67; Michigan, IL, ,554: Minnesota, GLE: Mis-
souri,. 1895: Nebraska. 5.633; New Hamp-
shire, 1891; New Jersey, 5373: New York,
30, 143: Ohio, 25,111: Pennsylvania. S.J65;
Vermont, 3.563: Washington and Alaska,
2,5O1: Wisconsin. 8, $50.
The amount expended for relief during
the year was $119 326.
Referring to the southern memorial fund
the adjutant general said: The impor-
ern states and their successors In the inn
portant object lesson of placing the flag
of the Union on the graves OF our fallen.
lying in national and other cemeteries OF
for all time to come. urges US to adopt the
best methods toward securing that end"
Report of the Chaplain.
The report Of August brahms. chaplain
tn-chief, showed that 2,749 posts observed
memorial day services. 81. TOO Of the COM
rades participating, as did 2.O64 Women's
Relief Corps. with 14,6O0 members The
number of cemeteries visited was 1O.6S6.
and the number of graves decorated, 312,-
S46. The public schools participating was
3.6O6, and the number of pupils. 27S. 2S8
Other organizations which took part in the
ceremonies numbered 2298.
Committee on Liquidation.
The committee on legislation reported az
follows: Your committee regretfully ac-
knowledge the defeat of the Harris bill
g. 541D in the fifty-sixth Congress- but
strongly urges that this measure be again
presented to the fifty-seventh Congress- by
committee to be appointed by the incom-
ing commander-in-chief.
Section 1854 Of the Revised Statutes Of
the United States provides that persons
honorabiy discharged from the military or
naval service by reason Of disability re-
sulting from wounds or sickness incurred
In the line OF duty shall be preferred for
appointments to civil offices provided they
are found to possess the business capacity
necessary for the proper discharge Of the
duties Of such office.
The amendment embodied In the Harris
bill was designed to broaden the scope Of
this section Of the law In order to include
within the preference all who received hon
orable discharges from the service. Under
the present law q large number Of soldiers
and sailors who were wounded and who
served for years afterward are excluded.
and In many cases preference given to some
who saw but little service But few vet
Grams are now living who come within the
preference provided In section 1854.
In the second session Of the F1fty-fifth
Congress Senate bill No. $3.50 granted tho
privilege Of preference as outlined In tho
Harris bill to include all who had received
honorable discharges. It was also favor
ably reported from. the committee on re-
form In the civil service OF the House OF
but ON the plea that the
committee had not met and considered the
bill the vote to report II was on canvass
OF the members on the floor Of the Senate.
q majority agreeing thereto, motion was
made by Mr.. Lodge Of Massachusetts to re-
commit the. bin to the COMMITTEES. This
proved to be the death knell OF the amend
ment. for although numerous efforts were
made to- ssCure Its consideration the bill
neYer came before the HOUSE.