The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-16
VETERANS REFUSE
TOASK FOR MILEAGE
Travel Pay Question Discussed
at Length.
left TOTHE COMMITTEE
qurrrPPrNE ASSOCIATION AZ
ToURNs UNTIL 1902.

--,f Hals dropped his gavel a
- 55rr before noon in the Assembly
rsr Yesterday and declared the sec
o.5 annual eucampment of the Army
of rhe philippines adjourned sine die.
The closing session was devoted al
most exclusively 20 the consideration
of the travel pay question. and it was
finally left In the hands of the eX-
teu-Ir- committee 20 fully investigate
and take such action iu the interest of
the assaeiaJIOu as may be warranted
Dr. the result of its investigation. Tie
soldiers declined 10 go on record as
asking the government for anything.
having SO few OF the facts at hand
The travel pay matter came before
the society Ina the form of "a resolution.
offered hv j. j. Meyers which set
forth that q large majority of the
forces engaged iu the Philippines had
received their discharges there and
travel pay from Manila to their
homes. vale the Eighth army CORDS
was discharged after it's return from
the Philippines and did not receive
travel pay from Manila to San Fran
cisco. The resolution went on 90 say
that this discrimination had worked a
hardship and caused an unfair dis
creraacy between the pay of the mem
hers OF the Eighth army corps and
others OF the service. EOueress was
10 remedy this by providing for the
PAYMENT 10 these soldiers Of a sum
equal 90 the regular travel pay, The
crnltuaing paragraph provided that
The president Of the society should
take TIE proposed bin to Washington
and work for It's passage
Appended to the resolution was
form OF the proposed bill authorizing
the secretary of the treasury 70 pay
ever the money according 10 the cir
cImstances described.
Mr.. Me"ers. i'm order 90 get the
question before roe house, Immediate
ly moved the adoption of the resOlu-
ton. He led his debate with the state
ment that ne had met men of the
Eighth army corps who had received
travel pay and transportation from
Manila az san Francisco, after being
discharged in the latter place. and
there we're others he said, WHO had,
when their , 4rm Of service expired,
been offered Ia equivalent of their
travel pay as a bonus for re-enlisting
at Manila. He spoke of one man who
went to the islands as a civilian cook
and enlisted while there I'm the hospi4
taI corps. He got travel pay when
be was ready 10 come home. Nr
Meyers said and IF he was entitled to
it. the speaker could not see why every
man in the Eighth army COrps was
not
Opposed by General Hale.
General Hale here offered the sug-
gestiou that IL was a very serious
question tl-e society was discussing.
He reminded the men that phey got
free trans. orIatlan home and travel
pay from san Francisco, where they
Nerz discharged, to the place where
they enlisted. The government had
the right he stated, TO send the men
90 the states iu which they enlisted
before discharElros them, thus dapriv-
ING them OF any travel pay whatever.
PUG that was not done. except in rare
instances, III at all. To give the SOL
iiers travel nay from the Philippine
Stands the general continued would
require many millions of dollars. and
30 was a question. first. whether the
government could afford TO do it. and,
Second. whether the Society of the
Army of the Philippines could afford
Co ask il.
NY Impression is there is no Legal
ground Tor such a request" the genera
concluded. II amounts TO asking con-
Eress to give every officer and man who
served in the Philippines a bonus of
one years pay. Il is a very grave sub
ject and let this society 90 nothing to
invite cric cism.'
Discussed at Length
Corporal Post acting temporary sec
rotary. moved as an amendment that
the entire matter be left to the eXecu-
tive committee to take such action as
their investigation OF the subject war
rants.
There was an extended discussion
whether the matter should be passed
ON or put into the hands of the eXecu-
tive committee.
Captain CrtchloW favored the latter.
d did NanLain CosgraN-. who declared