Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-12

Cleveland, Sept. l2.-Ihe ndtiohai
convention of the Grand Army OF the
Republic opened this morning with
large attendance. Commander-in-
chief Rassieur read his annual address
and the officers and committee re-
ports We're submitted.
Commanders Address.
The commander-in-chief, Leo Ras-
sieur, devoted a large part
of his annual address to
the matter of pensions. With
out any effort" he said, ION the part
Of the organization or its officers to-
give the pension problem undue prom
inence, that subject has overshadowed
all others and has called for more at
tention and thought in the past year
than all the other questions that con-
cern u.s."
He criticised the administration OF
the pension bureau and demanded the
honest and fair administration OF laws
which are already on the statute
books" Continuing he said: III an
officers lawlessness, reclllessness or
boldness go to such extreme length as
to lead him to override or ignore
plain aud unmistakeable order, indl-
eating the line of his duty, under the
law, coming from his superior ofncer,
the secretary of the interior what can
the poor and helpless old soldier eX-
pect at his hands When he is claiming
to exercise his discretion under the
law. The exercising of his discretion
cannot possibly result in anything
else in most of the cases than posi-
tive denial OF the benefits prescribed
by the law"
After adverting to the Importance OF
judicial assistance in the adminlstra-
ton of the pension bureau and ans
wering objections to the G. A. r. bill,
having unis object in view, the COM
mander in chief added: 1--WE cannot
conceive that the measure of duty to
those who saved this country will be
belittled while this country has mil
lions of dollars to engage in human
itarian war in the interests of the
downtrodden of other countries
He referred regretfully to the fail
ure of the veterans preference bill to
receive favorable consideration by con-
gress and urged further efforts to Sc
cure it's passage.
Another ground for disappointment,
he said was the failure to pass one OF
the three bills for soldiers home in
South Dakota, Idaho and Oklahoma.
AS military and patriotic instruc-
tion in the public schools, he deplored
the exclusion of non-commissioned Of
ficers from the bill which passed con
gress. THE schools of the country,
he said, ARE the fruitful field where
patriotism can be SO planted and cultl'
waited that nothing can destroy OF Grad
icate it. Hence every effort in this di
rection should be continued with re
newed efforts and patriotic exercises
made obligatory in the public schools
by law, wherever such is not the case
and it is at all practicable"
Adjutant Generals Figures.
The report OF the adiutant general
F. M. Sterrett, showed the total mem
bership June 80, 1901, was a69,507, ii
6,67S posts. The gains during the last
year We're 30,019 and the losses 81,
172; by death S,166 and bytsuspensior
1922. The number dropped from the
rolls, having been previously suspend
ed, was 1922. The number on tht
rolls June 80, 1901. including 25,55t
suspended, was 295,057.
The states in which there are owe
1000 members are as follows: Cali
fornia and Nevada, 4,792; Colorado anc
Wyoming, 2,117; Connecticut 4,597
Illinois, 22,132, Indiana, 1889; Iowa
12,S78; Kansas, 1881; Kentucky, 2
5SS; Maine, GAL: Maryland, 2,52S
Massachusetts, 1S,067; Michigan, IA
554; Minnesota, 6115; Missouri 10
965; Nebraska, 5,633; New Hampshire